Infinity Solar Group designed, supplied, and installed 150+ kW of solar PV across eight buildings — including on the roofs of a school and gymnasium shown to the left of the church in this drone photo – in the Ktunaxa community of ʔaq̓am in Cranbrook.
Invermere company on the leading edge of B.C.'s solar growth
Part of our series on Power Smart Champions: businesses, homes, and institutions — large and small — recognized for their efficient use of electricity and reduction in their reliance on fossil fuels.
Eden Yesh doesn't suggest that his company's model is the only approach that will work for a solar power company in B.C. But for anyone who’s listening, he's willing to share in how it has helped a 14-person company deliver more than 700 solar installations in seven years.
The CEO and co-founder of Infinity Solar Group characterizes solar projects as 80% administration, 20% install. His Invermere-based company focuses heavily on the 80%.
"We're not trying to compete with local electrical firms and take the business from them," says Yesh, whose company is our first industry Power Smart Champion. "We've got a very lean team, which can do all the back end solar work. We partner with local electrical firms to do the installs."
It's not that Infinity Solar doesn't do installs themselves. With certified electricians on staff and a hands-on ownership team including company co-founder Stu Bilodeau and vice president Dan Meyer, they install rooftop and ground-mounted systems in the East Kootenay and Rocky View County. But wherever possible in other communities in B.C. and Alberta, local electrical contractors do the work alone or alongside Infinity Solar staff.
The idea is to reduce costs to clients and to build local capacity in communities. Infinity Solar's Qualified Contractor Network program is now just over three years old, and local contractors are now involved in about 30% of the company's installations, a percentage that's growing 5-10% a year.
Infinity Solar is also a member of BC Hydro’s Alliance of Energy Professionals, which has grown to 800 members consisting of professional contractors, consulting engineers and distributors. The Alliance helps deliver our programs while exploring opportunities for customers to save energy, install energy-efficient products and get incentives.
The roofs of the ʔaq̓am administration building, ʔaq̓am Community Enterprises, Language and Culture Centre, and Health and Wellness Centre — now generate solar power.
In Cranbrook, an Indigenous community goes big on solar
The southeast corner of B.C. is among the sunniest parts of Canada, delivering the best solar potential in the province. According to Natural Resources Canada's solar potential map, each kW of solar in the Kootenay-Columbia region can produce between 1,200–1,300 kWh per year, while the same system in much cloudier Vancouver yields about 25% less.
For years, Infinity has worked with the Shuswap and Ktunaxa First Nations to seek community-based solar power solutions in the Kootenays. And recently, Infinity designed, supplied, and installed 150+ kW of solar PV across eight buildings throughout the Ktunaxa community of ʔaq̓am (also known as St. Mary's Indian Band). Panels were installed on the roofs of a school, gym, daycare, administration buildings, trading centre, and Centex gas bar.
Work on the project was delivered in close coordination with the ʔaq̓am leadership and facilities team, and alongside two local electrical partners who got project-specific training as they assisted Infinity Solar.
"Through the entire community hub, every building has solar panels," says Yesh. "The ʔaq̓am community knew solar was viable, and they utilized rebates for First Nations through the Columbia Basin Trust."
For ʔaq̓am, climate and energy have been cornerstones of the community's strategic plan — ka kniⱡwi•tiyaⱡa (Our Thinking) — since its inception. Working with Infinity Solar, Columbia Basin Trust, and BC Hydro, ʔaq̓am is firmly on the path to sustainable regional energy development and self-sufficiency.
Solar isn't just an environmental priority for ʔaq̓am, it's an economic one. In the future, ʔaq̓am wants to see solar expanded onto the roofs of houses throughout the community and is backing a long-standing industrial solar farm initiative. Level 2 electric vehicle chargers have been added at two sites.
Kurt Ljungberg, ʔaq̓am’s facilities manager, says the band's administration supports the increased use of renewable energy. The band runs five electric vehicles — including a trio of Ford F-150 Lightning pick-ups and a cargo van — and is replacing landscaping equipment from gas to electric.
"We're doing it for cost savings and to use more clean power," says Ljungberg. "We have a strong focus on the land, keeping it the way it is and returning it to the way it was."
Ljungberg adds that ʔaq̓am is looking for ways to train youth in new technologies — including energy systems — through its guardianship training program. Where there was only one previous building in the community with solar on the roof, there are now seven.
"Solar is relatively new for us, but this is a test to see how well it works," he says. "We'll be able to use that data to go forward, chase some other grants and funding to offset costs, and grow the system to other buildings."
As technology advances, the math on solar improves
According to Yesh, solar has quietly crossed the line from feel‑good upgrade to hard‑nosed investment. He estimates that solar panel costs have dropped about 95% since the 1970s and his company can now install solar on a south facing roof that could deliver payback in less than a decade with available rebates.
"Given that systems are under manufacturer warranty for 25 years, you essentially can get free electricity for 15+ years, with the system still under warranty after it’s paid off in savings," he says, adding: "Plus you can charge a little bit higher for your property if you sell it."
Solar is not only an eco choice for the early adopters bent on reducing their carbon footprint. Yesh saw things turn around 2015, when he says delivering solar became as inexpensive as getting electricity from the BC Hydro grid. "Then you saw the market take off, because it wasn’t just an environmental sale, it was an economical decision," he says. "And it's only getting better — especially as we build local electrical firm’s capacity to deliver across BC."
Infinity Solar Group passes on their experience in solar installations to equip local electricians with proven designs and methods. It helps raise install quality, including the aesthetics of rooftop systems.
'The electrical firms we hire can trust us'
Not an electrician by trade, Yesh is a Kingston, Ontario native who came to the Kootenays as a kid, made it his home as an adult, and got a degree in sustainable community economic development from Simon Fraser University. Only after being inspired by the Paris Climate Agreement and its net‑zero 2050 goals, did he concentrate on solar, co-founding the company, building the organizational structure and learning to install solar as an apprentice to his co-owners Bilodeau and Dan Meyer, who serves as COO.
"A lot of executives out there don't have physical experience putting together these systems, and we see this as an Infinity advantage," he says. "Companies need to understand products and hook them up properly. Dan, Stu and I have a mix of boardroom and field work, which keeps us honest. Stu and Dan are master electricians, so they understand the product on spec sheets and in real-life application, and that's why the electrical firms we partner with can trust us."
Beyond the 'Wild West': quality up, costs down
Infinity Solar not only focuses on system design, engineering, permitting, code and safety compliance. Its specialization extends to product selection, rebates and incentives — all prone to constant change — along with long‑term monitoring and warranty support. Hands-on with new hardware and codes, Infinity has been able to turn that knowledge into detailed guidebooks, best‑practices manuals, and training videos.
That passed-on experience equips local electricians with proven designs and methods, and helps raise install quality, including the aesthetics of rooftop systems. Roofs are penetrated without leaks, and systems are wired and commissioned to current standards.
"We've seen companies come and go, claim bankruptcy, and we see door-to-door sales teams pushing solar," says Yesh. "If we're offering installs for $20,000, there are companies offering the exact same thing for $30,000 to $40,000. They're paying salespeople, absorbing commissions. So it's still like a Wild West right now and we try to keep a fair market value across all regions we operate in."
By building capacity for on‑site work with local electrical contractors — firms that Yesh says often have 15 to 20 years of history in their communities — trust improves and costs are kept in check. Infinity handles the red tape, quality control, and hires local to build long-term capacity and avoid potential living-out allowances and inflated system prices for shared clients.
Other features about solar in B.C.:
BC Hydro solar panel and battery rebates for business
BC Hydro solar panel and battery rebates for homes
Solar and battery permitting guide released
Vancouver Island millworks banks on the sun as part of clean energy path (2025)
Solar power on a school roof: There’s an app for that (2025)
BC Hydro helps power up B.C.’s largest rooftop solar project (2025)
Rebates change the math on solar power, battery storage (2024)