Employee Highlight - Ray Roth

Ray Roth

Senior Advisor

When you helped co-found Saturn Power over 16 years ago, what was your short/long-term vision for the company?

The short-term goal was to put together enough land to do a 10 MW wind farm. We thought that would be a fun little project. Get the land, put it together, build it, and we honestly didn’t have a plan after that. That was our initial thoughts - and it just kept rolling, and Doug and I just kept signing land and building projects.

Give us a brief overview of your role with Saturn Power.

My role back then was doing everything. I found the land, wrote the leases, and worked with Doug to get them signed. I mean, everything that Saturn does now, from environmental checks to GIS work, all of it. We had no GIS back then; my daughter hadn’t even thought about taking GIS in school. So I would get big pieces of butcher paper, lay it all out on the table, then start overlaying maps and drawing circles around houses so I knew where the wind turbines could go for setbacks, then draw lines in where the feeders went and trace them out, then start trying to lease land in that area. These days, as always, Doug looks after the money, so I never worry about the money part. My job was really to run it from Doug down, all the people that have to be managed. Primarily I manage Mike Gupta, who’s a superstar on the O&M side. I also manage Kyle, who is doing a great job in engineering, he reports to me, and then the land team. Those are sort of the 3 core things I look at and the rest mentoring and strategizing for the whole group, other than finance.

What is the most memorable moment you have had working at Saturn Power so far?

Getting the wind farm built was quite a process, so once the blades started turning, it was pretty memorable. I remember at the final stages, we were doing commissioning, and Doug was on holidays. I was looking after the whole thing, and I remember it being pretty stressful but pretty exhilarating at the same time.

How has your experience working in different industries (such as drainage, real estate, and directional drilling) helped to prepare you for developing and growing a business in the renewable energy sector?

All of those experiences led to Saturn Power working. It was all about acquiring land in the beginning. My real estate business was mostly selling farms and my drainage experience was dealing with farmers so, I understood all that. Even looking for sites for the wind farm, some people were looking the other side of Chatham. From my experience in drilling and drainage, I didn’t think the soil was very good and I didn’t like the idea of trying to build deep foundations over there. So we steered clear of that, and the people who had contracts over there got in trouble, costing them a fortune to get their foundations put in. That was my drainage and drilling experience coming in handy. Real estate is probably the biggest contributor to the business – that’s the very first step. If you’re no good at finding a spot, you’re not going to survive in green-fielding.

You received your black belt in Chito-Ryu Karate. Are there parallels between that discipline and being an entrepreneur?

Yeah, certainly. One thing that applies to both business and karate, or any other skill - in the beginning, you’re unconsciously competent, then consciously incompetent, then consciously competent, and finally unconsciously competent. In other words, at first, you don’t know what you’re doing at all, and you’re bad at it. Then you know what you’re doing, but you’re still not any good. Then you become good, knowing you’re good at it. And in the final stages, you’re really good without having to think about it. That’s the parallel - in this and in anything - whether you’re selling real estate, going for a black belt, or going to build a company.

Tell us one interesting fact about yourself that people at Saturn might not know.

Most people at Saturn probably don’t know that I’m a pretty good welder. This helps obviously in the drainage business, but also growing up as a farm kid, I knew how to weld before I went to elementary school. The last time I welded something was yesterday, which was an old truck I’m working on.

What is the main thing that you would like to cross off your bucket list?

Karate was one of my bucket list things, and I did that. My next objective is to get that Willies truck I mentioned finished and drive it to the East coast.

When you’re not working and you have some time to yourself, what are some ways you would choose to spend that time?

Going to the cottage is probably number one. Water skiing, wakeboarding, and spending time with the grandkids. And when I’m at home, there’s a lot to do on a farm. Even if you don’t really farm, there’s still a lot to do. I love restoring old vehicles and I spend a lot of time doing that. And of course Karate. Typically I go twice a week to teach the kids, and practice a couple days at home. Sometimes, when I’m training for a belt, I’ll go to Toronto nearly once a month for Sunday training.

What is a movie that you never get tired of rewatching and how many times do you figure you have watched it?

My favourite show right now is Yellowstone, by a long shot. And 1883, which is a really good show that’s a prequel to Yellowstone.

You’re going out to celebrate a special occasion. What is your go-to restaurant for a nice sit-down meal?

It would either be Felinis in Stratford. It’s not a real high-end restaurant but I like going there. Or Charcoal Steakhouse in Kitchener. But in all honesty, usually we’ll buy beef by the quarter from our son-in-law’s dad, and I prefer to make my own steak. You can’t beat it!

Employee Highlight - Jacob Di Danieli

Jacob Di Danieli

Corporate Services Coordinator

Give us a brief overview of your role with Saturn Power.

I started with Saturn in a Co-op student position in the fall of 2022 and have transitioned to a part time role while I finish off my last semester of my Bachelor of Business Administration degree at Laurier University.

As the Corporate Services Coordinator, I work in a supporting capacity for the Corporate Services department, with a focus on marketing, communications and design. I do a variety of tasks, from managing the social media all the way through to creating new and updating previous marketing material for both internal and external use. Primarily, this includes creating marketing materials that support the efforts of our Land Procurement, Solar and Storage departments as requested. I also play a key role in developing and managing the bi-monthly internal newsletter along with managing the monthly employee highlight features, which makes being on the other side of the interview for this a very interesting experience.

In the role, I get to work with various departments across your organization and it's been a lot of fun to meet new people and support them in spreading renewable energy into new markets.

What is the most memorable moment you have had working at Saturn Power so far?

It would be a tie and they both occurred during the same week. During the first week of October, which was around a month after I started, Saturn did a full week of in-person team building, which was the first time almost the entire team was back in the same location since the start of the pandemic. During this week, I got to do a site visit with members of the Land, Development, Operations and Engineering teams at two of our sites in the Muskoka region in Ontario. Up until that point, I'd never really seen a solar site, it other than pictures, and the sheer scale and scope of the type of work that Saturn was doing was something that struck me when I was able to go out see it in person.

Then, later that same week, we did an entire team event, which was the company softball game. Unfortunately, our team came up short of winning the championship, but it was a lot of fun, and I had a great time getting to know the Saturn Power Team. Sitting down for a group dinner with everyone after the game was also very memorable.

Tell us one interesting fact about yourself that people at Saturn might not know?

Growing up in Whitby, I played hockey throughout my childhood and ended up playing at a pretty high level. I was drafted to the OHL by the Ottawa 67’s and went to training camp, but didn’t end up making the squad. I’ve stayed active in hockey since then and still compete recreationally and for the Lazaridis Business School at Laurier and would some day like to get into coaching the sport at the youth level.

What are some of the lessons you learned as a high-level hockey player that you’ve been able to transfer to your studies and career path?

Yeah, there’s a lot of lessons I’ve taken away from playing high-level sports. The main thing would be how important it is to work as a team. On the winning teams I’ve played on, a common underlier is something I call the buy-in factor. Everybody on a team understanding their role and doing their part, and even more than that - being committed to the team’s vision, doing everything that one can to contribute to the success of the team. Being willing to take on more of a background or support role on certain projects, and then eventually able to step up and be a leader when needed. Having people like that make a world of difference in any capacity. Another aspect would be understanding the need to stay consistent and disciplined in your day-to-day or week-to-week preparation, whether it’s hockey, academics or in a professional environment.

Do you have any specific plans for travel after you finish University?

I'd certainly like to get away, however it's a matter of whether it will end up making sense logistically, including waiting to see if I land a full-time role right out of university.

My best friend and I of are tentatively putting together an itinerary for an approximately month-long trip around Europe, once we’re both finished up with school. One of the plans would for both of us to revisit the places where our ancestors came from, including where our grandparents lived – Italy for me and Ireland for him. I’ve been once before and going there means a lot to me. It’d be great to share that experience with him.

What is your go-to song or playlist right now on Spotify?

I'd say my go-to is always The Tragically Hip. Thanks to my mom and dad, I’m a huge Hip fan. They've got such a deep discography, great songwriting and lyrics, especially later in their career when Gord was writing most of their stuff - it's brilliant. Every year without fail, when I get my year-end recap of the music I most listened too, it’s littered with Hip songs.  

What is a movie that you never get tired of re-watching and how many times do you figure you’ve watched it?

Growing up, one of my all-time favorites was “The A-Team” movie, which was based on the show. It feels like I’ve watched it too many times to count, but if I had to ballpark a guess, it would probably be over 50 times over the years.

What is the last series you binge watched?

Just recently, I binge-watched the entirety of Game of Thrones for the first time. While overall I really enjoyed it, it wasn't as incredible as I was expecting. Maybe because it was so overhyped, I was a little bit underwhelmed based on my expectations. Especially with the last season, really let me down.

What’s the last thing you watched on YouTube?

The last thing I watched on YouTube is called Nunavut: Changing Times. A guy in one of my classes actually travelled to Nunavut during the pandemic and filmed a short documentary about climate change. It's about 8 minutes long and it has an elder from their First Nations tribe who speaks about his experiences. Very well done.

If you could only get delivery or takeout from one local food joint for the next 3 months, what spot and meal are you picking?

I actually live right next door to Mel's Diner in Waterloo. So that's my local spot. I'm a huge fan of their LA Club Sandwich with sweet potato fries. Given how close it is, I think I've had everything on the menu at least once, though that’s my favourite. 

Sasha Sanichar

Controller

Give us a brief overview of your role with Saturn Power.

I’ve been with Saturn Power for a year and a half as a Controller. This was a new adventure for me since my career experience has been working at accounting firms. My role entails providing timely and accurate financial information to the Executive team to help with strategic financial planning. My duties include, but are not limited to, preparing annual budgets and forecasts, cash flow analysis, and ensuring regulatory filings are done accurately and on time. I also conduct special projects to improve the efficiency of the organization and to develop and document accounting policies and procedures to ensure proper controls are in place.

What is the most memorable moment you have had working at Saturn Power so far?

The most memorable experience for me was last year when the accounting team had a team-building event at our VP of Finance’s home. We did a variety of activities which helped us to get to know the team and build relationships. It was a lot of fun! The team then shared a nice dinner at a local restaurant. Just getting to know the team on a more personal level was great.

What led you to a career in accounting and what have you found rewarding from working in the renewables sector?

Accounting has always been a passion for me since high school. I have always excelled in my accounting classes, and so I thought to myself this is a great path to build my career. I then pursued a university degree with a major in Accounting and a minor in Finance. I don’t regret this path as I really enjoy what I’ve been doing for the past 15 years. What I find rewarding from working in the renewables sector is knowing that I am part of a team that is contributing to creating a clean environment for the future generation.

Tell us one interesting fact about yourself that people at Saturn might not know.

An interesting fact about myself is where my favourite vacation spot would be and that is Jamaica.  I have been there numerous times with friends and family.  One of my most memorable experiences in Jamaica was climbing the Dunn’s River Falls. It was such a great experience that I ended up climbing it three times! Climbing the falls is quite interesting as you need to form a hand-holding chain link to climb. You are basically putting your trust in a stranger’s hand (literally) to not slip and fall.

What is the main thing that you would like to cross off your bucket list?

My dream would be to travel to the Maldives and stay in one of those over-the-water villas. It looks so peaceful, and the beach looks amazing.

When you’re not working and you have some time to yourself, what are some of the ways you would choose to spend that time?

With a 3-year-old & a 6-year-old, time for myself is quite rare, but when I am lucky enough to find some, I like to sit back and binge-watch Netflix and also lounge back and enjoy a novel.  I also love exploring ideas for home improvement projects or redecorating ideas for my home. But honestly, I don’t mind not having too much time for myself as I enjoy spending time with my family, especially my two boys.  They are quite the handful, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.  I enjoy taking them to their activities, playing board games with them, doing arts and crafts, and just hanging out. 

What is a movie that you never get tired of re-watching and how many times do you figure you’ve watched it?

A movie that I would never get tired of re-watching is Dumb and Dumber, it is a classic and just so hilarious. I’m sure I have watched it many times.

If you could only get delivery or takeout from one local food joint for the next 3 months, what spot and meal are you picking?

If it can only be one local food joint, I’d have to say Red House. It’s a local restaurant in Waterloo.  I honestly can’t decide on one specific dish as every dish on the menu is amazing. I guess I’d have to close my eye and point and that would be the winner.

Saturn Power and Peak Power

Enable Groundbreaking Participation of BTM Battery Energy Storage Facility in Ontario’s Operating Reserve Market

In a milestone achievement, Saturn Power Inc. has earned approval to participate in the Independent Electricity System Operator’s (IESO) Operating Reserve market via an operational behind-the-meter (BTM) battery energy storage facility controlled by Peak Power’s innovative energy management software. 

Peak Power is a cleantech company with a core focus in Energy Management and Energy Storage. Saturn Power is a renewable energy developer and operator specializing in Solar and Energy Storage project development, financing, and operation. Saturn Power and Peak Power collaborated to develop a custom solution to enable BTM distribution-connected energy storage projects to offer Operating Reserve capability. The solution employs the Peak Synergy energy management software paired with Saturn’s 8.8 MW / 19 MWh operating battery energy storage project located in Southwestern Ontario. The BTM battery commenced operation in Operating Reserve in July 2022 and received official approval from the IESO after successful testing.

The IESO procures Operating Reserve services for energy supply contingency. If required by the IESO, the Operating Reserve market enables participants to provide standby power at a short notice. These services are called upon when there is a disparity between generation and load. Facilities participating in the Operating Reserve market must be able to quickly supply power and sustain as directed by the IESO. 

Up until now, BTM assets have faced challenges to meet the rigorous operating requirements for the Operating Reserve market - however, the innovative software solution within Peak Synergy has allowed for this breakthrough. This milestone demonstrates that BTM energy storage could play a role in providing viable solutions to support IESO’s mandate of reliably operating the grid.

“We’re thrilled to once again be at the forefront of the clean energy transition in Ontario,” says Derek Lim Soo, CEO of Peak Power. “Thanks to our partnership with Saturn Power, we’ve demonstrated that BTM assets can participate in Operating Reserve, provided they have the right technology. Saturn Power will, meanwhile, benefit from having reserve energy immediately available without having to ramp up fossil fuel resources, furthering their clean energy goals.”

“Saturn Power strives to operate on the cutting edge of renewable energy technology, with our dedicated team members working hard to develop the tools and relationships that allow us to understand and implement the technology in a viable and mutually beneficial manner.” said Doug Wagner, President & CEO, Saturn Power. “Working closely with Peak Power on this innovative distributed resource for Operating Reserve in the Province is further evidence of what is possible in the renewable energy sector when determination, collaboration and ingenuity are combined. We are proud that this project will serve a foundational role in the efforts to create a sustainable environment for future generations”.

Given its pioneering status in Canada, this milestone achievement brings visibility for further storage integration opportunities in the IESO market and is an important case study for the storage industry in the country.

Additional Resources

To learn more about the cleantech software enabling energy market participation, visit https://peakpowerenergy.com/energy-solutions/energy-storage-optimization/.

To learn more about the advanced energy storage making this feat possible visit https://www.saturnpower.com/Storage.

Those interested in learning more about Operating Reserve can visit https://www.ieso.ca/.

About Saturn Power

Saturn Power Inc., founded in 2007 and based in Baden, Ontario, Canada, has over 700 MW of renewable energy generation and storage projects in development, built or operating, including solar, battery storage and wind power projects in Canada, Bermuda, the United States and Turkey. The company also has expertise in project financing, engineering, procurement, and construction as well as the operation and maintenance of existing renewable assets.

About Peak Power

Peak Power is a cleantech company founded in 2015 operating in Ontario, New York, New England, and California. Their flagship software, Peak Synergy, provides energy management solutions for commercial real estate and industrial customers by optimizing three core energy assets: battery energy storage systems, grid-interactive buildings, and electric vehicles. Peak Synergy enables customers to minimize operational costs, reduce emissions, and sell energy back to the grid. Peak Power’s software delivers results with innovative projects that take commercial and industrial scale storage systems and electric vehicles into electricity markets. Peak Synergy is deployed in over 13M sq. ft. of real estate, with ~116 MWh of battery and electric vehicle capacity under contract or committed.

Media Contacts

Peak Power

Elaine Kwok

(416) 452-0982

elaine@peakpowerenergy.com

Saturn Power

Devin Petteplace

519-804-9163 ext:118

devin.petteplace@saturnpower.com

Talal Ahmed

CRM Coordinator

Give us a brief overview of your role with Saturn Power?

I’ve been with Saturn for over 6 months now, in the CRM Coordinator role. As my title denotes, most of my responsibilities revolve around CRM and all the coordination and management that goes into it. I’m responsible for making sure CRM is being utilized efficiently and effectively across the organization. I work with several team members from different departments, and make sure they are utilizing it to the best of its capabilities. Also making sure that all the data that’s going into CRM is accurate, and that CRM stays up to date. I also assist people when they’re having difficulties navigating CRM. Increasingly, I’m also working with the land team, in particular with the land agents Dan and Anthony, and supporting Lauryn and Larry in the management of the team, which includes making sure they have all the tools at their disposal to perform their job effectively, and utilizing CRM in the process effectively.

What is the most memorable moment you have had working at Saturn Power so far?

My interactions with the different people, especially during our team building exercise last October. It’s astonishing and amazing how you have people from all over Canada and the US, working remotely for as long as I can remember (because I’ve only been here 6 months). You can bring them together for just a day, and they can form this cohesive and strong bond with each other. It was also very memorable for me because it was the first time I got exposed to playing a version of baseball, and I learned a lot from it. I’ve often come across baseball in social media or on TV and it didn’t make sense to me, but since then it has started making more sense. It was a very memorable and amazing experience. That team building exercise was really an eye opener for me in a lot of different ways.

Tell us one interesting fact about yourself that people at Saturn might not know?

When news related to our newborn was shared via the monthly newsletter, a lot of people weren’t aware I was married and that she lived abroad with our newborn. Right now, I’m in Pakistan with them tending to some family business and working to bring them back to Canada with me. I also played rugby for four years in college, and since then I also played it in the Boston area, where I lived for about 8 years. I also was at a pre-Military Cadet College from 8th grade through 12th. I was there for 5 years of my life, away from my family.

Over the last 5 years you’ve lived in both the U.S. and Canada. What are some of the differences you’ve noticed working and living in the two countries?

North America, I was talking to my wife the other day and we were making plans for our dream destination for vacationing. I’ve lived in North America cumulatively for 8 years now, and this is like the best region in the world – there’s so much diversity in terms of landscape, there are mountains, some of the best beaches in the world, and I’m just in awe of North American beauty. Both America and Canada are equally beautiful in terms of landscapes that they offer, but socially there are differences, at least in my experience. Canadians are a bit reserved, a bit shy if you want to call it that. Americans are very outgoing, kind of loud as well, but not in a negative way. I have nothing but great experiences staying in the U.S., but socially there are differences in how these societies are. Both places are amazing, I haven’t experienced the Canadian culture as much as the U.S. culture.

As a new dad, what is something you have learned that no parenting advice could’ve prepared you for?

Parents are supposed to love their kids, their kids are the most precious thing. Since birth you see that in society, and you are mentally prepared to love your child, but I think nothing can really make you sufficiently prepared for the love you are ready to give to your child. I can’t imagine I’ve loved anything as much as I love my son. Although you’re supposed to be aware of that, but nothing prepares you enough for it until you experience it yourself. Another thing is you hear these stories about losing sleep when you have a newborn. It does get bad now and then, but our child has been very supportive of our sleep schedule so far. It’s tough for us, because of my schedule working in eastern time.

What is the main thing that you would like to cross off your bucket list?

I would like to explore North America with my family more. When I was based in the U.S., I was a student for the first 2 or 3 years. Then, when I started working, I was still struggling because you want to establish your career, and you want to be present for the company you’re working for. So I didn’t get a chance to travel as much as I’d like to. I’ve never been to the Pacific coast, so it would be nice to explore from British Columbia down to California. It would be great to go on a road trip on that strip, which is something I’d like to do with my family.

What is a movie that you never get tired of re-watching and how many times do you figure you’ve watched it?

I haven’t watched it in a while, but it would be Inception. When I first got a hold of it, I think it was on a DVD back then, like 2008 or 2009. I watched it like a gazillion times, I never get tired of it. The whole plot of the movie, it’s just so amazing and intriguing. It’s just on another level, in terms of its plot. Also, all the Boston area movies; The Town, Manchester by the Sea, Good Will Hunting.  I’ve watched all of those at least 10 times.

If you could only get delivery or takeout from one local food joint for the next 3 months, what spot and meal are you picking?

There was a place in Boston, it’s just a Shawarma place – I’d always order the Boston Lamb Shawarma platter. That’s mine and my family’s favourite. Lebanese food, in general, I could have for the rest of my life. In the whole of the Boston area, we only had one Shawarma place. In Canada, it’s like every other corner – as much as you have Tim Hortons you have as many Shawarma places. Way different in Boston, so I was very appreciative of that place.

Preet Joshi

Market Developer

Give us a brief overview of your role with Saturn Power?

What drives me to serve is the philosophy that I should plant trees under whose shade I do not plan to sit. My work as a Market Developer is largely catered for this. My role has evolved here at Saturn. My mission is to create and strengthen connectivity to achieve more efficient and effective project and market development towards Saturn's strategic goals. I enjoy taking a Systems Thinking approach to better understand data, strategize, and work collaboratively with all departments in order to successfully build and hand off a market game plan, once set up. My work as a market developer entails a significant amount of research and pulling in various perspectives and experts to the table, setting up process workflows, and providing continuous support as a market subject matter expert.  

What is the most memorable moment you have had working at Saturn Power so far?

I don’t think anyone knows about this one but occasionally, Jared and I laugh about the whole situation. Technically, it was before I joined. During my initial interview, my internet was problematic. I moved to somewhere more favorable, and then another issue revealed itself, the laptop battery was dying, the screen blacked out. I decided to move again, not realizing the call was still on and he could hear everything, from my box heels click-clacking frantically to my profane verbiage as I sprinted to find yet another suitable spot to resume the call. We continued the call, and he did not say a word about it but instead checked in to see how I was doing and if I was good to resume. After joining Saturn, I learnt that he had heard literally all of it, the whole thing, everything, the entire time. Truly admirable - what a leader.  

Tell us one interesting fact about yourself that people at Saturn might not know?

I have a degree in Kuchipudi, which is a South Indian classical dance style. I ended up learning how to use expressions to convey the meaning of songs in Telugu, which I should say is not my mother tongue. Thanks to my parents, who purposely, at age 6, enrolled me into this dance form, I ended up choreographing and teaching various routines from an array of dance forms to kids and young adults back home. I was born and raised in Kenya. My family roots on both sides include interesting journeys. From my mom's side, her grandparents moved from India to Tanzania and on my dad's side, his parents moved from India to Kenya. I speak Kiswahili, Gujarati, I did French for seven years, and I also speak Hindi, not fluently but can understand it. With respect to Telugu, I don't understand the words specifically but through learning of the dance style, I understand the meaning and how to convey through expression.

What is the main thing that you would like to cross off your bucket list?

When I was about age 18, I was with a group soon-to-be young adults. We were asked to jot down what some things we wanted to achieve before 25. And at that time, and still today, I love hiking and I love connecting with nature. I think you connect with yourself through nature. I would go camping and hiking every month or every two months, and then ended up being an assessor for a club that's known as the President's Award Scheme in Kenya, or Duke of Edinburgh Award in Canada or other ex-colonies. I achieved my gold award by climbing a couple of the highest mountains in Africa, and it inspires me to do Everest. Unfortunately, I had to cancel my trip there due to COVID. I haven’t made it out yet but climbing Mount Everest or the Annapurnas is still on the list.

When you’re not working and you have some time to yourself, what are some of the ways you would choose to spend that time?

Personal development for sure. I was inspired by my parents. I strongly believe by stepping out of my comfort zone and expanding my knowledge about others’ languages and cultures provides benefit to my world view. Growing up, they purposely applied for my admission into a primary school where they knew I was going to be a minority, despite there being an Indian Community School that I could have attended more conveniently since it was in close proximity to our home. Exposing me to various cultures and environments as much as they could through travel was something they prioritized. I love traveling, but most importantly, being in different spaces allows me to have these introspective conversations, do a lot of inner work, which I feel is necessary if I really want to grow both personally and professionally. I'm a firm believer that solving or understanding anything is better done from the underlying root situation or issue. Then building a strong foundation based on this, which is what I try to do at work too. 

What is a book that you never get tired of re-reading and how many times do you figure you’ve read it?

It's Think Like a Monk by Jay Shetty. I've read this over and over again, and sometimes just chapters over and over again. I cannot put a number on it. Sometimes I'll just go back to a specific chapter - for example, the four types of motivations that drive people. Sometimes, if I’m experiencing something I don’t quite understand, I’ll go back to these to help me dissect the problem. It's a book that helps facilitate personal development and those introspective conversations by providing tools, ideas, and approaches that you can take to do that. It's definitely helped me with my personal growth journey.

What’s a favourite place you’ve travelled to?

I’ve lived in Nairobi for 19 years, 8 years in Waterloo and have been a digital nomad for 1.5 years. I’ve travelled a significant amount, however the places I love are the ones that lead to introspection, the ones that take me home without going home, back to my roots and that help reinforce or enhance my values. Nairobi does that for me especially, after revisiting after 6 years. Spoking out of your core and comfort zone to grow, learn and observe your own biases is an incredible experience but even more impactful when you return to the core and have all sorts of perspective realizations and experiences that may help you solve problems more easily by thinking outside the “box”.

If you could only get delivery or takeout from one local food joint for the next 3 months, what spot and meal are you picking?

I’ve had many “locals” for the last 1.5 years. As a vegetarian, taking into consideration my protein choices, it’s always going to be Tofu, paneer, textured vegetarian protein, any vegetarian protein, and I’ll eat whatever with it - I don’t really care. I love food, but I don’t like to waste time trying to get the best food everyday. So utilitarian style vegetarian cooking from Monday to Friday, then I’ll explore creating a more complicated dish or going out to eat on the weekend. It sounds boring, but I’m trying to not deteriorate my health while traveling. I cook best when I cook for others, I get it from my mom, and I can’t wait to open a restaurant in the future.

PRESS RELEASE                                                      

For Immediate Release: December 12, 2022

CVE North America Announces the completion of a 41-megawatt New York Solar Portfolio acquisition from Saturn Power

CVE North America (“CVE”), an independent solar power producer based in New York City, announced today that it completed the acquisition of a portfolio of solar PV projects in upstate New York from Saturn Power Corporation, an Ontario Canada based Solar Developer. The portfolio consists of seven community solar projects located throughout National Grid utility territory, totaling 41 megawatts (MW).   Saturn Power developed the projects to Notice to Proceed (NTP) status and CVE will begin construction by the end of 2022.

CVE will own and operate the portfolio and will work with third party providers to construct the projects and acquire community solar subscribers.

The projects are set to participate in the New York Value of Distributed Energy Resources (VDER) program, a mechanism launched by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to encourage and support energy created by distributed energy resources like solar installations. Under this program, all seven installations will be community solar projects and help subscribers, especially low to moderate-income households, save money on their utility bills.

Through community solar programs customers can enjoy the benefits of lower cost energy from renewable resources without the need of installing their own solar system.  By subscribing to local community solar farms and supporting local solar development, customers receive credits on their utility bills for their share of the power that is produced, just as if the panels were on their own roofs.

In addition to delivering clean energy locally, the portfolio will provide employment opportunities as well as community and environmental benefits. Once complete, the portfolio will produce enough clean energy per year to power approximately 8,500 homes and offset the equivalent of over 9,000 passenger vehicles’ emissions.

“These community solar projects represent a significant milestone in Saturn’s push towards creating a more sustainable environment and we are proud of the hard work that our amazing team has exhibited in originating and developing this portfolio.” said Doug Wagner, President & CEO for Saturn Power. “Saturn will continue to work closely with CVE to ensure this portfolio is successful in progressing through the next stages of procurement, and construction on through to commercial operation, ensuring long-term benefit for these local communities along with strengthening the footprint of renewable energy in North America”.

“With this acquisition, CVE is entering the United States’ largest and most active community solar market, the State of New York. This consolidates the company’s position as a distributed clean energy producer committed to delivering energy and environmental services to households, businesses, and municipalities. The portfolio will help contribute to a more equitable clean energy transition by expanding New York residents’ access to affordable solar power.” said Thibaut Delespaul, General Manager of CVE North America.

The seven projects acquired are part of a broader CVE portfolio of thirteen projects in New York State totaling 73MW, all of which will be under construction between 2022 and early 2023. These projects will join CVE’s operating portfolio of 9 Massachusetts community solar projects totaling 37MW, and its development pipeline of more than 250MW across several states.   

About CVE North America

CVE North America is an independent solar power producer based in New York City since 2017.  It has the personal attributes of a small to medium sized company and the skills, experience, and financial assets of a large group.  The company currently has plans to expand to over 450 MW across the United States by 2026. CVE draws on the international expertise of its parent company, CVE Group, which has been recognized for financing, building and operating ground-mounted solar installations in communities for 12 years.  CVE Group has over 550 MW in operation and construction in France, Chile, South Africa, and the US. CVE Group is invested to ensure the highest environmental and qualitative performance. It is ISO 9001 (quality management system) and ISO 14001 (environmental management system) certified.

To learn more, visit www.cvenorthamerica.com

About Saturn Power

Saturn Power, founded in 2007 and based in Baden, Ontario, Canada, has over 600 MW of renewable energy generation and storage projects in development, built or operating, including solar, battery storage and wind power projects in Canada, Bermuda, the United States and Turkey. The company also has expertise in project financing, engineering, procurement, and construction as well as the operation and maintenance of existing renewable assets.

To learn more, visit www.saturnpower.com

Press Contacts:     

CVE North America

Shadé Jaiyeola

shade.jaiyeola@cvegroup.com

Saturn Power  

Devin Petteplace

devin.petteplace@saturnpower.com

For Development Opportunities, Contact:

CVE North America

David Froelich

Director, Business Development

david.froelich@cvegroup.com

Saturn Power

Pat Goodale

Director Asset Acquisition and Strategy

pat.goodale@saturnpower.com

Tracy Morris

HR & Benefits Administrator

Give us a brief overview of your role with Saturn Power.

As of this past August, I’ve been with Saturn for six years, starting out as the Executive Assistant and Office Manager. I transitioned to my new role as the Benefits & HR Administrator this past September. With my new role, I am the first person of contact for our new hires. I get to draft their offer letters and be their first contact after the interview,  welcome them to Saturn Power, and begin the process of onboarding. I ensure all the forms are completed for payroll and benefits, and ensure they have everything they need to hit the ground running. I’m currently learning more about our benefits program with Equitable Life, along with HR policies and workplace trending.  I also support the executive team wherever I’m needed.  I am a resource, as well as a support member for everyone at Saturn. My favourite part of the position is that I get to see people succeed and grow with the company.

What is the most memorable moment you have had working at Saturn Power so far?

I have many memorable moments. The Baden Race was one of them, along with Adam jumping into the swamp behind the office. Teaching a co-op fourth-year engineer student how to change a toilet paper roll was very memorable.  I think my favorite was our last Christmas party before Covid at the Puddicombe House. Not everybody got to be there, but the hall was festive, it was very Christmassy - it was like a hallmark movie! We had a band lead by Sean Bertram (Karen’s son) who played all night, Santa dropped by, and people danced all night, so it was a memorable night for me. I like to be the person behind the scenes that makes things happen and gets everything ready for everyone. Not everyone knows how the party happened, it just happened, and everyone had a good time.

Over the past several years you’ve called several locations across Canada home. What are some of the main differences you’ve found living in Ontario vs. Western Canada?

Well, in Manitoba and Alberta we have brutal winters. So Southern Ontario is my favourite place to live. Living in Woodstock for five years, we had great neighbours, we lived in a great neighbourhood, and I loved my drive coming to work every day. It was a half hour drive, all backroads, all scenic, so it just put me in a good mood driving to work.  My favorite part of Southern Ontario was my trips to Buffalo, Port Huron, Stratford, Niagara and Paris. There is always something to-do in Ontario and the weather is usually beautiful!  In Winnipeg and Calgary I will be hibernating for half the year as I don’t like to play in the snow.

Name one thing that has been challenging and one thing that has been rewarding about working remotely?

One of the good things that came out of Covid was I was able to keep my job with Saturn when I moved to Alberta. About a year ago, my husband took a job with Alberta Health Services, and we had to relocate to Alberta. Because I had been working from home, when I moved out here, I thought I would I have to quit. Because of the experience of working remote during COVID, we were able to figure out a solution that allowed me to continue working for Saturn remotely.  I’m very grateful for that. Karen also helped me to manage the time difference, so I start two hours later than the Eastern folks, and I’m online two hours later for the folks who are working late - if they need support or assistance, I’m there to help them. One challenge for working remote is ensuring I book the correct meeting times and I don't book myself for a 6:00am meeting. One of my struggles is that I don’t see people. My husband works upstairs, and my workspace is downstairs. We tend to only go out on weekends, so I miss the interaction with people at the office and of course I miss our team.

What is the main thing that you would like to cross off your bucket list?

My father-in-law was a pilot and now he is now retired.  He picks up contracts in Africa and teaches pilots how to fly airplanes.  He does the whole flight simulator kind of thing with them. I would love to go on a Serengeti Safari, and I think he would be a great tour guide.  We are hoping he has the time in the next couple of years to take us. He’s sent us videos of him having breakfast with giraffes and zebras, so I think it would be a lifetime experience for sure. I love giraffes, of course.

What is a movie that you never get tired of rewatching and how many times do you figure you’ve watched it?

I can recite word-for-word Vegas Vacation. It’s one of my favourites. I call my husband Sparky. It’s got Chevy Chase, and Wayne Newton in it and Sparky’s always trying to win – I also love Las Vegas!   His underage son comes to Vegas but can’t play.  He gets a fake ID with the name Papa Georgio, and wins everything where Sparky can’t win to save his life. Every time it’s on TV we stop what we’re doing and watch it.

What’s a favourite place you’ve travelled to?

15 years ago, this Christmas, my husband wrapped up plane tickets to the Mayan Riviera. Then I unwrapped a picture of a wedding setup on a beach. Then, I unwrapped wedding bands. We had been together for 7 years and wanted to get married, but his family were in Ontario, mine we’re in Manitoba, and we lived in Alberta at the time. I didn’t think I could plan a wedding to accommodate everyone, so he just went ahead and planned everything, including the date on the beach with just us and the sunset. It was everything I didn’t know I wanted. See? Cheesy! It was perfect.

If you could only get delivery or takeout from one local food joint for the next 3 months, what spot and meal are you picking?

Easy – I hit it twice when I was in Ontario for team building this past October, and that’s Firehouse Subs. The Smokehouse Beef and Cheddar Brisket. When we lived in Woodstock, my husband and I would go frequently.  We loved it so much we thought about owning a Franchise! We’d be 600 pounds for sure, it’s so good!

Anthony Gianella

Renewable Energy Land Acquisition Agent

Give us a brief overview of your role with Saturn Power

My role is a land acquisition specialist. Essentially, I am the first point of contact with land owners to explore renewable energy projects on their property. I do a lot of cold calling, mailers, and other marketing in order to just drum up business to negotiate with landowners for renewable energy projects.

What’s a favourite place you’ve travelled to?

For me, it was definitely Hawaii. I went specifically to Maui, which from everything I've heard people say it's their favorite island. It's definitely a special place for me as well. It's where I proposed to my wife. It's everything it’s cracked up to be. The beaches are phenomenal. Food was way better than I was expecting. It was probably the best food I had out of any place I traveled. It's incredible. You can snorkel right off the beach there, see all kinds of aquatic life and things like that. Definitely recommend getting out there. It's just it's a long plane ride if you're ever planning on it.

What led you to a career in land procurement and what have you found rewarding from working in the renewables sector?

What lead me to this role was the good combination of a lot of different skill sets. It kind of is a combination of real estate, legal history, science as well obviously with the energy aspect of it, even a little bit of engineering. I like to think of myself as kind of like a Jack of all trades when it comes to the role, not specializing in one thing. Most rewarding I would say is really getting a chance to meet people from all walks of life and all different economic standing. We deal with everybody from a traditional farmer that you would think of, to CEO's of international companies for property that they own. You really do have to think of how the conversation goes with all different folks. I think that's what's so rewarding, actually getting to see people's different opinions and viewpoints on the world. Because that's one thing with the task of contacting these land owners - these conversations go all over the place.

As a new dad, what is something you have learned that no parenting advice could’ve prepared you for?

I guess really the lack of sleep. Catching up on sleep is probably my biggest thing. Everybody tells you that you're not going to get a lot of sleep and you know that you need to prepare for that. But like that's something in the back of your head that you don't even really understand what that truly is. That’s probably the biggest thing. The other thing is obviously just to have patience with everything. I think that's extremely crucial. I mean, I am not a patient person whatsoever. This is definitely teaching me that I have to be.

Being from the Pittsburgh area, are there any local attractions or sporting events that are a go-to for you and your family?

We actually don't go to a ton of games, but I do try to make it to a couple each year. PNC Park is usually an easier ticket to get because the Pirates absolutely stink. But with that being said, it's one of the most beautiful ballparks that I've been to and from what everybody says. Plus, I do think that they have a lot of entertainment outside of the baseball games. They have cool bars there, perogy races, and other things to keep people engaged. But unfortunately for the Steelers, tickets are a little bit harder to come by, that's for sure, right?

What is the main thing that you would like to cross off your bucket list?

I would like to go to Italy. It seems like a great place to visit for the food, wine, and the picturesque scenery. Obviously my heritage is Italian, so just being able to see where my ancestors are from would be great. It's one of those countries that everybody says it's way nicer than you would believe. All of Europe is probably like this, but it's so different than what we're used to in the US, with our suburbs and all the manufactured homes. It's like old school, old World, that kind of stuff in Europe. So sure it's definitely on my bucket list.

What is a movie that you never get tired of rewatching and how many times do you figure you’ve watched it?

Not a huge movie guy, but with that being said, Billy Madison is probably the movie I could go to at any point. I've definitely seen it about 50 times. Could quote a lot of funny lines from there. I think those Adam Sandler movies are so popular for a reason, especially his earlier stuff. So yeah, Billy Madison is definitely it for me. Big NFL fan too, and the NBA, NHL. If I'm not watching live sports, it's usually Netflix or anything like that because you get enough commercials when you watch live sports.

If you could only get delivery or takeout from one local food joint for the next 3 months, what spot and meal are you picking?

I'd probably just get pizza from this pizza place called Pizzeria Davide. They specialize in old world pizza. It's the charred bottom and the extremely hot oven. It has the cheese underneath the sauce. I think that is a lot different than a lot of the pizza we're used to eating because it's a lot crispier, and it's not a lot of toppings on the top. It's just a different experience than the standard.

Tyler Morton

GIS Project Manager 

Give us a brief overview of your role with Saturn Power?

I am the GIS Project Manager. When a market is identified that we want to pursue, the developer picks out some parameters of areas to target like substations, distance from transmission lines or infrastructure. They will pass those along to me, and with those basic parameters, I will do a spatial analysis. GIS stands for Geographic Information Systems, which is basically spatial data analytics and map making. Most data has some sort of spatial component (a latitude and longitude) so once they give me substations to target or what state, then I will go ahead and see what parcels are nearby that fit those parameters. I will also run analytics to figure how much of the parcel has potential for buildable acreage. I will use different layers to figure out elements such as wetlands, building footprints, critically endangered habitats, or slope. The parcel is not very useful if it is covered in buildings or in the middle of the city, or around a mountain side or lake. I will send a list of potential project sites back to the developers to look over and fine tune. Then I will make maps for the marketing campaign which are the documents that we give our land agents to help with conversations with landowners for securing site control for a project.

What is the most memorable moment you have had working at Saturn Power so far?

I appreciate the workplace in general, but just how friendly and inviting everybody was when starting here, which can be tough while working remotely and having people spread everywhere. Most of the company is based out of Canada, and here I am in the middle of the United States. Everyone took the time to create some sort of relationship, even though those are hard to foster from hundreds of miles away. They let you know that you're welcome and if there's anything they can do to make the transition or your life a little bit easier, that they were there to support you.

What led you to a career in GIS Project Management and what have you found rewarding from working in the renewables sector?

Honestly I just kind of fell into it. I was working for an energy start-up that had about two or three employees at the time and with being a start-up, you have to wear a whole bunch of hats.  We had a need for GIS as we started to grow a little bit, and working in energy there is naturally that progression, the same as it probably was with Saturn Power in the early days. I started to absorb some of those responsibilities, and I ended up really liking it. I mostly was in sales prior to that, which honestly didn’t fit my personality great having to make cold calls and talking to people all day long. I’m perfectly happy being introverted and just sitting by myself most of the day. So, it was a better fit for me, and I just really liked all the different directions you could go from there. It is like you are solving a puzzle and there's a whole bunch of different ways to do it.

When COVID rolled around, it took a hit on our demand. Similar to a lot of companies, we had a little more free time than we would have liked. I got introduced to GIS by a previous employer and really liked it, so I decided to continue down that path. Since I went to undergrad for business, and not GIS, I started by going for a graduate certificate through Northwest Missouri State University Online in my free time, while I was working for that same company. Once I completed that, I decided to pursue my master’s degree, continuing to learn and soak in as much as I could. That's kind of how the transition started and how I originally got into GIS.

I have found working in renewables rewarding as I am a huge proponent of the outdoors. Ever since I was a little kid, I have really enjoyed nature and being outside. The energy sector I was working in before was a lot of oil and gas based, which I didn’t feel nearly as good working in as I would in renewable resources, that's for sure. Renewables was on my mind, and as I got more experience, it became a goal of mine. If the stars aligned and the opportunity and relationship was right, I wanted to move into renewables. I am a huge proponent of conservation, not just for us, but for future generations as well. It needs to be done right now - there can't be any more waiting for it.

How have experiences from early in your life, along with your educational background, helped you in your role at Saturn?

I've had a weird variety of jobs, and each one of those I've been able to pull different experiences from. I worked in a management position at a golf course throughout high school and college, and while it is different role and profession, I got an idea of how to manage myself as well as other people. Since I am my own department here, I have to be really good at making my own schedule, prioritizing things, and checking in with people. I'm the one managing myself, so that's something that I've pulled away from my previous jobs. When I was working sales at the company before this, we were so small, so I was also in charge of my leads. A lot of it was commission based so you really had to have a good work ethic and be responsible for your own actions. Going into the transition to GIS at that start-up, I didn't know anything, I didn't even know what GIS was. I had never heard about it until my boss pulled me into his office and introduced me to it. From that job and from starting in GIS, I became very good at teaching myself new things. It might not always come easily, but there's so many resources that are out there, especially with the Internet.

Being in Colorado, you live in one of the most picturesque locations in North America. In your free time, what are some of the ways that you take advantage of the beautiful outdoor surroundings?

I try to as much as I can, albeit not nearly as much as I should. When you live somewhere like this, you kind of get complacent unfortunately, and it becomes your backyard. Throughout the year, my hobbies do revolve around the outdoors in one way or another, and a lot of this came from Nebraska. Growing up, I did things like hunting, fishing, golfing, and all sports really. It was all stuff outside. Since moving out here, I especially like to hike and go camping. I was down in northern New Mexico last weekend doing both of those. I also run, bike, go skiing in the winter, and golfing during the summer. The large majority of the hobbies are outdoors, so when school and work aren't keeping me busy, these hobbies are a good fit for my work-life balance, even if it's just walking around the block and enjoying all the days of sunshine Denver gets.

What is the main thing that you would like to cross off your bucket list?

The big thing that was on my bucket list was getting my master’s degree. Now that it's closer, it doesn't seem like as much of a goal just because now it's attainable. I have two classes left, and those are for my thesis including research and then actually writing the thesis. Originally being someone who thought school was the bane of my existence throughout most of my life, receiving my master’s degree will be something that I'm really proud of. I didn't think I would ever go back to school after undergrad, so I would say that was my biggest goal. I'll be done my masters in December, and if I am able to finish with a 4.0 GPA, it would probably be my biggest accomplishment to date, once it comes to fruition.

What is a movie that you never get tired of rewatching and how many times do you figure you have watched it?

I don't watch a lot of movies, I'm more of a series person. So if we were talking about a series, it would be The Office. I watched it a bunch until it got taken off Netflix, so I haven't seen it at all in a couple of years, which is probably a good thing. It got to the point where it was just a perfect show to have on in the background, even if I just needed some background noise, but didn't need something that I'd be paying close attention to. It was easy to walk away from and it wouldn't just suck me in for a couple hours, which is a real problem of mine when starting new TV shows.

When I was younger, I watched Caddyshack and Dumb and Dumber a lot. Those were a couple of my dad's favorite movies, so I think I am just idolizing him. I probably followed in his footsteps and I thought they had a lot of rewatchability with the quotes and stuff like that.

If you could only get delivery or takeout from one local food joint for the next 3 months, what spot and meal are you picking?

I would get Chipotle. I basically get the same thing every time, just have it on the app and add it to the bag. It’s the chicken burrito bowl and then I usually get a tortilla on the side. You get more food in the bowl so you can make a burrito out of it, and then you still have like 1/3 of a bowl leftover afterward.

Christina James

Administrative Assistant 

Give us a brief overview of your role with Saturn Power?

I am the Administrative Assistant and my role is to provide support to all levels of the organization. A key element of my position is to handle all required tasks in a manner and direction that Saturn would be proud of, while working to maintain a positive company culture. I enjoy being able to help people with anything they need, especially when it comes to IT issues which can be a big frustration for anyone when it doesn’t want to cooperate.

How has some of your past work experience helped you in your role at Saturn?

I have been working in the Customer Service industry for the last 20+ years. Rogers communications was a big part of that as I was there for 11 years. Then I went into insurance and was there for about 4 years. Insurance was completely different but still customer service oriented. This experience has provided me with the ability to embrace all kinds of personalities across an organization, and it has helped me to understand how to accommodate and communicate with different people. Every person has different processes and how they like things to be done. I really enjoy being the “go-to” person and providing supportive services to all levels at Saturn Power.

What is the most memorable moment you have had working at Saturn Power so far?

Our office backs onto a wonderful pond in Baden, so there is always beautiful wildlife to see. The most memorable moment was while approaching the building, there was a HUGE snapping turtle that was making its way across the driveway and down to the water. I don’t think I would ever witness something like that working in a downtown city area.

When you’re not working, what do you do with your spare time?

I am extremely proud of my Croatian heritage and enjoy supporting our local Croatian community in Kitchener. I am also a member of the Queen Helena Folklore dance group who consistently fundraise for various causes. We have a festival every year where I dance and sing with the group. During other times of the year, I enjoy attending local festivals such as the Blues & Jazz Festival, Rib Fest, and Multicultural Festival.

What is the main thing that you would like to cross off your bucket list?

I would really like to visit Europe, specifically France or maybe even Italy. When you see it on TV, and in photos, it is very picturesque. It would be nice to visit the beautiful Wineries of France all the while looking at a beautiful countryside landscape at sunset. I want to experience a fine Bordeaux on the terrace paired with smoked meats, baguettes, and cheese!

Tell us one interesting fact about yourself that people at Saturn might not know.

I lived in Lincoln Nebraska for a couple of years. During that time, Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee was filming a reality show at the University of Nebraska. One evening after attending a volleyball game, I was walking right behind him while he was being interviewed. I ended up being shown on Access Hollywood! I consider this my 2 seconds of Fame! Another interesting thing about the volleyball game is that they had a star player from Kitchener there who now plays beach volleyball professionally and has been in the Olympics.

If you could only get delivery or takeout from one local food joint for the next 3 months, what spot and meal are you picking?

We don’t eat out very often unless it is for special occasions, but one place that I really enjoy is a little place called Casa Rugantino in Belmont Village, Kitchener. They have really good pasta and pizza. I thoroughly enjoy their Seafood Pasta in an arabiata sauce that gives it just enough of a kick. I have managed to almost duplicate the recipe (with a few tweaks) so that I can make it more often at home!

What is a movie that you never get tired of rewatching and how many times do you figure you have watched it?

This is a tough one and some people might laugh but I would have to say it is the 1989 classic 'Roadhouse'. I have seen it at least 20 times. I am an avid blues fan, so I really enjoy the soundtrack in the movie as well. Jeff Healey and his band are in the movie, and they are really good. The storylines may be a little cheesy, but it is well-rounded for an 80s movie with drama, a little comedy, and who doesn't like a good dose of Patrick Swayze and Sam Elliott!

What’s a favourite vacation that you’ve been on or an adventure that you have undertaken?

It was the week my husband Tony took me on vacation to the U.S. (He is originally from there). Our first stop was in St. Louis to watch a Cardinals Game and enjoy spectacular 4th of July Fireworks at the Gateway Arch. Our second stop was in Panama City Florida where Tony surprised me one evening on bended knee on a moonlit beach! To this day I still don’t remember what he said. I think I was just too excited to say YES!!! To top up the trip, another wish of mine came true with a visit to Graceland in Tennessee. It was so wonderful to be in the presence of the King of Rock and Roll!

ALBERTA UTILITIES COMMISSION APPROVES SATURN POWER’S SPRINGBROOK SOLAR PROJECT

AUC Grants Permission to Connect, Construct & Operate Solar Project Located at Red Deer Regional Airport

After a period of review and analysis, Saturn Power Inc, an Ontario based Renewable Energy Developer, has been given approval by the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) to proceed with the connection, construction and operation of its proposed Springbrook Solar Project.

This clean renewable energy project, with nameplate capacity of 20 megawatts ac, is located just outside the Hamlet of Springbrook, Alberta, on land that is co‐owned by the Red Deer Regional Airport, Red Deer County and private landowner. Representatives from the Red Deer Regional Airport and Red Deer County have been instrumental partners in the development of Springbrook Solar, providing integral support and acting as champions of the project throughout the process.

Development of this project began in 2019 and has included three years of community outreach and stakeholder consultation. The project also underwent environmental and technical studies to assess the impacts of the project while identifying appropriate mitigation measures to minimize impacts and acquiring necessary approvals to ensure the development, construction, and operation of a viable, safe, and successful project.

“Having our Springbrook Solar project approved by the Alberta Utilities Commission is a significant step towards ensuring this important renewable energy project becomes a reality, which is a credit to the hard work and determination of Saturn’s incredible development team.” said Doug Wagner, CEO of Saturn Power. “As a proud Canadian company, having the ability and privilege to develop renewable energy projects in Canada is always extra special for Saturn Power and we look forward to the opportunity to advance the use of clean energy in the Province of Alberta.”

“In addition to providing the region with a sustainable power source, this project will also provide the Red Deer Regional Airport with yet another source of stable operating revenue, which is required in order for the Airport to achieve its goal of becoming financially sustainable.” Graham Ingham, CEO, Red Deer Regional Airport.

"Red Deer County is proud to support this exciting new project in the Hamlet of Springbrook, as it will generate valuable revenue for this emerging community while also supporting the Red Deer Regional Airport,” said Tara Logan, Business Development Officer, Red Deer County. “In addition, renewable energy is identified as a priority in the Red Deer County Economic Development Strategic Plan 2017."

Saturn Power Inc., founded in 2007 and based in Baden, Ontario, Canada, has over 700 MW of renewable energy generation and storage in development, built or operating, including solar, battery storage and wind power projects in Canada, Bermuda, the United States, and Turkey. The company also has expertise in project financing, engineering, procurement and construction as well as the operation and maintenance of existing renewable assets.

For additional information, please contact:

Saturn Power Inc.

Devin Petteplace,

Senior Manager of Corporate Services

Tel: 519-804-9163 ext. 118

Email: devin.petteplace@saturnpower.com

Adam Rowles

Project Developer

Give us a brief overview of your role with Saturn Power?

I am a Project Developer with a focus on greenfielding Community Solar Projects in New York State. In short, I am tasked with finding plots of land and turning them into fully permitted solar power plants. To accomplish this, I am responsible for everything in the realm of business strategy and project development, including strategic project siting, negotiation support, managing our relationships with stakeholders and subcontractors, interconnection strategy, permitting, obtaining municipal approvals and helping prepare projects for sale.

Project Developers are primarily problem solvers, so most of my day is spent pivoting from issue to issue to help ensure that Saturn is making the best decisions possible on which opportunities to pursue and how best to forge a path to get our existing projects to the finish line. When it comes to developing solar projects, I like to joke that we are professional sandcastle builders, and New York State is our sandbox in many ways. You can build bad sandcastles, or you can build good sandcastles. It really depends on your approach.

What is the most memorable moment you have had working at Saturn Power so far?

My most memorable moment with Saturn was when I moved to Buffalo to better develop our projects during the pandemic. It was on a Saturday in the middle of COVID in February 2021, and there was a snowstorm. Not only did I have to drive my fully packed hatchback, but I had my cat in the car as well. I showed up at the border and I had to go in and get my visa approved to be able to work there. It took an hour and a half, and outside my cat was freezing and I was worried about her. Eventually I got into my new apartment in Buffalo at around 11pm, and the movers with my furniture weren’t getting there until the following Thursday. Thankfully one of my coworkers showed up and gave me a box of chicken shawarma and a blowup mattress to survive off of. I essentially squatted in my apartment for five days with no furniture except for a folding table to get my work done on until my stuff came, all while adjusting to living in a new country for the first time. I have many memories at Saturn but that one takes the cake.

What led you to a career in solar project development and what have you found rewarding from working in the renewables sector?

I sort of stumbled into Saturn Power. Having been here 4 years now, it is my first job in the renewables sector. Ever since high school, I knew I wanted to be involved in renewable energy. I’m an environmentalist and an urban planning nut, and I’ve always wanted to contribute to the green economy in some fashion. I never really knew what that entailed until I applied to Saturn for a summer co-op term in early 2018.  When I started at Saturn, I was writing articles for our battery storage team and performing business development research. As soon as I got here, I realized how amazing of an opportunity I had to join something special. It’s a place that rewards problem solvers, creative ideas, and teamwork.

What I love about Saturn is that they have fantastic leadership and mentors at every level that are willing to teach you. If you show initiative and make intuitive decisions, you’ll get more responsibility and you’ll grow very quickly. It is the perfect environment for young employees to experience strong career growth and learn a myriad of skills.

How have experiences from early in your life, along with your educational background, helped you in your role at Saturn?

I’m a bit of an outlier at Saturn Power. Most of our people have engineering, finance, and law backgrounds, which are of course critical pillars of an independent power producing company. However, I have a general science degree from the University of Guelph. I originally started in environmental engineering, but realized that engineering was close to but not exactly my calling. I was passionate about the subjects I was learning, but not about the way that I was applying what I was learning. Saturn had really awakened this business development and creative mindset in me during my summer coop, and I realized quickly that Project Development was what I wanted to do. I switched into science and started taking courses on economics, business ethics and environmental science & stewardship, all of which are valuable in my current role. I am a generalist, and I like being one. I want to be contributing strong ideas and try to see them come to fruition in developing new energy projects.

You’re an avid soccer fan and noted youth track and field star. With a busy career, how do you manage to stay active and involved with these sports?

I love to run, and I play soccer. Even if I’m not running in circles as fast as I can anymore, I love to go hit the trails and it’s a good time to clear my brain. I often like to go for a quick run during my lunchtime, which allows me to think about how I want to finish my day. Furthermore, I love to play soccer in the evenings and am (unfortunately) a massive Arsenal fan. Maybe one day they will eventually win something.

Athletics helps maintain a competitive edge as well. Solar project development is a very competitive industry, as we are competing with other companies for real estate, for capacity on the power grid, and for opportunities to win contracts. In many ways it’s like being on a sports team. We need to cooperate as a team and certain people are good at doing certain things, so fitting them in a certain format in the best way possible is very important.

What is a movie that you never get tired of rewatching and how many times do you figure you have watched it?

There’s a few of them. I don’t have a favourite movie but one that I don’t get tired of watching is Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. It has some of the best monologues in film. When I was young, I remember seeing a Disney channel preview about how the movie was made and I was so scared of it before it came out (because of the skeletons, I was 8). I eventually grew to love it. I’ve watched the movie probably 20 times in my life. I love quoting some of the scenes. “Me? I'm dishonest, and a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest. Honestly. It's the honest ones you want to watch out for, because you can never predict when they're going to do something incredibly... stupid.”

If you could only get delivery or takeout from one local food joint for the next 3 months, what spot and meal are you picking?

I would get Singapore Noodles everyday. If I could get takeout everyday I would go to this place called The Thai Room, on College and Parliament in Toronto, not too far from me. It is cheap and they’re always so nice to me. I’m a sucker for small businesses.

Dan Crumrine

Land Acquisition Specialist

Give us a brief overview of your role with Saturn Power?

I work as a Land Acquisition Specialist, contacting landowners to negotiate leases and solar options. I do cold-calling, send mailers, and on the ground door knocking while meeting with landowners in various markets to secure land for solar development.

What is the most memorable moment you have had working at Saturn Power so far?

Two weeks ago, I had a landowner fall asleep in my pickup truck. I got out for five minutes to take a picture of some utility poles and when I turned around, he was knocked out in my front seat.

What led you to a career in the land procurement field and how have you found the transition to the renewables sector?

I have a geological science degree. I started working as a field engineer in the oil fields in Pennsylvania, until I got laid off in 2015 and was looking for work again. I had a mutual connection with a land broker in Pennsylvania, so they gave me an opportunity and I ended up being there for five years doing land acquisition on the oil and gas side. Eventually I transferred to renewables with Saturn.

The transition to renewables hasn’t been too difficult. There are some nuances with renewables that are different as you’re selling a different product, but at the end of the day, you are dealing with similar clients and lease agreements. The biggest hurdle has just been learning more of the ins-and-outs of renewable energy from the engineering and development standpoint. Everyone here at Saturn has been really helpful with that transition.

How has some of your past work experience helped you in your role at Saturn?

My experience with oil and gas leasing was very helpful as there was a lot of similarities with renewable energy. The cliental hasn’t changed; talking about farming and about the outdoors within rural communities all remains the same. When it comes to the lease agreements, there are also many consistencies and similarities.

You’re known as an avid outdoorsman and Pittsburgh sports fan. When you have spare time, what is your ideal outdoor excursion or sporting event?

My favourite outdoor excursions include hunting and fishing. We try to do an out of state hunting trip once a year, and we go to Southern Quebec fishing a lot. On the weekends I also enjoy fishing, hunting, and hiking here in Pennsylvania. As far as sporting events, there’s nothing better than a Sunday afternoon Steelers game down at Heinz Field.

What is the main thing that you would like to cross off your bucket list?

I would like to go on a trip to Alaska, and I’d like to go fishing up there. Its just a wild place. I am intrigued by the scenery, mountains, and wildlife. I like the fact that there isn’t a lot of people and no big cities. I want to experience the wide-open spaces and untouched wilderness of Alaska.

What is a movie that you never get tired of rewatching and how many times do you figure you have watched it?

Happy Gilmore is the most recent one I’ve watched, and I have probably watched it about 50 times. Its always on TV, and it’s one of those movies where you’re scrolling through and just have to watch.

If you could only get delivery or takeout from one local food joint for the next 3 months, what spot and meal are you picking?

There’s a local Mexican place called Condado Tacos right down the road from me. It has really good build-your-own tacos with all kinds of different quesos and other over the top features.

Annie Ho

Paralegal

Give us a brief overview of your role with Saturn Power?

I work as a Paralegal, assisting with contracts, terms and conditions, and keeping track of corporate governance.

What is the most memorable moment you have had working at Saturn Power so far?

It was my first day of going into the office, when I got a message from Christina warning about traffic which ended up being because eggs had caught fire on the highway. However, I was still able to make it to the office before 9 that morning and was greeted by Tracy, Christina, and Tim. All in all, it was quite a memorable day.

What sparked your interest in working within the legal industry and how have you found the transition to providing legal support in the renewables sector?

Before working in the legal industry, I was in the editorial field and one of the summers I had a job in a law firm which is what initially sparked my interest in law. However, I didn’t want to be a lawyer, but I still wanted to be more than a legal assistant, so I went back to school and got a Paralegal certificate after my undergrad. The transition to renewables has been really good, especially since Saturn fosters such a collaborative environment. The renewable sector is a very niche law field to get into, and I am happy to play a small part in making the world a better place.

How has some of your past work experience helped you in your role at Saturn?

In previous law firms that I have worked at, I am usually the first point of contact which has been the same at Saturn. I am the first point of contact for the legal team. Additionally, I have experience in retail, which has provided me with valuable experience on how to interact with various clients and customers.

You were recently named Ms. Galaxy for Peel Region in the Canada Galaxy Pageant. What first interested you in participating in the pageant and what have you found rewarding from the experience?

My interest in pageants started in March 2021 when there was a surge of hate crimes towards Asians due to the pandemic, so I wanted to use my platform to voice this concern. I got in contact with a person who sold “Stop Asian Hate” t-shirts to raise awareness on the issue and they ended up being the pageant director and inspired me to start. Through my reign as Ms. Galaxy Peel Region, I have met so many independent women as it’s such a great way to network and build connections. The most rewarding thing about the whole experience has been partnering with the Diabetes Canada association for fundraising purposes. Since I am a diabetic myself and have family history of diabetes as well, that is a cause very close to my heart.

What is the main thing that you would like to cross off your bucket list?

I would like to go to Fiji and Bhutan. I want to visit Bhutan because I find it interesting that, even though the country is sandwiched between India and China, they’ve managed to remain carbon negative. Additionally, the scenery is beautiful, there’s plenty of greenery, and the food is amazing. I want to visit Fiji because, sometimes, I just like to get out of the city and explore somewhere exotic.

When you have some time to yourself, what are some of the ways you like to spend it?

When I have some time to myself, you’ll either find me kickboxing, doing pageant work, holding fundraisers/doing charity work or taking a nap.

If you could only get delivery or takeout from one local food joint for the next 3 months, what spot and meal are you picking?

I would choose 168 Sushi where I would get a bento box since they allow you to make your own bento box and customize it however you like, which is awesome.

SATURN POWER’S BERMUDA AIRPORT SOLAR FACILITY RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS AWARD  

Caribbean Renewable Energy Forum Award Presented to Saturn and the Bermuda Government on April 27

Bermuda’s first Utility Scale Solar power facility, located on “The Finger” at the L.F. Wade International Airport on St. David’s Island, has been awarded the Best Utility Scale Project as part of the 2022 Caribbean Renewable Energy Forum (CREF) Industry Awards. The award was accepted on behalf of Saturn Power and the Government of Bermuda by Minister Walter H. Roban, Bermuda’s Deputy Premier and Minister of Home Affairs, during a ceremony at CREF on April 27, 2022.

The CREF Awards, entering their Fourth year, aim to recognize excellence across clean energy programs and projects in the Caribbean. The CREF awards are judged across a series of criteria including “innovative approaches to development, value to investors and customers, and social and environmental impact”. This year’s Forum is taking place in Miami from April 26-28. More details about the organization and the forum can be found by visiting their website.

The Bermuda Government, with support from Saturn Power, submitted the project application to CREF for consideration early in 2022, receiving notice of the award in mid-April.

The Island Airport project, developed and constructed by Saturn Power Inc., represents 6 MW of renewable energy production on the island, ensuring that Bermuda and its residents will have access to clean, sustainable power for the foreseeable future. The energy produced from this inaugural project will represent between 8% and 13% of the baseload energy for the Island, acting as the foundation for Bermuda’s future renewable energy supply mix strategy.

“We are honoured to receive this significant award alongside our partners at the Government of Bermuda” said Doug Wagner, Chief Executive Officer for Saturn Power. “Since its inception, Saturn Power’s mission has been to create a sustainable environment for future generations by advancing the use of clean energy and being recognized for our work to bring that mission to life in Bermuda carries with it a meaningful sense of both personal and professional pride at what we, as a team, have been able to accomplish.”

"I was honoured to accept the award of Best Utility-Scale Project for the Caribbean region on behalf of Bermuda and our partners at Saturn Power”, said Deputy Premier and Minister of Home Affairs, the Hon. Walter Roban, JP, MP. “This award recognizes Bermuda's commitment to reducing the island's carbon footprint and protecting our environment. It also recognizes the hard work and determination of the many Bermudians working alongside Saturn Power who successfully completed the island's first large scale solar farm."

Saturn Power Inc., founded in 2007 and based in Baden, Ontario, Canada, has over 700 MW of renewable energy generation and storage in development, built or operating, including solar, battery storage and wind power projects in Ontario, Western Canada, Bermuda, the United States, and Turkey. The company also has expertise in project financing, engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) as well as the operation and maintenance of existing renewable assets.

For additional information, please contact:

Saturn Power Inc.

Devin Petteplace,

Senior Manager of Corporate Services
Tel: 519-804-9163 ext. 118

Email: devin.petteplace@saturnpower.com

Abhishek Dave

Senior Analyst

Give us a brief overview of your role with Saturn Power?

I help explore opportunities to develop and operate standalone energy storage and hybrid projects across Canada and US. As a Senior Analyst, I evaluate policy, regulation, and develop energy models to evaluate markets across North America.

What is the most memorable moment you have had working at Saturn Power so far?

We had a team social outing, where the entire team got together. We had games scheduled and an overall fun day planned. The highlight of the event for me was when we played a Swedish game called Kubb and I was surprisingly good at it, which was thanks to some skills I borrowed from Gully Cricket I played growing up.

What is the main thing that you find exciting about the renewable energy industry?

I find it exciting to see how the industry has developed and integrated in terms of bringing down cost and adoption of 100% renewable energy targets by regions across North America. There is a long way to go but we are making good strides in adding more renewables front-of-the-meter and behind-the-meter. I am excited to be part of this transition as renewable energy becomes mainstream over the next decade.

How has some of your past work experience helped you in your role at Saturn?

I like when people bring their queries to me, and I can help them create solutions which is something I realized while working in consulting. My previous experience provided me with a jumpstart to setup and carry out policy and market analytics at Saturn. It helped us in preparing a case and focus on developing projects in key markets. Engaging with policy makers through stakeholder consultations helped in further strengthening Saturn’s ability to enter new markets.

Do you have any fun memories from your recent trip to India?

I have plenty of good memories including spending ample amount of time with family and friends. I met with all my school friends while I was there and went to our favorite food joints we used to go to growing up. I must thank our team at Saturn for helping me plan an amazing trip.

What is the main thing that you would like to cross off your bucket list?

I would like to visit all the national parks in North America, especially Redwood Forest in Western North America. I am a big fan of Rachel Carson and would like to see what inspired her books.

When you have some time to yourself, what are some of the ways you like to spend it?

Toronto is a beautiful city. I am usually out with friends playing soccer or basketball at venues across downtown. I also enjoy visiting AGO, various museums, and trying out new food and discovering new coffee places.

If you could only get delivery or takeout from one local food joint for the next 3 months, what spot and meal are you picking?

My two favourites are 309 Dhaba Indian Restaurant of Excellence and Impact kitchen. However, if I had to choose one out of these two, I would pick Impact Kitchen. My favourite thing from their menu is the true roots salad.

Larry Henry

Director, Land Procurement & Project Origination

Give us a brief overview of your role with Saturn Power?

I am currently the Director of Land Acquisition and Project Origination for Saturn. I head the land team and we are the first stop on the way to development. This entails evaluating and securing land control for our projects as we go forward.

What is the most memorable moment you have had working at Saturn Power so far?

Working at Saturn has been memorable and enjoyable for me because it has the most diverse group of people that I have ever worked with; diverse age wise and background wise and I have just found that to be an extremely rewarding experience.

You have been with Saturn for over 5 years, and you were the first US based employee that Saturn hired. What’s something you’ve learned about Canada that surprised you?

Something I should’ve known but found out this morning is that Canada has its own ground hog day, and they don’t rely on the US ground hog which I just discovered after a conversation with Julia.

How has some of your past work experiences helped you in your various roles at Saturn?

I think I come with quite a varied resume and background, so I draw on a lot of that. I have a degree in Forest Production Management and so based on my background I look at renewables and renewable resources through the lens of growing trees. I worked as an Industrial Forester for the first 10 years of my career. Then for the next 10 years I owned a logging company. Following that I made a switch and became a real estate broker. I have also acquired experience in general heavy civil construction. At Saturn, I come with an extensive civil construction background. I believe that my real restate brokerage experience lends itself to land acquisition which is the function I fill now. All in all, I come from a very varied background, and I think having that toolbox to draw from helps me be more effective and bring different solutions to the table.

Describe one of your favourite vacations and what made it memorable?

Recently my wife and I went to Roatan. It was memorable because it was our 39th wedding anniversary and I was also able to get back into some diving, which was another thing that made the trip special

What is the main thing that you would like to cross off your bucket list?

I am a little bit of a motor head as a hobby, and one of my holy grails is the 1967 Cobra muscle car. So, driving that is something I’d like to cross off my bucket list.

You have several grandchildren that are frequent visitors at your home. What is papa’s favourite activity to do with his grandchildren?

We have a couple favourites however horse riding would definitely be a favourite and riding the snowmobiles with papa would be a close second.

You spent a good part of two years managing our project in Bermuda. Did you have a favourite spot to eat while you were down there?

Probably one of the most special would be The Loren Inn. On one of my wife’s visits to meet me, I took her there for our anniversary, so that was a great place. Secondary to that, the more famous one is a place called The Swizzle Inn.

Laura Reiding

Director of Accounting

Give us a brief overview of your role with Saturn Power?

There are two main aspects of my role. One of them I call “keeping the lights on” so that entails making sure vendors are paid, employees are paid, and all reporting requirements and regulatory filings are done accurately and on time. The other aspect is using and analyzing the information we have to help predict future results and cashflow needs, or determine if there are any potential issues with our current assets. This information is then used by the Executive Team to help decide what opportunities to pursue.

What is the most memorable moment you have had working at Saturn Power so far?

It would have to be the social where we did the Amazing Baden Race, which was developed and designed by a small team of three of us that included myself, Julia, and Tracy. That race is still talked about to this day, and I hope we can recreate it in the future.

Over 22 months into the pandemic, we are accustomed to working from home. What has been a positive element of working remotely and what have you found challenging?

The positive aspect has been that my husband is also working from home, so he makes sure that I take breaks for lunch which usually include going for a walk. The challenging element is that there are no impromptu meetings anymore since everything is scheduled over Teams, so there is no “water cooler” talk that helps you bond with different people from the company. Technology has also been another challenge since the accounting team needs good internet at home and at the office, so if either of those are slow, it definitely can affect our team.

You’re talented in several different sports however if you could only participate in one of them which one would it be and why?

I enjoy hockey the most as it is a really good physical activity along with the comradery with my teammates, which is great.

Describe one of your favourite road trips and what made it memorable?

This would be when my husband and I went to St Louis and Kansas City. We got to see some Frank Lloyd Wright architecture, which we both really enjoy. We also got to see a ball game in both Kansas City and St Louis, with the Kansas City game actually being against the Jays, which was pretty awesome. Overall, we had a great time.

What is the main thing that you would like to cross off your bucket list?

Several years ago, I got to go to the Netherlands with my parents and my sister’s family to see the areas that my parents grew up in. I would like to see my husband’s family roots which would bring us to another part of the Netherlands but also to Gottscheer which is now part of Slovenia but was part of Austria.

What is a movie that you never get tired of rewatching and how many times do you figure you have watched it?

I am not much of a movie person, but my favourite movie is The Shawshank Redemption which I have probably seen eight times, if I had to guess.

If you could only get delivery or takeout from one local food joint for the next 3 months what spot and meal are you picking?

I would have to go with Ennio’s which is a fresh pasta place in Waterloo Region, and I have a rotation of about five different pastas that I get. However, my favourite one is the Rustica.

Pat Goodale

Sr. Project Developer

Give us a brief overview of your role with Saturn Power?

I’m one of two senior project developers, helping and leading the efforts to develop solar projects in the New York market. I oversee the development process all the way from assisting with siting to NTP (Notice to Proceed). For seven of the furthest along projects the strategic decision was made to go out to market and sell them as a portfolio. During this sales process I have been working closely with Julia, members on our legal team and other relevant parties to work out the specifics of the sale. Understandably so, this has preoccupied most of my time.

What is the most memorable moment you have had working at Saturn Power so far?

One such moment was working through the sales process of our Tiffany project in New York state. Within my first week at Saturn, this task was assigned to me. Through this experience I learned a lot about and benefited from working with all the different groups at Saturn. I was able to have the benefit of and work with the different Saturn groups (legal, accounting, engineering) This opportunity was incredibly rewarding and satisfying to see it through to completion. A second moment that certainly stands out, but for another reason, also occurred during my first week. Heading into the office on my second day, I decided I would park on the grass. At the time of parking the lawn was frozen, and weather was cold. However, by the end of the day the temperature had warmed up enough to change the grass into mud. When I went to get out of my spot, I found that the car was stuck in the mud. After trying to get it out on my own (and likely making the situation much worse) I had to go back into the office to ask co-workers to help get it out. That was certainly an unforgettable experience – one I don’t seem to live down!

Over 20 months into the pandemic, we are accustomed to working from home. What has been a positive element of working remotely and what have you found challenging?

A positive element has been the ability to drop off and sometimes (depending on the frequency and duration of some of my late afternoon meetings) pick up my kids from school and daycare, which I wouldn’t be able to do if I had to commute to work. On days when I just need to take my daughter into school we will try to bike most of the time. However, earlier on in the year, with online learning in full effect one of the struggles was internet bandwidth because me, my wife and daughter would all be working remotely at the same time. This meant if all three of us were online at the same time, it was certain that one of our Teams would crash.

When you’re not working and you have some time to yourself, what are some of the ways you would choose to spend that time?

One of the ways I enjoy spending my down time is watching something with my wife on Netflix. Alternatively, and on warmer days, I am lucky enough to live by a number of bike trails that I will explore, either alone or with my daughter biking along side with me.

What’s a favourite vacation that you’ve been on or an adventure that you have undertaken?

One memorable vacation a couple of years back my daughter, wife and I spent two weeks in London, UK and then moved on to Italy (Bologna and Rome). While in Italy we also did day trips to both Vatican City and San Marino.

What is the main thing that you would like to cross off your bucket list?

It would have to be visiting fifty countries before I turn fifty but recognizing the challenge of achieving this goal, I would also be happy to say I’d like to visit fifty different countries before I die. The last time I counted, I was at twenty-eight, so I still have a long way to go.

What is a movie that you never get tired of rewatching and how many times do you figure you have watched it?

The Big Lebowski is a favourite that I have probably watched close to ten times. If it was playing on cable TV, I would definitely take some time and sit down to watch it or at the very least some of it.

If you could only get delivery from one local food joint for the next 3 months what spot and meal are you picking?

I would pick the Indian restaurant that my wife loves, it is called Sagarmatha Curry Palace and is about a five minute from my house. As a family we try to get take-out from there on special occasions. Each of us have our favourite dish, but in terms of a meal that I would pick, it would have to be the Palak Paneer.

BERMUDA’S FIRST UTILITY SCALE SOLAR FACILITY ACHIEVES COMMERCIAL OPERATION

6 MW Solar Project Developed & Constructed by Saturn Power Begins Providing Energy to Bermudas Grid

Bermuda’s first Utility Scale Solar power facility, located on “The Finger” at the L.F. Wade International Airport in St. George’s, has begun producing energy to Bermuda’s energy grid, marking a historic occasion for the island nation.

The project, developed and constructed by Saturn Power Inc., a Canadian renewable energy developer, through its affiliate, Saturn Solar Bermuda 1 Ltd, represents 6 MW of renewable energy production on the island, ensuring that Bermuda and its residents will have access to clean, sustainable power for the foreseeable future.

Development on this project began in 2018 with construction and permitting work beginning in late 2019. With a series of delays, due mostly to the Global COVID 19 pandemic, construction work on the project was concluded in late 2021 with commissioning and final grid preparations occurring over the past number of weeks. The energy produced from this inaugural project will help Bermuda to achieve its sustainable energy goals.

Given the timeline for construction, the facility has already experienced two separate hurricane events on the island, withstanding all associated elements of each respective storm, without any significant damage to the equipment on site.

“Bringing this project to commercial operation has involved a tremendous amount of time, effort and perseverance from all those involved, including the Saturn team, the Bermuda Government and the local utility, BELCO” said Doug Wagner, Chief Executive Officer for Saturn Power. “After a long journey, we are tremendously proud of the hard work and collaboration that has resulted in this first of its kind project on the island and we look forward to ensuring that the people of Bermuda enjoy the benefits of clean, renewable energy for decades to come.”

“The Government and the people of Bermuda congratulate Saturn Power and the many Bermudians involved for bringing this project to fruition.” said the Hon. Walter Roban, JP, MP, Deputy Premier & Minister of Home Affairs for Bermuda. “At maximum solar production, this facility will provide up to 13% of the Islands energy needs to meet peak demand and is a testament to the work by this Government over the last decade to advance the country’s transition toward greater use of renewable energy.”

Saturn Power Inc., founded in 2007 and based in Baden, Ontario, Canada, has over 700 MW of renewable energy generation and storage in development, built or operating, including solar, battery storage and wind power projects in Ontario, Western Canada, Bermuda, the United States, and Turkey. The company also has expertise in project financing, engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) as well as the operation and maintenance of existing renewable assets.

For additional information, please contact:

Saturn Power Inc.

Devin Petteplace,

Senior Manager of Corporate Services
Tel: 519-804-9163 ext. 118

Email: devin.petteplace@saturnpower.com

Joshua Conway-Beaulieu

Sr. Electrical Engineer

Give us a brief overview of your role with Saturn Power?

My key responsibilities are mainly to provide engineering support to our business development group as they pursue opportunities in our targeted markets. Additionally, I also play an active role in realizing those opportunities once they reach the Notice to Proceed (NTP) stage in the project’s life cycle, which includes preparing designs, supporting the contractors during construction, and collaborating with all the other project stakeholders as the project progresses to Commercial Operation.

What is the most memorable moment you have had working at Saturn Power so far?

The most memorable moment so far has to be achieving commercial operation on the Highfield Solar Project in Saskatchewan. This was a very challenging but enjoyable project to a part of. I was really fortunate to be paired with an amazing team here at Saturn that made navigating the hurdles we faced a lot easier. Additionally, working closely with the SaskPower and miEnergy team was also a blessing, as they were extremely collaborative throughout the entire process. Overall, working on a project like this was a true pleasure and I’m hoping there will be more of these memorable moments in the future.

Over 20 months into the pandemic, we are accustomed to working from home. What has been a positive element of working remotely and what have you found challenging?

A positive aspect is the time I have been able to get back that I would’ve otherwise spent commuting to work. This has been helpful from a mental health aspect as it has allowed me to focus more on self care which has helped eliminate much of my stress. The most challenging aspect has been the lack of the social aspect and not being able to have face to face meetings with my team.

What’s a favourite vacation that you’ve been on?

My favourite trip would be when I went to Tanzania with my parents about ten years ago. During the first week, we did safari tours and had the opportunity to visit several national parks, which was pretty amazing. The second week, we hiked up Mt. Kilimanjaro where we were walking about ten hours each day. This experience really showed me that anyone can achieve anything, provided you put your mind to it. We spent the last week at a resort which was a much needed break after the hike.

When you’re not working and you have some time to yourself, what are some of the ways you would choose to spend that time?

I have taken the additional time I have gained from working from home to focus on trying to get back into shape. I built a home gym right before the pandemic began so I try to exercise there everyday after work as I feel it allows you to center yourself and decompress after a long day. Besides that, I tackle a bunch of small renovations around the house, spend time with my wife and my dog and watch sports. I’m a big NBA fan.

What is the main thing that you would like to cross off your bucket list?

I would really like to climb to the Mt Everest base camp with my wife. My parents did the trek a few years ago and I remember just being astounded by all the photos and stories they were sharing with us when they got back. It definitely seems like a trip of a lifetime.

What is a movie that you never get tired of rewatching and how many times do you figure you have watched it?

I would have to say the Star Wars original trilogy, which I have probably watched about ten or twelve times. My favourite one out of the original three would have to be The Empire Strikes back.

If you could only get delivery from one local food joint for the next 3 months what spot and meal are you picking?

I would probably pick sushi. There are so many good places in my area, so just picking one would be doing an injustice to all the others.

Lisa Neeb

General Accountant & Insurance Administrator

Give us a brief overview of your role with Saturn Power?

My key responsibilities include general bookkeeping for our solar, wind and battery storage sites, as well as processing all employee expenses. I also handle much of the insurance for our company which includes doing annual reviews for insurance coverage for sites and reviewing any obligations for both sides of any agreements we’re entering into, such as development or RFPs.

What is the most memorable moment you have had working at Saturn Power so far?

I started out at Saturn in a casual role of book-keeping. As the company grew I was offered the role of Health & Safety Administrator and tasked with development of our H & S program. Just as I was starting to realize that this was not something I saw myself doing long-term, a position opened up in the accounting department. This is when I went to Karen and asked if I could return to my previous position, and her eyes lit up. That conversation was a turning point for me. Karen then steered me towards insurance and I have grown into that role. That was three years ago and ever since then, I’ve known that this is the spot I’m meant to be in; I enjoy being a part of our accounting team which has grown, as well as working with the other teams at Saturn through my various responsibilities.

Nearly 18 months into the pandemic, we are accustomed to working from home. What has been a positive element of working remotely and what have you found challenging?

Right before the pandemic everything was really busy with my two teenage boys and running from the office to their extra curriculars, so when everyone started just being home, it was easier to be working while also being available for the kids, instead of all going our separate ways. On the other hand, slower internet has been a challenge since I live in the country. As well, it gets lonely at times since I can’t just step outside and have a quick chat with the neighbours.

Sharing a home with your husband and two teenage boys, are there any activities that you find yourself engaging in that your teenage self would have never predicted?

I was never really into team sports, so my teenage self would have never thought that I’d be sitting in hockey arenas or at taekwondo tournaments or football and soccer games cheering on my boys. We also renovated the main floor of our farmhouse together, which gave everyone a lot of ownership in the final result. Another thing that my teenage self could have never imagined doing is butchering a chicken, and other aspects of living on a farm.

What’s a favourite vacation that you’ve been on?

A favourite would be when I went to Australia for a month with my husband and 3 friends; one of whom is Australian, so we were able to see the more local side of the people and the culture, as well as visit a lot of main attractions. It was also interesting to experience the similarities between Australians and Canadians.

When you’re not working and you have some time to yourself, what are some of the ways you would choose to spend that time?

I don’t usually get much time to myself but when I do, I like to go walking, either with my dog in the country or meet friends in town. I also love being outside in the sunshine, doing yard work and digging around or rearranging my flower gardens. I basically refer to myself as a sunflower so doing anything outside in the sun really brings me joy.

What is an activity or destination that you would like to cross off your bucket list?

I have always had Ireland on my list. However, since the pandemic I have taken more notice to Canadian travel destinations and have added New Brunswick, particularly the Bay of Fundy to my list. Both destinations seem rugged, open, and wild.

Imagine a post COVID world, where the team has returned to the office. Everyone has agreed to meet for a classic Saturn Friday team lunch at EJ’s in Baden. What is your go-to order that you have been craving/missing since the start of the pandemic?

When we used to go before the pandemic, I always got the special because I liked the surprise. Other than that, I also love the wings there. So, it either has to be their wings or their daily special.

SASKATCHEWAN’S FIRST UTILITY-SCALE SOLAR FACILITY BEGINS OPERATIONS NEAR SWIFT CURRENT

SaskPower, Saturn Power and miEnergy Join Together to Cut Ribbon for First of it’s Kind Facility

SaskPower and Saturn Power are pleased to announce the 10-megawatt (MW) Highfield Solar Facility is now online. The facility, located in the RM of Coulee near Swift Current, is generating enough clean, renewable power for about 2,500 Saskatchewan homes.

SaskPower, along with representatives from Saturn Power and miEnergy, officially opened the facility on Friday October 8th with a ribbon cutting ceremony that also included representatives from the RM of Coulee.

Highfield is the first of four 10-MW solar power facilities set to be added to the province’s grid by 2022. These, along with 20 MW of generating capacity through the Power Generation Partner Program, will help SaskPower meet its commitment to add 60 MW of solar power in the coming years.

“The commissioning of this facility is a landmark achievement for renewable power in Saskatchewan,” said Don Morgan, Minister Responsible for SaskPower. “SaskPower is set to exceed its emissions reduction targets, and renewables such as solar are an important part of a balanced approach that will allow our province to achieve net-zero emissions from power production by 2050.”

“It has been a great privilege for Saturn Power to be able to develop, construct and operate Saskatchewan’s first Utility Scale PV Solar project.” said Doug Wagner, President and CEO, Saturn Power. “Through the hard work of our team and the collaborative relationships built and fostered with both SaskPower and miEnergy, we were able to build a project that will serve as a foundation in Saskatchewan’s efforts to develop a more sustainable and renewable power supply for decades to come.”

“SaskPower welcomes this new facility into its renewable portfolio,” said Kory Hayko, Vice President of Transmission and Industrial Services at SaskPower. “The Highfield Solar Facility is an important step in ensuring a cleaner and more sustainable power future.”

Saturn Power, an independent power producer based in Ontario, developed the Highfield Solar facility and built the project in consultation with local Saskatchewan contractor miEnergy. Saturn Power will own and operate the facility while selling SaskPower the power produced.

Saturn Power Inc., founded in 2007 and based in Baden, Ontario, Canada, has over 600 MW of renewable energy generation and storage projects in development, built or operating, including solar, battery storage and wind power projects in Canada, Bermuda, the United States and Turkey. The company also has expertise in project financing, engineering, procurement, and construction as well as the operation and maintenance of existing renewable assets.

For additional information, please contact:

Saturn Power Inc.

Devin Petteplace,

Senior Manager of Corporate Services
Tel: 519-804-9163 ext. 118 
E: devin.petteplace@saturnpower.com