The municipal electric utility in Saint John is moving to explore solar energy options in the city.
Saint John Energy announced Thursday that it has issued a request for expressions of interest.
The utility is seeking proposals from those interested in developing a solar farm and selling the energy it produces to Saint John.
“Renewable energy is critically important as we work to build a cleaner energy future for our city and our planet,” said Glen Fillmore, executive director of strategic growth and transformation.
“We’ve had great success with wind energy. We’re curious to see if solar can be a strong option for us as well.”
Suppliers would build, own, and operate their own solar farm capable of producing up to five megawatts of electricity.
Saint John Energy would look to establish a 25-year purchase agreement with the developer of the solar site to buy all the electricity it produces.
That is a similar arrangement to the 10-turbine Burchill wind energy project, which just marked its first year in operation.
Fillmore said they would only proceed with solar energy development if there is a strong business case.
The move to develop solar energy is part of the utility’s Zero30 initiative to become net-zero by 2030.
Fillmore said they hope to announce a partnership this fall and have the solar project up and running in 2026.
