Ecology Ottawa is offering qualified praise for the city’s decision to turn part of an old landfill into two solar energy parks.
Ecology spokesman Trevor Hache said he’s pleased with the initiative, but he’d like the city to make a bigger commitment to green energy.
“It’s a significant first step, but our feeling is that Hydro Ottawa needs to go green big time, not only for environmental reasons but for the green that will be generated in terms of revenue for the City of Ottawa,” he said Thursday.
Council voted on Wednesday to lease two parcels of land near the Trail Road waste facility to Energy Ottawa, the renewable energy arm of Hydro Ottawa, for the solar parks.
The project is expected to generate enough power for 1,500 homes. Ottawa will receive $2.5 million in rent over the next 20 years, plus potential extra revenue from the sale of the energy.
