In 2003, BCIT added a new solar Power Tower to its Burnaby campus as both a training and research facility. The PV Power Tower is a rectangular tower about 15m high and 2m by 2m wide; each side has eight 240-Watt solar photovoltaic modules manufactured with "rainbow" photovoltaic cells as an example of the architectural possibilities of BIPV technology.
BC’s Clean Energy Fund (2008), raised through a small charge on energy utilities, gave BCIT $2.69m to set up BC’s first intelligent electricity grid system. The project, led by the Group for Advanced Information Technology (GAIT), at the BCIT Technology Centre, will allow new and old power devices to communicate through a central system, making “smart” decisions to optimize power distribution and transmission. This micro-model will test smart metering, smart appliances, and integration of wind, solar, and bio-fuel sources into the current electricity grid. This knowledge will help BC meet its energy needs more sustainably.
In response to a growing demand in British Columbia for electricity generated from renewable resources, and to the rapid growth of the Canadian photovoltaic industry, the BCIT Technology Centre launched PEARL, its Photovoltaic Energy Applied Research Lab. Clients of the lab benefit from the research team's extensive expertise in mechanical, electrical and electronic engineering and the wide range of services offered.
Photovoltaic (PV) modules, or solar panels, collect light from the sun and convert it to electricity. The electricity can be used immediately or stored in batteries for later use. The energy can even be fed directly into the electric power grid with electronic devices called inverters. Recent advances in photovoltaic technology are making solar electricity more practical. The size of modules and inverters has shrunk, systems are more efficient and the cost of equipment is decreasing.
The Technology Centre's Photovoltaic Applied Research Lab (PEARL) conducts all aspects of photovoltaic system research, from the design and testing of individual photovoltaic system components to the installation and commissioning of large photovoltaic systems.
Did you know? The BC government’s 2007 “Energy Plan” mandates that 50 percent of future energy growth will come from conservation, and that new technologies will be developed to provide clean remote energy and reduce energy lost. At BCIT, solar (photovoltaic) research is underway.