Algonquin Highlands township will submit an application to the province’s Independent Electricity System Operator for a solar feed-in tariff (FIT) project at the Stanhope Airport.

The roof-mounted 320-kilowatt project would garner the township about $75000 a year in revenue.

“We have a better chance on the airport project to select a Tier 3 price reduction” chief administrative officer Angie Bird told councillors.

Under the IESO’s approval process applicant’s receive “priority points” which help their applications gain approval.

Tier 1 pricing would give the township about $82000 in revenue but fewer priority points. Tier 2 would mean nearly $80000 per year and Tier 3 about $75700.

The project would cost approximately $830000 and it was Bird’s recommendation to pay that off over three years using money that’s been earmarked for airport development as well as reserves and the FIT revenue.

“Financing the project this way allows the project to be paid off in three years with no further impact on the tax levy” she wrote in an accompanying report.

The township will also apply for a micro-FIT roof-mounted 10-kilowatt project on part of the new public works garage in Dorset.

That project would cost approximately $37000 and financing would be discussed during council’s 2017 budget talks. It’s not anticipated the project would have any impact on the tax levy.