b'CARBON NEUTRALChallenging site preparation on solid bedrock (left) and the completed solar farm at the Rosseau quarry (right). Photo (left) courtesy Petawawa Renewable Power Corp.to working in it. Brent Quarries tried toto see the solar power revenue come in, sinceThat said, Brent does have a long-term make helpful suggestions, but because theit simply gets a percentage of the revenueplantogetthecompanysmainsitein kindofsitepreparationrequiredwasntfrom the sites (which are now operated byPort Carling entirely off the grid with a properlybudgetedfor,theideaswereEssex Energy after PRPC sold its contract).2000MW solar farm. The idea is inspired dismissedastooexpensive.Thepropo- byCaliforniasBoDeanCompanywhich nentdidntwanttoputoutmoneyforSowhenhesaskedwhentheROItookoneofitsquarriesentirelyoff-grid blasting and proper construction. pointwasreached,Brentsaysitwasin 2011 using solar power. It was this story pretty much the first day the solar powerthat got Brent thinking about hosting solar As so often happens, trying to save moneystarted flowing. But he realizes that whatfarms in the first place. in the short term ended up costing in theworked for him several years ago would longerterm.Eachsolarfarmwoundupbelesslikelytoworktoday;theFordHe also takes pride in the fact that the taking nine months to a year to complete.Conservatives scrapped the FIT programland the solar farms are on has truly been Brent says his company could have donesoon after coming to power in 2018. Wereclaimed, as it had little or no potential the work in three months. However, BrentdidthisbecauseoftheFITcontracts.Itotherwise.MostsolarfarmsIseeare Quarries did wind up getting some workmade sense at that time, he says. Today,typically in a farmers field, he says. But I out of the projects, supplying material anda solar farm might still make sense for athink its a mistake to put them in farming doing site preparation and grading. country where they take up good arable quarry that isnt near the power grid. Ifland.Thelandthatweputthesesolar Infact,thewholeexperiencehasbeenyoure close to the grid its probably notfarms on, theres really nothing else you revenue positive for Brent Quarries. Besidesfinancially viable right now. But I think itcan do with it.making some money with its work on thewill become more viable as other forms of sites, the company doesnt have to lift a fingerpower become more and more expensive.Site preparation at Ullswater (left) and the completed solar farm (right).Photo (left) courtesy Petawawa Renewable Power Corp.20 AVENUESFALL 2020'