Grant: College and Community Innovation Program

As the interest in alternative energy increases and inquiries become more mainstream, research into the effective use of these energy sources is required. Red Deer College (RDC) is uniquely equipped to study and explore the management of multiple alternative energy sources through data analytics. RDC has invested significantly in alternative energy systems, starting in 2018. In January 2019, RDC's solar photovoltaic (PV) installation was identified by the project's build team as the largest post-secondary solar installation in Canada. Also of note is that RDC's campus is the largest energy micro-generation site in Alberta, due to both the solar installation and a combined-heat-and-power (CHP) energy production system. Because of the institution's infrastructure and the alternative energy commitment, RDC is the largest post-secondary demonstration and research site in the province. With almost 4,200 solar modules, a 1 MegaWatt CHP, 1.2 million square feet of campus space functioning on a programmed building management system, and the capacity to both draw energy from and contribute energy to Red Deer's regional power grid, RDC is now in a position to generate substantial amounts of data on energy production and usage. Similarly, the scale and scope of RDC's energy systems and campus require ongoing adjustments in production and utilization patterns to optimize the economic returns for RDC. In effect, RDC has become a living laboratory for data management, big data integration of various alternative energy systems, and machine learning. This living laboratory also provides the foundation for recognized academic programming in these areas, utilizing real data, case studies, interdisciplinary research and study, as well as work integrated learning.