" I see Peace Energy as one of those rare opportunities to invest in our
beliefs locally. For our investment we will receive a beautiful visual
manifestation of the wind, as well as sustainable and ethical returns. The
time has come and the opportunity arisen, now is the moment to put our money where our mouth is."

Peter von Tiesenhausen

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Executive Director Presents to The Peace River Regional District.

Local Car Dealership Delivers Hybrid Gas / Electric Car!

N E W S R E L E A S E
April 4, 2005
For Immediate Release

Peace Energy member buys first Toyota Prius in the Peace.

DAWSON CREEK, B.C. — He had to wait for about a year, but Dale Campbell of Dawson Creek finally has the gas/electric hybrid vehicle he wanted.

Campbell, A member of Peace Energy since the first hour, showed off his environmentally-friendly, futuristic-looking vehicle to local media Monday morning, taking reporters on a short 60-mpg ride around the block.

“As an environmentalist, I truly wanted to support environmental sustainability in the area,” Campbell said. “I let local dealers know I wanted to be one of the first people to buy a hybrid, as soon as it became available.”

The second-generation 2005 Prius became available through Peace Country Toyota in Dawson Creek, who had to make a substantial investment in training and tools just to be able to sell the Prius, but Dennis Armitage of the Toyota dealership says that’s an investment into the future.

“Within five to 10 years, we expect every Toyota model will have a hybrid option,” Armitage says.

Campbell’s Prius is believed to be the first car of its kind sold in the Peace River Country.
Armitage says Peace Country Toyota is fielding calls daily from people interested in a hybrid vehicle, but demand is so high, there is about a six-month waiting list at the moment for the popular vehicles.

Gas/electric hybrid cars use the energy from slowing down and braking to charge a Ni-MH battery bank. At start-up or low speeds when the energy demand is low, Prius is powered by the electric motor. As speed increases, the gas engine kicks in, also generating electricity to power the electric motor and charge the battery.

It can all be viewed on the in-dash display screen once you press the key-less ignition power button. The screen tells the driver exactly what engine is working at any given time and what the current fuel consumption is. And that is extremely low, up to 67 mpg on the highway, and, amazingly enough, even better in the city: up to 71 mpg.

For Campbell, that’s what it’s all about. As the owner of DC Campbel Recycling Ltd., he’s very familiar with the three R’s of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

“I’m very concerned about sustainability,” he says, “and Reduction is the first R.”
Campbell is a staunch supporter of Peace Energy, a Peace Region-based cooperative with the goal to promote renewable energy development for the direct benefit of its members and the Peace Region. Peace Energy is currently researching the possibility of establishing a wind park on Bear Mountain, near Dawson Creek.

While the wind park may still be several years away, Campbell wanted to do more and more quickly.

“I initially bought this one for the wife, but I think I’ll keep this one,” he laughs.
Getting 800 km out of a 45-litre tank, he has reason to laugh.
“Everyone should own one,” he says.

Showing off the Environment Friendly Award from the 2005 Northern B.C. Business and Industry Awards are Peace Energy General Manager Bill Studley (centre), flanked by directors Rupert Kirk and Barbara Swail. (Photo by Peace photoGraphics Inc.)

N E W S L E T T E R

PEC Jan/Feb 2005 Newsletter (PDF)

N E W S R E L E A S E

for immediate release
Jan. 26/05

DAWSON CREEK, B.C. ‹ Peace Energy Cooperative receives major recognition by bringing home the Environment Friendly Award from the fourth annual Northern B.C. Business and Industry Awards.

This exposure is good for Peace Energy, for the Peace Region, and for the environment, says Rupert Kirk, the Peace Energy director who picked up the Alcan-sponsored award Jan. 12 at the Northern B.C. Business & Industry Trade Show in Prince George, B.C.

The Environment Friendly Award recognizes a company, organization or individual who has either developed an innovative product or a unique way to help attain or maintain a clean environment.

"It's a recognition that we're a bona fide A operation. The Peace Region is known for its energy. Now we want to move forward with other energy besides oil, coal and gas," Kirk says. Since 2003, Peace Energy Cooperative has worked to develop the renewable energy resources of the B.C. and Alberta Peace Country: wind, solar, biomass and ground source heating.

Nearly 150 members strong and growing, Peace Energy is working towards its first major project, establishing a 100 megawatt wind park on Bear Mountain near Dawson Creek, B.C.

As a member-owned and member-run cooperative, Peace Energy ensures that part of the ownership of renewable energy production remains within the region.

"We're definitely forging ahead. It's a great time to join Peace Energy to work towards a sustainable future for our children," adds Peace Energy director Barbara Swail.

Peace Energy can be reached at 250-784-3880, or on the internet at www.peaceenergy.ca. An open information meeting will be held Saturday March 12, 1:30 p.m., at the Kiwanis Performing Arts Centre in Dawson Creek, B.C.

For more information, contact Peace Energy General Manager Bill Studley at 250-784-3880.

Mockup of what Bear Mountain Wind Farm might look like from a distance.

Bear Mountain

We have been granted an Investigative Use Permit for the Bear Mountain site. This gives us the right to survey the site for the best place(s) to construct more wind monitoring equipment as backup to the one wind monitoring station that we already have in place. An application to expand the area that this IUP covers is being drafted presently, and once that is approved we will apply for a License of Occupation which permits us to construct the necessary wind monitoring equipment.

We must have at least one more wind monitoring station on the site because to be accurate, the wind data that we acquire must be verified by multiple installations.

Bear Mountain Wind Study - PDF

Aeolis Windpower Corporation

We have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Aeolis Windpower Corp. of Victoria BC. This is a document that signifies the intention of the two organizations (PEC and Aeolis) to work out a joint venture agreement for the development of a Wind Park on Bear Mountain. This step was taken because it will facilitate the acquisition of the necessary financing when we are ready to take the final step – Building the Wind Park.

Aeroman Turbine Project

Peace Energy has been offered a number of completely rebuilt Aeroman turbines at a very attractive price. These machines produce, at maximum, 40 kilowatts of energy which makes them suitable for farm/ranch scale wind power projects. Currently one of our members is preparing to purchase two (or more) of these machines to set up on his ranch. Peace Energy has agreed to help, in whatever capacity possible, with the purchase, shipping, installation, and interconnection of these turbines. In return the owner will allow us to use this as a demonstration project, taking tours of the installation and monitoring the efficiency. This will be of great benefit, not only to Peace Energy, but also to anyone considering doing a private installation.

Membership Drive

Peace Energy is currently working on a membership drive. The purpose is to increase public awareness of our organization, and build the membership to a “critical mass”. Our target is to sign up 200 members by year-end, 2000 members by the end of 2006. With this many members we will have the political and financial clout we will need when dealing with BC Hydro, the Provincial Government, and financing agencies.

BC is currently lagging behind the rest of Canada in developing our potential in renewable energy alternatives, particularly windpower. Those who become involved now will be in at the grass roots of the quickly emerging, sustainable energy industry and the cost of buy-in at this point is considerably lower than it will be when the industry is in full swing, maybe as little as two years from now. Thus the potential for profit is higher than it will be for later entries into the business. Inevitably, this sector must grow, because we simply cannot continue damming more rivers and relying on non-renewable fossil fuels for our continually increasing energy demands. When dealing in wind power, the initial cost of infrastructure is a one-time cost and therefore prices for the energy produced can be locked in for the twenty year expected life of the turbines. The time to get involved is now! Please feel free to contact us for further information and/or memberships.