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The Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary commercial solar project has been in development for about three years, and the team here is ecstatic to announce that it’s finally complete! This project represents a major milestone for both Yamnuska and our growing portfolio of commercial solar installations. The Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary is located near the stunning Rocky Mountains, just outside Cochrane, Alberta. Their mission is to educate the public, rehabilitate, and rehome displaced wolfdogs, all of which is made possible on their 160-acre property. This vast land allows the sanctuary to provide spacious enclosures that respect the animals’ wild instincts and behavioral needs, helping to keep them mentally and physically healthy. In 2022, the Yamnuska team approached us with the idea of going solar. For them, sustainability has always been a priority. Not only would solar energy significantly lower their utility costs, but it would also align with their environmental goals by reducing their carbon footprint. At the time, we didn’t have many completed commercial solar projects to showcase, but thanks to the reputation of our residential work and strong word-of-mouth, we were fortunate to be awarded the opportunity. Over the next three years, the project underwent many revisions. In 2024, Bailey Clarke joined the team and helped guide it toward its final form. With Bailey’s leadership, the project evolved into a ground-mounted commercial solar system—a major milestone signaling we were close to completion. Once the contract was signed, we began the microgeneration (MG) process. A transformer upgrade was performed to handle the system’s inverter output. Installation began on June 9, 2025, and was completed just over a week later on June 18. Bailey played a crucial role in the project’s success. As our Head of Commercial Solar Projects, I decided to personally interview him to gain some insight into key decisions. Why ground mounts instead of roof mounts? To the first question, Bailey explained that although Yamnuska had originally built their shop with solar in mind, two major issues made a rooftop installation unworkable: tree coverage blocked both the south and east faces of the roof, and more importantly, the existing electrical panel was far too small to support the desired system size. A proposal to split the system was also dismissed due to its complexity and inefficiency. In the end, a ground mount was the most logical and effective commercial solar solution. Why did you choose the specific panels? When asked about the panel choice, Bailey said the JA 550 panels were selected because they allowed for balanced inverter configurations, were readily available (unlike the Longi panels), and, most importantly, offered the best cost-efficiency. If you could do it again, what would you do differently? To the final question—what he would do differently—Bailey said he would adjust the array spacing. While a tighter layout looked sharper, a more spaced-out array would likely have been more effective, especially for a crew working on such a long array for the first time. Despite initial installation challenges, our team, as always, found creative solutions and executed the commercial solar project with care. Bailey expressed pride in both the finished product and the dedication of our SolarYYC team. Our team had the opportunity to interview Alison Bortolon (Fund Development Manager) and Joel Cates (Facility Manager). Alison gave us insight into why solar made sense for Yamnuska. She told us how “switching to solar allowed for all our money to go directly to taking care of the dogs.” She further elaborated that solar has been incredible—not only does it remove the financial strain, allowing them to better care for the animals, but it also runs the freezers guilt-free, as they no longer have to worry about carbon emissions. Joel Cates echoed these sentiments, stating that going solar was both an environmental and cost-conscious decision. In his interview, he also highlighted the attention to detail of the array and how communication was handled. He told us that throughout the project, we were able to concisely explain everything in an easy-to-understand way. We answered every question and clearly communicated what we were working on, when, and where—bringing a strong sense of assurance to the Yamnuska team. This commercial solar project was an incredible success and a meaningful learning experience for everyone involved. We’re deeply grateful for the opportunity to contribute to Yamnuska’s mission. And the next time we visit, we’ll proudly point to the array and say, “Hey! SolarYYC built that.” For Yamnuska, commercial solar was the perfect fit. Feel free to reach out for a free consultation and see if commercial solar is the right fit for your business or organization too.