Bonaparte First Nation is a member band of the Shuswap Nation Tribal Council. The Bonaparte First Nation community is located near Cache Creek, BC, on approximately 1878 hectares of land.
BPG assisted in developing a Community Energy Plan for Bonaparte that provided a detailed summary of current energy consumption trends, energy efficiency opportunities, the installation of energy-saving equipment in residences, and the identification of several viable, clean energy generation opportunities.
EnerGuide Audits (EGAs) performed in 12 residences identified energy-saving opportunities that would save an average of 7,788 kWh/year per home or $893/year in utility savings. ASHRAE Level 2 audits were completed for 3 commercial buildings, identifying energy-saving initiatives, including a lighting retrofit and replacement of aging hot water tanks in the Community Hall, insulation upgrades in the Community Hall attic and basement, investigation into unnecessary phantom loads in the Band Office, heating upgrades in the Community Hall, and ongoing monitoring of MyHydro and propane consumption. Energy efficiency products were installed in 20 homes via participation in the Energy Conservation Assistance Program (ECAP), resulting in an average estimated household savings of $184/year.
Several solar energy options were identified and assessed in terms of energy generation potential, levelized cost, and payback period. The assessment concluded that a 6.4 kW system in the Community Hall, an 80 kW system in the Band Office, a 6.4 kW system in the Head Start Building and a 23.5 kW system in the Public Works Office would be feasible and could reduce the electricity bills of all of these buildings to zero.
This project has received support from the New Relationship Trust, the Province of BC, and BC Hydro.