Okotoks is stepping up their game in pursuit of operating on 100 per cent renewable energy by 2050.

The Pason Centennial Arena Gold Roof is getting the golden opportunity to help Okotokians go green with the installation of a 424-kilowatt solar photovoltaic system.

Sheri Young, the climate change and energy specialist for the town, says the Pason is the second-highest electricity user of all the town's buildings, second only to the Rec Centre.

Currently, 1,020 solar panels are being installed on the roof by SkyFire Energy in an effort to save on future carbon emissions.

"We were talking about 500 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year, which is about 3,000 trees, so it's a mini forest up there," says Young.

They thought they would be able to install more, but the roof of the Gold Arena was built with solar panels in mind and is the only area they currently have cleared to be able to support the weight of the panels.

"As a community and as a corporation, we admit 424,000 tonnes of carbon every year. So what this facility will do is it'll take out 500 of that a year. It seems like a drop in a bucket, but it makes a huge difference in how much of our energy is actually clean."

The town already has some solar panels at work providing hot water for some of their buildings.

The town is planning to make an announcement once the project is complete.

Young is glad that the town is able to utilize our local resources and take full advantage of the climate we live in here.

"Southern Alberta is one of the best places in the world to put solar panels in. We have more sunshine here than they've got in Miami every year, so we're just really trying to take advantage of those natural resources we've got access to."