About Us – SES Solar Co-operative Ltd.

The Future is Bright.

Vision

To be an innovative cooperative that empowers people to participate in the building of sustainable energy solutions, making clean energy accessible and beneficial for all.

Mission

Our mission, as a community cooperative, is to advance the adoption of renewable energy. We offer solar energy solutions to meet the diverse needs of our host partners and members.

Purpose

Our purpose is to create a sustainable future by elevating the use of solar energy, enhancing the viability of community-owned renewable energy projects, and expanding our portfolio to include diverse renewable energy assets. We strive to be a well-known choice for solar projects, provide clean energy, build Saskatchewan’s green economy, and ensure returns to our members while mentoring and educating others about the values of renewable energy.

Core Values

Commitment to the Environment:

We believe that sustainably generated green energy will make the world a better place.

Leadership:

We accept our responsibility to be leaders in our province’s transformation to green energy.

Innovation:

We find new and creative ideas to generate green energy using cost effective and sustainable technologies.

Education:

We educate our members, prospective members and the general public about the benefits of green energy.

Respect:

We treat all of our members, partners, suppliers and other stakeholders with respect.

Partnership:

We select our site partners based on viable economics for our members, a record of demonstrated reliability and shared environmental interests.

Efficiency:

We are a volunteer driven organization and we understand the value of the time donated by our volunteers. We create efficient processes for everything we do.

How it works

Based on a number of criteria, we seek out partners willing to provide physical sites to host solar installations. We hire solar contractors to install the solar arrays, and then lease them to the commercial partner through a 25 year agreement.

We earn revenue through these leases, which we use to fund new projects, cover operating expenses, and issue dividends to members.

Revenue for the SES Solar Co-op is realized through leases with location partners based on the solar assets installed on their sites producing clean electricity.

We periodically have new shares to sell and typically open a share offering when a new installation is underway. This means that we invite both current members and any interested Saskatchewan residents to purchase shares in the Co-op.

Each member who belongs to SES Solar Co-op owns one common share (membership share) and at least one preferred share (valued at $950). Members can own multiple preferred shares.

2015
Incorporation
The SES Solar Co-operative incorporates as a consumer co-operative after winning Affinity Credit Union’s a Business for Good Social Venture Challenge.
First project
SESSC’s first project at the Two Twenty in Saskatoon begins operation.
2016
2017
Second project
SESSC’s second project at the City of Saskatoon Landfill Gas Collection and Power Generation System begins operation.
Third and Fourth Projects
SESSC’s Haskamp and Ness Creek projects begin operations.
2018
2019
Fifth and Sixth Projects
SESSC projects at Wolf Willow Cohousing and Radiance Cohousing begin operation.
Seventh Project
SESSC’s largest project to date at CNH Industrial begins operation.
2021
2023:
Eighth Project
CNH Industrial Phase Two project is launched nearly doubling the energy production onsite.

How we started

The Entrepreneurial Committee of the Saskatchewan Environmental Society Inc. (SES) pitched the idea of a solar co-operative in 2014. Later that year, SES was invited to participate in the Business for Good Social Venture Challenge, a project of Affinity Credit Union.

After receiving the support of the community in the Challenge’s crowdfunding campaign, SES won the Challenge and $50,000 to assist in the Solar Co-op venture. Part of the crowdfunding campaign included buying a panel in the proposed co-op and the initial 45 prospective members contributed $1,000 each.

Soon after, we incorporated as a consumer co-operative becoming our own entity – SES Solar Co-operative Ltd.