Condo Goes Solar

The mayor was on hand to unveil Kelowna’s first solar panel installation on a residential condo building Thursday afternoon. “It helps meet our goals, being one of the seven solar cities,” said Mayor Sharon Shepherd, who sits on the provincial 100,000 Solar Roofs committee and has proven a lightening rod for activism in this area.

The installation was handled by Swiss Solar Tech Ltd. out of Summerland and was fastened to the roof of the new Mode condos on Dickson Avenue—a development from The Mission Group.

Many of the panels remain covered to date, waiting for the first building occupants to arrive and start using the hot water they’ll generate.

The panels are expected to provide 35 to 40 per cent of the annual hot water demand for the building and up to 90 per cent during the summer season, significantly reducing energy costs.