Thompson Rivers University is escalating its sustainability efforts by planning the installation of over 500 solar panels by March 2025. This is the first step of a larger plan to install 1000 panels over the next 5 years. This plan is set in hopes of reducing TRU’s reliance on BC Hydro as well as cutting costs. This project is in alliance with TRU’s goal of achieving zero carbon emissions by 2030. The first panels said to be installed will be on the campus activity Centre, the arts and education building, and the industrial training and technology Centre.
This is a relevant story because climate change and sustainability are topics that have proven to have growing importance in the past decade and really ramped up in the last few years. TRU’s efforts, such as this project, highlight their commitment to campus sustainability and environmental stewardship. Further, it establishes TRU as a leader in Canadian universities in terms of sustainability.
TRU’s current main form of energy is through renewable natural gas, which the university pays a premium for to have it renewable. With this solar panel project, James Gordon and Natalie Yao shared that the hope is the solar energy from the solar panels will subsidize and reduce the amount of renewable natural gas and hydro being used. This project has been in the works for over a year. It is an extensive process to get approval for these types of programs and coordinate with BC Hydro.
While the immediate financial benefits are difficult to quantify, Yao emphasizes the long-term perspective: “You have to consider the increasing price of GHG in the future. It’s just the right thing to do.” Gordon adds that the project aligns with TRU’s commitment to social responsibility and sustainable energy. BC Hydro’s cost displacement program has played a crucial role in financing the initiative.
TRU is strongly committed to reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2030; this solar panel project goes hand in hand with other larger projects that are in the works at TRU to reach this goal. Gordon confidently states that TRU is “very much on target to hit” zero emissions by 2030, positioning TRU “right at the top of the heat” amongst Canadian universities regarding sustainability efforts.
When questioned about future plans TRU has for sustainability, James and Natalie shared the district energy project that has broken ground on campus and set to be completed in the third quarter of 2026 that has the power to heat all the buildings on campus as well as the condos and student residences, and how the solar panel project goes hand in hand with supplying energy for the district energy building. Aside from building projects, the TRU energy management program was just launched in the hopes of educating people on how to be more energy conscious in their everyday lives.
James Gordon’s confidence in reaching zero emissions by 2030 is strongly backed up by the imperative efforts TRU has made in recent years to amplify the importance of sustainability. These efforts have challenged other universities to match TRU’s pace in the race against climate change. With the solar panel project working in tandem with the upcoming district energy system. Natalie Yao’s words resonate beyond the immediate project: “It’s just the right thing to do.” In this simple statement lies the core of TRU’s mission—a commitment to responsibility that extends far beyond the bottom line. As the university powers forward with its green initiatives, it’s clear that TRU isn’t just preparing students for the future; it’s actively creating a more sustainable one for them to inherit.
References
Dawson, J. Castanet, TRU solar panel project to see 540 solar panels installed by March 2025. https://www.castanetkamloops.net/news/Kamloops/517492/TRU-solar-panel-project-to-see-540-solar-panels-installed-by-March-2025
Gordon, J. TRU sustainability manager
Yao, N. TRU energy manager