From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Solar power in Canada
Solar power in Canada
Electricity generation in Canada Ontario
In October 2009, the Ontario government launched the
feed-in tariff (FIT) and microFIT programs. This program
is the first of its kind in North America[citation needed] to
encourage the development of clean renewable energy.
Hydroelectric The FIT program is intended for installations over 10 kW,
Nuclear while the microFIT program is to encourage the devel-
Coal opment of micro-scale renewable energy projects, such
Natural gas
Wind as residential solar photovoltaic (PV) installations. The
Solar microFIT program provides a rate of $0.802/kWh for
rooftop mounted solar panels.[2] On July 2, 2010 the mi-
Canada has plentiful solar energy resources, with the croFIT’s program rate (for ground-mounted systems on-
most extensive resources being found in southern On- ly) was lowered to $0.642/kWh by the Ontario Power
tario, Quebec and the Prairies. The territories have a Authority (OPA).[3] This new rate means consumers in-
smaller potential, and less direct sunlight, because of vesting in solar energy through the Ontario MicroFit Pro-
their higher latitude.[1] gram will experience a drop in profit margin from a 25%
Historically, the main applications of solar energy range to 10%.[4]
technologies in Canada have been for non-electric active Thanks to the Ontario FIT program, Canada is the
solar system applications for space heating, water heat- home of the largest solar farm in the world (as of October
ing and drying crops and lumber. In 2001, there were 2010). Located in Sarnia, Ontario, the 80 megawatt Sarnia
more than 12,000 residential solar water heating systems Photovoltaic Power Plant can power more than 12,000
and 300 commercial/ industrial solar hot water systems homes.[5]
in use. These systems presently comprise a small fraction Ontario may become the leading market for solar PV
of Canada’s energy use, but some government studies in North America in 2011, installing more than 400 MW
suggest they could make up as much as five per cent of of solar power. This would be nearly double that installed
the country’s energy needs by the year 2025.[1] by California in 2010. With contracts on the books, On-
Canada has many regions that are sparsely populated tario is expected to reach 2,650 MW of solar PV by 2015.[6]
and difficult to access. Photovoltaic (PV) cells are in-
creasingly used as standalone units, mostly as off-grid
distributed electricity generation to power remote
See also
homes, telecommunications equipment, oil and pipeline • Renewable energy in Canada
monitoring stations and navigational devices. The Cana- • Feed-in tariff program in Canada
dian PV market has grown quickly and Canadian com- • Feed-in tariff (Ontario, 2006) - Ontario introduced a
panies make solar modules, controls, specialized water Feed-in tariff (renewable energy payments) and
pumps, high efficiency refrigerators and solar lighting microFIT program giving up to 80.2 cents per kWh.[7]
systems.[1] This makes Ontario FIT program one of the top feed
One of the most important uses for PV cells is in in tariff programs in the world.
northern communities, many of which depend on high- • Green Energy Act 2009 of Ontario (introduced in
cost diesel fuel to generate electricity. Since the 1970s, legislature February 23, 2009, and revised March,
the federal government and industry has encouraged the 2009)
development of solar technologies for these communi-
ties. Some of these efforts have focused on the use of hy- References
brid systems that provide power 24 hours a day, using so-
lar power when sunlight is available, in combination with [1] ^ Solar power in Canada
another energy source.[1] [2] Ontario microFIT Program FAQ
[3] "Ontario Power Authority Cuts Solar Rates". CBC
News. 16 July 2010.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Solar power in Canada
ontario/ontarios-rate-cut-for-solar-power-a-blow- Renewable Energy World.
to-green-energy/article1642110/. http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/
[4] "Ontario MicroFit Program - Ottawa Solar Power". news/article/2011/03/ontarios-solar-pv-
8 September 2011. http://ottawasolarpower.com/ installations-may-surpass-california-
osp2010/fit2.htm. in-2011?cmpid=SolarNL-Thursday-March24-2011.
[5] "Enbridge completes Sarnia solar farm". CBC News. [7] http://fit.powerauthority.on.ca/Storage/102/
4 October 2010. http://www.cbc.ca/technology/ 11160_FIT_Program_Overview_August_new_price_version_1.3.1_
story/2010/10/04/sarnia-enbridge-solar- oct_27.pdf FIT program overview, retrieved 2011 03
farm.html. 02
[6] Paul Gipe (23 March 2011). "Ontario’s //Solar PV
Installations May Surpass California in 2011".
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