Welcome to PURE

Community-Based Sustainable Energy Strategies for Dufferin County and the Headwaters Region

Saturday June 4th, 8:30am to 12noon
Grace Tipling Hall (Town Hall), Shelburne
Doors open at 8:00am - refreshments provided

Following up on the success of the recently launched "Green Power Project" at CDDHS - the first solar and wind powered renewable energy system to be installed at an Ontario high school - PURE and the Reduce The Juice Project Team, are pleased to present this exciting half-day conference on Saturday, June 4th, at Shelburne’s Grace Tipling / Town Hall.

Our event will bring together local residents, students, educators and business leaders interested in alternative energy solutions. We expect the busy conference agenda to include:

Part I: "Leadership in Energy Issues"
Three well-connected speakers focusing on Climate Change, Energy Solutions, and Energy Conservation.

Part II: "The Green Power Project"
A series of presentations on the CDDHS solar/wind project, including a video created by students at the High School on this unique initiative. Project leaders will conduct tours of the school power system later in the afternoon.

Part III: "Introducing - Reduce the Juice"
Reduce The Juice will set a new standard for the delivery of energy conservation know-how to homeowners in our community. Trained students will conduct a door-to-door energy education and reduction campaign during July and August in Shelburne. Students will demonstrate how homeowners can reduce their energy consumption through home energy audits and specific reduction strategies and technologies. Meet the team leaders and hear all about this ambitious and exciting Summer project.

Earth Day 2005 - CDDHS Green Power Project

Celebrations on the school roof

MPP Donna Cansfield, CDDHS students and PURE team members

CDDHS student leader demonstrates the control panel for the GPP, including metering equipment, inverter and "grid tie" system

Our Agenda will include:

• Keynote Address - details TBA
• Project Reports - get an update on PURE’s current projects including the CDDHS Green Power Project, Reduce The Juice, our Education and Wind Power committees, and more
• PURE’s Future - help us discuss and design the vision and mission of PURE to carry us forward into the future
• Elections - one-third of the seats on PURE’s board of directors will be up for grabs

On April 22, 2005, the staff and students of CDDHS - Centre Dufferin District High School, and members of PURE - the Power Up Renewable Energy Co-operative, celebrated the completion of the Phase II of the CDDHS Green Power Project.

This occasion marked the first major solar and wind powered renewable energy system to be installed at an Ontario high school. Speakers at the event included: Ed Crewson - Mayor of Shelburne; Doug Morell - Principal of CDDHS; Jeff Wellman - lead teacher/coordinator of the Project; Matt Fairlie - PURE; Bob Borden - Chairman of UGDSB: Upper Grand District School Board; Tom Smith - Chief of Operations, UGDSB; Geoff Carnegie - Canadian Hydro; Randy Dryburgh - PURE; Chris Cosack - CDDHS Environment Club; MP David Tilson - MP for Dufferin-Caledon; and MPP Donna Cansfield - Parliamentary Assistant to the Ontario Minister of Energy.

Mr. Cosack noted that the Green Power Project "sets and important example of how Shelburne can grow sustainably". Mr. Tilson stressed that "every day should be Earth Day", referring to the global climate change indicators we see almost daily, including those now affecting Canada’s Arctic regions. Ms. Cansfield recognized the PURE and CDDHS team as the "conservation leaders of today - not tomorrow". "It’s the right thing to do...", she added, referring to Ontario’s energy future and the options we collectively face. "Students think outside the box", she pointed out, referring to our schools as the ideal place for putting renewable energy ideas into practice.

The Green Power Project includes a 500-Watt Photovoltaic (PV) solar panel array, a 1.5 kW wind turbine on an 11 meter tilt tower, a battery storage system and associated monitoring equipment installed on the grounds of the high school. Students and teachers at the school have assisted in all phases of the project, and will be part of the maintenance and education team associated with the project in the future.