BC's largest solar power project is shaped after Lululemon's logo (PHOTOS)

May 25 2023, 6:55 pm

Try to look down if you’re ever flying over Delta near the Fraser River.

A newly installed solar array system on the rooftop of a warehouse in Delta is the largest solar power project ever built in British Columbia.

And to say the least, it carries a highly unconventional shape.

A total of 2,592 solar panels are configured in a way to form the logo of Lululemon, the tenant of the purpose-built logistics and distribution centre.

lululemon solar power array wesgroup 8600 River Road North Delta

Completed solar panel system atop Lululemon’s distribution centre in Delta. (Wesgroup)

lululemon solar power array wesgroup 8600 River Road North Delta

Completed solar panel system atop Lululemon’s distribution centre in Delta. (Wesgroup)

970 Robson Street Vancouver Lululemon Flagship store renovation 2022

The newly renovated and expanded Lululemon Vancouver flagship store at 970 Robson Street, Vancouver. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

Even though it is a significantly-sized system, these panels cover just portion of the overall surface area of the rooftop, but that does not mean it could accommodate even more panels for power electricity generation. The array, altogether, is equivalent to the size of four NHL-size hockey rinks and is as large as it could be under BC Hydro’s net-metering requirements, according to local developer Wesgroup.

The solar panel system has a capacity of 1.2 megawatts and produces enough electricity to power the equivalent of about 100 homes.

lululemon solar power array wesgroup 8600 River Road North Delta

Completed solar panel system atop Lululemon’s distribution centre in Delta. (Wesgroup)

lululemon solar power array wesgroup 8600 River Road North Delta

Completed solar panel system atop Lululemon’s distribution centre in Delta. (Wesgroup)

lululemon solar power array wesgroup 8600 River Road North Delta

Completed solar panel system atop Lululemon’s distribution centre in Delta. (Wesgroup)

lululemon solar power array wesgroup 8600 River Road North Delta

Lululemon’s new distribution centre at 8600 River Road North in Delta. (Google Maps)

lululemon solar power array wesgroup 8600 River Road North Delta

Lululemon’s new distribution centre at 8600 River Road North in Delta. (Google Maps)

According to Wesgroup, the entire solar power project — design, planning, and installation — took about two years. The installation process itself took about 2.5 months.

“We are delighted to have been able to work with the building tenant to create BC’s largest rooftop solar array. As a values-driven organization, Wesgroup is seeking to not only deliver better environmental outcomes today but also build commercial properties that play their part in a renewably powered future,” said Malcolm Shield, vice-president of sustainability of Wesgroup.

“With the increasing electrification of cars, space heating, and industrial activities, the demand for electricity is going to rise substantially in the coming years – making it even more important for buildings to produce their own power and even be net contributors to the electrical grid.”

Wesgroup completed the complex at 8600 River Road North — located on a 21-acre site north of Burns Bog on the Fraser River’s industrial waterfront — in late 2021. The complex has a total building floor area of 373,000 sq ft.

lulullululemon solar power array wesgroup 8600 River Road North Delta emon solar power array wesgroup 8600 River Road North Delta

Previous installation process for the solar panel system atop Lululemon’s distribution centre in Delta. (Wesgroup)

lululemon solar power array wesgroup 8600 River Road North Delta

Previous installation process for the solar panel system atop Lululemon’s distribution centre in Delta. (Wesgroup)

lululemon solar power array wesgroup 8600 River Road North Delta

Previous installation process for the solar panel system atop Lululemon’s distribution centre in Delta. (Wesgroup)

lululemon solar power array wesgroup 8600 River Road North Delta

Previous installation process for the solar panel system atop Lululemon’s distribution centre in Delta. (Wesgroup)

lululemon solar power array wesgroup 8600 River Road North Delta

Previous installation process for the solar panel system atop Lululemon’s distribution centre in Delta. (Wesgroup)

lululemon solar power array wesgroup 8600 River Road North Delta

Previous installation process for the solar panel system atop Lululemon’s distribution centre in Delta. (Wesgroup)

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