Saint John's electric utility company is looking for developers to submit proposals to build and maintain a solar farm somewhere in the city.

"We have certainly had our eye on solar technology for quite some time, and the costs have been quite high," said Glen Fillmore, executive director of growth and transformation at Saint John Energy.

But as costs of solar have come down and technology has continued to advance, "we think the time is right to explore whether this project would make sense for Saint John Energy and most importantly for our customers," Fillmore said.

A press release from the utility on Thursday said the call for proposals comes with their "zero30 initiative," which aims to bring the utility to zero emissions by 2030.

Saint John Energy is seeking a developer to build, own and operate a solar farm capable of producing up to five megawatts of electricity and enter a 25-year purchasing agreement with the utility. That capacity would power about 375 homes, the utility said.

Saint John Energy wants the solar facility to be operational by 2026 so it can help the utility's goal to be net-zero by 2030. (Robert Jones/CBC)

Fillmore said the utility expects to make a decision on the winning proposal by this fall, and hopes to begin construction in 2025 for a 2026 opening.

"In terms of the location, we're relying on the developers and the location that they bring forward to select a location," he said, adding that the utility wants the facility to be within Saint John.

Fillmore admits that the port city is known for being foggy, but that won't ruin plans for solar.

"While that can decrease the efficiency of solar panels, solar remains a very effective source of renewable energy and the modern panels and technologies are certainly capable of generating electricity even in low-light conditions, such as foggy days," he said.

Shediac solar farm a success, mayor says

The aim for a solar project comes after Saint John Energy's recent investment in the Burchill wind project in Lorneville.

But Saint John isn't the only New Brunswick community to get in on solar.

For the past year and a half, Shediac has run a large solar farm that keeps two government buildings in town net zero.

"I understand it's been performing even better than expected, which is great news," said Shediac Mayor Roger Caissie.

The solar farm in Shediac allows a municipal and a federal building in town to operate net zero. (Submitted by N.B. Power)

The solar farm managed by N.B. Power has about 5,000 panels and powers the town's multipurpose centre and the federal government's pension centre.

Caissie said the solar farm is only the start of Shediac's goal to be net zero. The town is still working to establish a timeline for this, but Caissie claims it would be the first in the country to do so.

"The goal is a lofty goal, but it's a unique goal. There is no other community in Canada that can do this at this time," he said, adding that Shediac's small size makes the move more realistic.

Mayor Roger Caissie said he wants Shediac to become the first net-zero community in Canada. (Gary Moore/CBC)

"It keeps with Shediac's goal in being a good steward of the environment."

N.B. Power spokesperson Dominique Couture said in an email that the Shediac solar farm is continuing to grow capacity, and has ranged between producing 100,800 and 267,800 kilowatt hours. That would power between 74 and 198 residential homes, she said.