Empowering Communities with Microgrid Energy Systems
Trust Hakai’s proven expertise in designing and building robust, dependable systems for diesel abatement.
Microgrid systems are standalone community-scale electrical distribution systems that reduce communities’ dependence on diesel-generated power. When isolated communities rely heavily on diesel generation, they face fuel price instability, high operating and maintenance costs, dependence on shipments, and reduced generator lifetimes due to continuous operation.
Hakai’s team of highly qualified engineers have both the technical expertise and situational experience to implement even the most complex microgrid energy systems.
Hakai’s experienced team delivers:
- The design-build of solar plants and energy storage systems that typically reduce dependence on diesel by at least 75%
- The electrical integration equipment that brings it all together
- A wealth of local knowledge and a strong history of relationship building along British Columbia’s coast
- Experience building and living in remote communities
- Bankability. Hakai offers the strongest track record of success in the industry, for over a decade.
Selected microgrid projects
Calvert Island Field Station
Up until 2010, the off-grid research station on Calvert Island was burning up to 500 litres of diesel fuel per day. After the inclusion of a three-phase modular inverter system as well as a 50 kW PV array and battery system, the site’s diesel consumption had dropped to under 100 litres per day.
Klemtu
Located on Swindle Island in the Great Bear Rainforest, the community of Klemtu envisioned a solar initiative to supplement their existing micro-grid sourced by diesel generators and a hydroelectric facility. We worked with the Kitasoo/Xai’Xais First Nation to design, install, and commission the 23 kW solar facility. The result was increased reliability, reduced risk of brown-outs, and affordable and sustainable addition to the remote energy system.
Lasqueti Island – False Bay School
Lasqueti Island is independent of the BC Hydro grid where community facilities including False Bay School, the telecommunications tower, and the volunteer fire department relied exclusively on diesel generators and a small inverter and storage system. In 2016, we custom-designed, installed, and commissioned the solar PV system which allowed the generators to become a back-up power source and diesel costs to be reduced to a fraction of their previous burden.
