BVGEC - July 2020 Update
Bow Valley Green Energy Cooperative
Bow Valley Green Energy Cooperative would like to wish the best for our local businesses and their families during these times. There has never been a more important time to shop local!
The team continues to advance on multiple fronts with a focus on finalising our bylaws, designing our membership structure, and identifying potential host sites. and new opportunities in the world of solar art.
Bow Valley Green Energy is also working closely with other renewable energy coops from across Canada to ensure that community coops have access the federal government “Post-COVID Infrastructure Funding”
Each Board member has taken a position of Chair and it is our hope to begin inviting Members and Volunteers to join and participate in developing this work this fall.
The Finance and Administration team continues to focus on the development of our investment model with the aim to find the right balance between making projects financially attractive to potential hosts, while providing a reasonable return to investors.
The Communications and Promotions team is busy finalizing a branding and communications strategy for BVGEC and increasing our social media presence. We are also continue to work with the membership team on volunteer and member on-boarding and associated communications.
The Governance team is finalizing our draft our bylaws ready for consideration and adoption by our members at our first AGM.
The Membership and Stakeholder Engagement team has been working on an online membership application and payment platform. We are also detailing goals and strategies for membership recruitment. In addition to preparing to engage our current supporters in volunteer opportunities and introduce our working committees.
The Technology and Business Development has hosted it’s first meeting
The Project Development committee sent out a Request for Supplier Qualification document to potential suppliers and is busy evaluating the submissions.
A lot of our work is made possible with help from The Biosphere Institute of the Bow Valley's successful grant application to the Investment Readiness Program (IRP)!
With this grant the Bow Valley Green Energy Coop has also committed to achieving these three objectives in 2020/21
To undertake the necessary structural and electrical assessments required to get three community-owned renewable energy sites ready for construction
To create our legal share offerings and investment structures to get BVGEC investment-ready
To finalise our current and future business plans and financial models to ensure they are future proof and will maximise investment returns for our members
Funded by the Government of Canada, the Investment Readiness Program (IRP) supports social purpose organizations as they contribute to solving pressing social, cultural and environmental challenges across Canada.
Jeff Roberts
Chairperson, Bow Valley Green Energy Cooperative
August 20, 2020