A case study on Canada's first solar-powered community, Drake Landing, has recently been released through the Partner for Climate Protection program, a climate change initiative created through partnership between the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives.
Drake Landing is a community within the Okotoks, an Albertan town located approximately 50 kilometers south of Calgary. The Town of Okotoks adopted a sustainable community plan in 1998 aimed at reducing energy expenditure and enhancing the community's environmental and economic sustainablity. The plan encouraged exploration of renewable energy resources, and this exploration incited the development of Drake Landing. Harbouring 52 residences, Drake Landing is equipped with a solar-powered district heating system that collects energy through approximately 800 solar panels. This approach to community heating using solar energy is novel, innovative and sustainable, and Drake Landing is now regarded as model for what could be a larger scale development.
Other case studies produced by the Partner for Climate Protection program are available on their webpage.