PARKSVILLE – Osprey Electric is bringing new leadership to its growing solar energy services division.
The company recently announced the appointment of Brian Pasquill, BComm., MBA, CEM to the newly created position, Director of Energy Services.
“Brian brings decades of experience in renewable energies and sustainability, as well as energy management,” says co-owner and General Manager Tyler Cody. “We’re very excited to have him on board, and we believe he is the right person to take this side of our company to the next level.”
Cody founded the business five years ago with his partner, Wayne Rutherford, growing the company through multiple revenue streams, including commercial, residential, and service electrical contracting, as well as solar electrical work.
“Now, we have teams in nearly every major community on Vancouver Island,” says Cody. “We have one crew dedicated to solar, and with Brian on board, we are looking to eventually field multiple energy services crews.”
Before joining Osprey, Pasquill ran an energy consulting business, doing everything from off-grid design and micro hydro, to consulting for government agencies.
He is a Certified Energy Manager, designated under the Association of Energy Engineers.
“Since I started in the industry, the first goal for any client is to try to reduce energy costs,” says Pasquill. “I completed over 300 energy audits, and helped dozens of Vancouver Island companies access government programs to increase efficiency and implement energy conservation measures.”
According to Cody, Pasquill’s ability to provide an analysis of existing energy consumption will allow future Osprey clients to take advantage of the whole suite of products offered by the company.
“With Brian’s skills, we can now give clients a report showing what they currently use and what they can save by making changes to an existing facility,” says Cody. “This doesn’t just apply to solar technology. This could be applied to diesel generators, power factor correction, LED upgrades, heating/cooling systems, or any other energy generation or saving program.”
Both Cody and Pasquill believe that many businesses are able to complete upgrades that will not only improve the facility’s energy performance and make it more enjoyable to use, but will also provide a strong ROI, improving profitability.
“With Osprey, we are now able to implement full-service energy programs that can help any business or home,” says Pasquill. “This kind of service is quite rare. I’ve been working in this business for some time, but the work typically required collaboration with several companies to complete the job.”
“Nobody else has this service,” says Cody. “We can provide energy analysis as well as engineering and design, all the way through to installation and commissioning of the system.”
More and more British Columbians are starting to consider these alternative energy solutions, as the price of solar technology becomes more affordable every year. In fact, Pasquill estimates that the price of a solar array has dropped as much as 50 per cent over the past decade.
“When I first started, a typical solar array had about a 20 year payback system,” he says. “Now it’s closer to twelve years, or even less if we’re offsetting diesel generation. It’s a much more accessible technology now.”
Many of Osprey’s clients are in the residential market, as solar energy is quickly increasing in popularity throughout the province. The company also provides services to remote off-grid clients, including First Nations communities, who often rely on high-cost diesel generators for their energy needs.