Local businessman Doug Bonde seems shy when you first meet him, but once he gets talking about solar power and energy conservation, he becomes more outgoing.
These days, Bonde becomes particularly animated when he talks about the first grid inter-tied solar system in Squamish that he recently installed on his warehouse on Queens Way.
“What I am trying to do is balance our consumption with our generation,” he said when The Squamish Chief visited his warehouse on Friday in the Squamish business park.
Bonde explained that in simple terms the solar cells on the awning of his warehouse generate electricity, and that electricity goes into a combiner box, which takes different circuits of solar and sends them to an inverter. In Bonde’s case, the inverter delivers 208 volts of AC current. The inverter also balances what it is producing with what is on the hydroelectric grid. From the inverter it goes through breaker boxes and into an electrical panel. From the panel it goes into, or out of, a BC Hydro Smart Metre. “So if we are generating more than we are using, then the power actually flows out to the grid for other people to use and if we are using more than we are generating, then we draw power from the grid through our metre,” he said.
Even on the cloudy day with intermittent rain when The Squamish Chief visited, power was being generated.
“We are generating 1.521 kilowatts of power and so far today we have put 2.4 kilowatts into the grid,” Bonde said. Because the components of the system are in Bonde’s office, the amount of power can be seen in real time. The first figure is the real time output of the system, the 2.4 is a running total.
With the grid inter-tie system and minor conservation measures, such as reducing lighting wattage and turning the hot water down, Bonde said he hopes to get to what is called “net zero,” meaning the warehouse would not use any more power than it is generating.
“It is not difficult,” he said.
The system on the warehouse would cost a consumer about $8,500.
Bonde and his business partner Paul Smith are launching a new company, Synrg Renewable, in the next week. The company is the realization of a 12-year dream for Bonde, he said.
“It is an alignment of market forces and social consciousness,” he said. “I see a pent-up demand in Squamish.”
The company will offer design and installation of solar systems for homes and businesses.
Bonde’s warehouse serves as a demonstration site and he has offered it up to the district to help it meet its last requirements to become a Solar City. He also wants to use his system to educate anyone who wants to learn about it, including school classes.
Bonde said they already have clients lined up. The first system for a consumer will be installed within three weeks, he said.
Matt Blackman, who has spearheaded the campaign to have Squamish become a Canadian Solar City, has high praise for Bonde.
“Doug Bonde is an alternative energy and solar pioneer in Squamish,” Blackman said. “Now his offices… will be the first grid-tied solar system in Squamish taking advantage of BC Hydro’s Net Metering program and will provide valuable data for others looking to follow his lead.”
Bonde said he will also have a website up and running in the next few weeks.
Mayor Patricia Heintzman will be officially flipping the switch on the system on July 4 at 108-39279 Queens Way. (Exact time yet to be announced.)
