To all Thetis Island Community members,
Solar Panel Project at Forbes Hall Community Centre
The initiative for the installation of solar panels on Forbes Hall has been exhaustively investigated and presented to the Thetis Island Community Association (TICA) by members of the Community Climate Resilience Group (CCR). The TICA Board recently received confirmation from BC Hydro that the proposal is eligible for a $25,000 rebate upon completion, within an 18-month timeframe. With this news, the Board has decided to proceed with the project, contingent on community response to a call for donations and pledges. The Board continues to research other potential grants.
Why Solar Panels? The solar power project meets climate resilience goals while also providing an attractive financial return in most expected scenarios. With the selected design, TICA’s annual Hydro costs would be almost eliminated with a substantial return on investment over the initial 25-year period and beyond (see attachments), and the potential for future expansion would also exist.
TICA has accepted a very competitive quote of about $63,000 from Ocean Volt to complete the project within the coming year, and has made a 15% deposit to for OV to start the design work and engineering required by BC Hydro. The deposit, less costs to date, would be returned to TICA as per the agreement with Ocean Volt should TICA decide not to proceed for any reason. Risks to the project are minimal and the technology is proven. A 25-year production guarantee is supported by Ocean Volt, and maintenance is minimal (can be completed by volunteers annually).
THE ASK! To gauge community support for the project and determine whether September 2025 completion is feasible, or spring 2026 timeframe would be preferable, the TICA Board respectfully asks for donations or pledges for donations to fund the balance of the project. Pledge amounts would need to be received before September 30 for 2025 completion. Currently, with the BC Hydro rebate, the net cost will be about $40,000 and the Board will seek to proceed with a 2025 completion only if a $25,000 threshold of donations and pledges is received before July 31. Based on community response to this ask, the timeline will be confirmed July 31.
As we embark on a new project for the Hall, we understand that transparency is vital, and the Board will continue to share information as the project proceeds. The Board is excited to present this proposal to the community and looks forward to the project being a launch pad for future expansion of solar power capacity and other energy conservation initiatives.
The Board, once again, thanks Gary Geddes, Jim Moloney, Doug Fenton and Terry Hamilton for their work thus far on this proposal.
Sincerely,
TICA Board
Cover Letter
Solar Panel Project Briefing Notes and Information
Donate / Pledge
Friday, July 18, 2025 at 12:18PM 
