BUSINESS

Group wants Alberta to retrain oilsands workers for solar industry

The Canadian Press Published Monday, March 21, 2016 2:22PM EDT

A worker adjusts one of the panels on a solar array installed in the tiny, remote northern community of Colville Lake, N.W.T. (Northwest Territories Power Corporation via CP)

Text:

EDMONTON -- A group of oilsands workers wants the Alberta government to support a program to retrain unemployed electricians as solar panel installers.

Lliam Hildebrand is executive director of Iron & Earth, a non-profit organization.

He says the group has developed a plan to retrain 1,000 people but needs help from the province and from industry.

Hildebrand says it wants the government to designate provincial buildings for solar panels as part of the training plan.

Iron and Earth estimates it would cost about $8 million to install solar panels in 100 buildings.

Hildebrand says eventually the group would like to develop programs to put more oilsands veterans to work in renewable energy projects such as wind, geothermal and biofuels.