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As initially announced at KPL on September 20, 2007, CREWsolar undertook the process of holding public information sessions and collecting expressions of interest in our local bulk purchase project. We called it CREW's Solar Initiative for Distributed Energy (CREW SIDE). We then formed a group of local potential purchasers, submitted a joint request-for-proposals to various solar suppliers and then moved through the purchase, installation and connection agreement process together. We have initiated the process again for 2009. A number of similar initiatives exist throughout Ontario. The timeline for CREW SIDE has been:
Join us for CREW SIDE 2009. For more information, see 'Be Inspired!' and then 'Get Started' on the CREW Solar pages and then join the e-mail list for this initiative by sending your contact info to solar@crewzone.ca
Solar energy applications are generally grouped into two categories: solar photovoltaic (PV), in which solar energy is directly converted into electricity, and solar thermal, in which the sun's energy is used to heat water or some other substance from which energy is then reclaimed. Introductions to the various technologies can be found at CanREN, the Canadian Renewable Energy Network, and the new Ontario Go Solar site. CREW's solar initiative focuses on residential PV and solar hot water systems.
Solar energy systems have considerable benefits including:
Studies have found that the key barrier to adoption of solar energy is the initial cost of the systems, which now average about $12,000-$28,000 +/- (installed) for residential 1-3 kW PV systems, and $4000-$7000 (installed) for a solar domestic hot water system (SDHW). The simple financial payback for these systems ranges from 4-8 years, depending on location, technology, scope, etc., which limits demand to those with both sufficient resources and commitment to sustainable lifestyle choices. Even so, the solar industry is growing about 25% annually within Canada and even faster globally (see CanSIA for national statistics).
CREW's solar initiative is modeled on other Ontario community-led initiatives, which seek to make solar energy systems affordable for more homeowners and help to ease the necessary regulatory hurdles. Ontario now has an incentive program to encourage installation of renewable energy projects called the Feed-In Tariff (FIT) Program, which is currently the most generous, pace setting, electricity and energy buy-back program in North America. A FIT contract pays Ontario generators of solar power $0.80 per kWh of electricity produced, as compared to the $0.07 +/- per kWh of electricity we pay our hydro utility for consumption of electricity, plus delivery and debt service charges = about $0.12 kWh for this community. A 2 kW PV system can generate up to $1700 per year of income and offset about 2 tonnes of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Click here for a sample analysis of an Ontario solar project.
Currently, there are a handful of solar-powered homes in Waterloo region, some of which were installed through NRCan's TEAM Homes project. The performance of these solar installations can be viewed online at Fat Spaniel. To view the Waterloo TEAM homes, scroll down to ARISE Technologies and click on Team Home #1 for a real time look at how much solar energy is used and generated in the MacLellan household.
There are also several public buildings which demonstrate solar energy, including Federation Hall at the University of Waterloo, Waterloo City Hall and the Regional Emergency Medical Services building as well as the YMCA outdoor centre out at Paradise Lake. More recent installations are Rockway Mennonite Collegiate and the Grand House Co-operative in Cambridge. Natural Power Products has both wind and solar products installed at their retail store, where they regularly host introductory sessions on renewable energy, and if you're interested in incorporating solar power in your sustainable living community event, you can now rent a 1500 watt solar PV system from ARISE Technologies. Contact Frank Ruffolo at ARISE for details.
Help keep this segment up to date! CREW is interested in tracking PV and/or solar thermal installations within the region; please email solar@crewzone.ca with your Waterloo region solar project stats or stories.
