Posts Tagged ‘green energy act’

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Ontario First Nation Solar Installation to Create Jobs for PV Course Graduates

Thursday, March 24th, 2011

Toronto’s SkyPower Limited (SkyPower) has announced plans to build a new 10 MW solar panel installation at Fort William First Nation in Thunder Bay, Ontario.  The project will help to create up to 100 jobs for graduates of the region’s solar panel installation courses and when complete, it will mark the first system of its size built on First Nations land in Canada.

SkyPower finances, develops, owns, and manages solar projects across Ontario.  Its 9 MW First Light I project in Stone Mills debuted in 2009 as Canada’s first-ever utility-scale solar park.  The company helped to create more than 100 jobs in the region during the project’s construction and the facility generates enough solar energy to power up to 10,000 homes.  SkyPower’s latest project in Fort William is currently under construction and will involve approximately 45,000 solar panels installed over about forty hectares (100 acres) of land.  The solar company plans to complete the project by the summer of 2011 and expects it to generate enough solar energy to power 17,000 homes and offset thousands of tonnes, annually, of the greenhouse gases produced by conventional energy sources such as oil or coal.

Region’s Solar Industry Supported by Ontario’s Green Energy Act

Ontario benefits from a robust solar industry that is buoyed by its Green Energy and Green Economy Act (Green Energy Act).  The Act was signed into law in 2009 and gave the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) the tools it required to offer its feed-in tariff (FIT) program.  The FIT helps to create jobs and stimulates the economy by paying green energy producers high prices – up to 80.2 cents per kW-hour – for power they generate using solar, wind, biomass, and hydroelectric installations of varying sizes.  It also gives rise to new educational streams like solar panel installation courses and post-secondary green tech programs.

With its latest project in Fort William, SkyPower continues to contribute green energy solutions to Ontario’s power supply mix while it takes advantage of the favourable business climate created by the FIT.  “This successful partnership demonstrates our commitment to strategic partnerships in renewable energy,” says the company’s President and CEO, Kerry Adler, “and we continue to explore similar opportunities to ensure a brighter future for future generations.”

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Canadian Solar Generates 400 Green Jobs

Monday, February 14th, 2011

Canadian Solar Inc. held a Guelph job fair in early February to help fill the more than 400 green jobs that the company has recently created.  There are already 100 people working in the company’s plant for the current production line, and next week marks the company’s first solar module shipment.  Two more production lines are coming alone soon, prompting the company to hold the job fair.

Milfred Hammerbacher, President of Canadian Solar Solutions, a subsidiary of Canadian Solar Inc. is a picture of enthusiasm for his company’s product.  ”I’ve been in the solar business a long time.  It’s still amazing to me that you can take a panel like this and generate electricity,” he says.  When fully operational, the Guelph plant is capable of producing 220 MW of solar energy per year.

Ontario’s Green Energy Act and FIT Ramp Up Green Jobs

Canadian Solar Inc. initially outsourced production of its solar panels to seven plants in China, but with the arrival of Ontario’s Green Energy Act, the company decided to bring its production capacity closer to home in order to qualify for the province’s domestic content requirements.  While the company’s solar cells are still made in China, the panels are assembled in a Guelph factory that the company purchased in September of 2010.  The Ontario Green Energy Act is also responsible for the feed-in-tariff (FIT) program, which is a pricing structure for the production of renewable energy.  The FIT program has not only brought manufacturers into the province, but it has also attracted investors, thereby expanding green job opportunities and interest in solar classes.

Importance of Solar Classes for Green Job Opportunities

According to sources, Canadian Solar’s job fair was immensely successful.  Prospective employees not only filled a meeting room, but they also queued down the hallway and spilled out into the parking lot.  One of the applicants interviewed is a Cambridge resident who just lost his job at a metal stamping company – stories like his are common.

As older industries like metal stamping and automotive manufacturing continue to face dwindling prospects, it is likely that more citizens across the province will begin exploring green job opportunities like those offered by Canadian Solar.  However, success favors the most prepared, suggesting that those truly interested in qualifying for the green jobs of tomorrow should secure the requisite training in solar design and PV installation.

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New Ottawa PV Projects on Course, Will Create Jobs for Trained Solar Workers

Friday, January 28th, 2011

Ottawa’s Dymon Power Corporation (Dymon Power) recently announced that it has selected Ontario Solar Provider, Inc. (OSP) to design, finance, and install eight photovoltaic (PV) projects in the National Capital Region that will have a combined generating capacity of 2.7 MW.  The projects will create jobs for graduates of Ontario’s solar training courses and help the region prepare to phase out its coal-fired power plants.

Ontario is a hotbed of green development, with solar, wind, and other green energy technologies bringing in jobs, training opportunities like PV installation courses, and clean, unpolluted air.  The renewable energy industry received a powerful boost in May of 2009 when the province signed its Green Energy and Green Economy Act (Green Energy Act) into law.  The Act gave the province and its Minister of Energy increased decision-making power over issues of energy supply and efficiency and prepared the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) to institute its feed-in tariff (FIT) program later the same year.

Company Plans to Benefit from Green Energy Act Provisions

The FIT program pays high prices, guaranteed over twenty years, to producers of green energy who feed their projects into the power grid.  Dymon Power, a division of the Dymon Group of Companies (Dymon), plans to feed its eight new projects into the grid and participate in the incentive program.  Dymon is a real estate development group that develops and operates storage facilities.  The company also built and runs two high-end retirement homes in Ottawa.

In preparation for its eight new solar projects in the capital, Dymon Power considered more than thirty companies before it selected OSP for the jobs.  OSP is a PV development and installation company based in Toronto that sells its products and services across Europe as well as in North America.  According to Dymon’s CEO, Glen Luckman, “OSP stood out from the competition due its extensive knowledge of the rooftop solar PV market.”

OSP will begin constructing the new projects in April of this year.  The rooftop installations range in capacity from 100 kW to 500 kW and will collectively generate enough electricity to power 1,000 homes, bringing the province closer to achieving one of the FIT’s main goals – to shut down all Ontario coal-fired power plants by 2014.

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Company Awarded for Project That Creates Green Jobs, Clean Energy

Friday, December 31st, 2010

The Canadian Solar Industries Association (CanSIA) has awarded its Solar PV Project of the Year Award to Arizona’s First Solar, Inc. (First Solar), for its successful completion of the Canadian industry’s biggest solar energy installation, located in Sarnia, Ontario.

First Solar built the Sarnia installation and owns and operates it on behalf of Canada’s Enbridge, Inc., one of North America’s largest energy providers.  Both companies accepted the award at this year’s CanSIA conference in Toronto early in December, and First Solar’s VP of Business Development, Peter Carrie, was awarded Solar Leader of the Year for his own contribution to the country’s solar energy industry.

First Solar completed a landmark expansion to the Sarnia facility in October that brought its capacity to generate solar power from 20 to 80 MW and officially made it the largest solar installation in the country, and by some estimates, in the world.  First Solar’s renovations directly created green jobs for 800 workers and indirectly created countless others in design, engineering, and supply.  The installation uses 1.3 million thin film solar panels that the companies expect to create about 120,000 MW of electricity and displace more than 39,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year, or enough power to meet the needs of about 12,800 households.

Project, Province Benefit from Ontario’s Solar Trained Workers

Ontario benefits from a booming solar energy industry that includes manufacturing plants and training programs for solar installers.  Programs like Ontario Solar Academy’s five-day PV design and installation course, for example, help to train both new and seasoned workers for green jobs in the province’s solar economy.  Ontario currently enjoys the most community-owned energy production in North America, thanks in large part to its feed-in tariff program, which pays lucrative rates to producers of renewable energy who tie their projects into the electrical grid.

Projects like the Sarnia facility show what is possible when governments, communities, and corporations work towards common goals.  “Together with Enbridge,” says First Solar’s Senior VP of Project Development for North America, Frank De Rosa, “we are leading the development of utility-scale solar energy in Canada.”

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St. Eugene Joins Ontario Solar Industry after Months of Delay

Thursday, December 16th, 2010

Enfinity Canada has finally broken ground on a 30 MW solar project that will provide about 200 green jobs for workers in St. Eugene in the Ontario township of East Hawkesbury. The announcement follows a delay that project developers experienced as a result of local opposition to the project.

Enfinity Canada is a subsidiary of Belgium’s Enfinity. The companies specialize in photovoltaic (PV) development, and the parent company has done work for solar industries in twenty-one countries in North America, Europe, and Asia.

Enfinity originally scheduled construction of the site to begin in March, 2010, but opponents of the project attempted to shut it down through legal means. Now clear of that hurdle, the company is ready to begin work on the project. Enfinity is currently preparing the future site of the installation by fencing off the property, performing preliminary landscaping, and planning access roads. The company will begin erecting the solar panels in the spring of 2011 and expects to complete the project by September of the same year. Enfinity has hired twenty people for the initial stages of the project, and will provide many more green jobs once they are ready to erect the 140,000 panels in the spring.

Province Home to Solar Jobs, Training, Workshops

Ontario is home to North America’s first feed-in tariff (FIT) program for renewable energy, which pays high prices for electricity generated using solar, wind, and biomass power. The program creates an industry that includes green energy and jobs, as well as educational opportunities such as seminars, workshops, and solar panel design and installation courses, to help workers and property owners become proactive on environmental issues and take advantage of the benefits of the FIT.

Enfinity offers workshops where potential solar panel installation builders and owners can learn about the FIT, as well as important information on the specifications of the ideal rooftop, how to select a qualified developer, and what to expect from a solar installation. Together, Enfinity and the Township of East Hawkesbury will work towards cleaner air and a more sustainable future for Ontarians.

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Photowatt Ontario Offers Product Development and Solar Installation

Friday, December 3rd, 2010

The Photowatt Ontario Green Wing Production Facility has now officially opened in Cambridge, Ontario.  The facility, owned and operated by custom manufacturing firm, Automation Tooling Systems (“ATS”), represents a huge step forward for Ontario’s solar energy industry.

Photowatt Ontario is the site of ATS’s solar product manufacturing, project development, and installation services.  Its first undertaking in the new facility is the production of a new line of 100MW photovoltaic modules.  The Cambridge plant created around 150 new jobs with this project, and the company hopes to meet residential and commercial demand for solar capabilities throughout Ontario.  As demand grows, ATS expects to hire more employees.  The company hopes to expand its facilities and resources beyond its initial capacity to reach a broader market.  This optimistic forecast means that solar job preparation could be an ideal way for Ontario’s workers to access new career opportunities.

Feed-In Tariff Program Is Part of Facility’s Success

The products that ATS will produce at its Photowatt Ontario facility meet the growing demand for solar technology in Ontario, as more businesses decide to take advantage of the feed-in-tariff program.  Anthony Caputo, President and CEO of ATS Automation, praises the feed-in tariff program as evidence of Ontario’s leadership in the green energy sector.  “We commend Ontario for taking meaningful steps in addressing our aging electrical transmission system[…] and manufacturing jobs lost in the economic downturn of 2008,” says Caputo.  “The Green Energy Act is very progressive, and the feed-in tariff program accomplishes many of these multifaceted objectives.”

Cambridge Plant Highlights Importance of Solar Job Preparation

“This is an important new facility for Ontario and Waterloo Region,” says John Milroy, MPP for Kitchener Centre and Minister of Training, Colleges, and Universities.  He adds that the investment in clean energy will bring “highly-skilled jobs to our province that will help fuel the knowledge economy of the future.”  ATS is optimistic that Ontario’s solar job creation rate will mimic that of Europe, where the International Energy Agency analysis estimates that about 40 jobs have been created for every megawatt of installed solar power capacity.  Solar job preparation programs and PV training courses allow concerned stakeholders to capitalize on this growing industry sector.

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Solar Energy Industry Flourishes in FIT’s First Year

Tuesday, November 30th, 2010

Ontario’s solar energy industry has made great progress.  Just over a year into the province’s feed-in tariff (FIT) program, the Green Energy Act Alliance (the Alliance) has released a report on the Green Energy and Green Economy Act’s successes.  The Act was signed into law in May of 2009 and opened the door for the creation of the FIT later the same year.  The FIT pays above-market rates to owners of projects that feed solar, wind, and biofuel energy into the power grid.  In only a year, the program and the industry have succeeded in creating thousands of renewable energy jobs and have opened the door to new educational opportunities, such as photovoltaic (PV) installation courses.

In its first year, the FIT approved more solar and wind capacity than a similar program in France did in its first year and more PV energy than Spain’s industry, the second biggest solar market in the world.  “The response to the Green Energy Act is overwhelming,” says Dr. Rick Smith, Executive Director of Canada’s Environmental Defence.  “To be in the same league as France and Spain,” he adds, “is beyond our wildest dreams.”

Program Creates Renewable Energy Jobs for PV Course Graduates

The Alliance’s report also shares good news about energy independence.  The FIT has helped spur a long-awaited democratization of the energy supply.  Ontario already has the most community ownership of renewable energy on the continent; more than 22,000 people have applied to receive the government’s incentives for “green” projects.

The FIT program’s domestic content requirements (DCRs) add an extra element of empowerment.  By 2011, up to 60% of the parts and labour used in participating projects must come from within the province.  This provides added incentive for workers to upgrade their skills with PV design and installation courses like the ones offered by Canada’s only ISPQ-accredited solar training school, Ontario Solar Academy (OSA).  According to a recent report by ClearSky Advisors (ClearSky), if approvals for FIT applications continue at the current pace for another four years, Ontario will add the equivalent of 70,000 new jobs to its renewable energy sector.

It is clear that renewable energy, in one form or another, is here to stay.  Solar power continues to make great strides in efficiency and cost.  Moreover, it spreads the wealth, offers greater energy security, and helps Ontarians become more involved in processes that shape their futures.  “Renewable energy isn’t left versus right,” says Dr. Smith, “it’s about choosing the future over the past… Ontario isn’t just shutting (down) polluting coal plants.  We’re transforming as a province and spreading the benefits that clean energy brings.”

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College Graduates Learning the Importance of Green Jobs

Monday, November 29th, 2010

Ontario’s colleges are helping to shift the Ontario economy by training graduates for future careers in renewable energy.  Colleges Ontario released a report stating that thirty-five new programs have been introduced throughout the province over the past three years, all of which were designed to help train employees for the growing green job industry.

Linda Franklin, President and CEO of Colleges Ontario, states, “College graduates will be instrumental in supporting the rapid introduction and expansion of green technologies.”  Fanshawe College President, Howard Rundle, noted “With traditional manufacturing making way for new green industries and opportunities, the jobs of the future require a new skill set.”  He continued, “Working closely with industry partners, colleges such as Fanshawe are positioned to provide the training and applied learning essential to support the green economy.”

Ontario Colleges Increasingly Passionate about Green Job Development

A green roof installed at Fanshawe College, a $1.1 million smart house constructed at Lambton College in Sarnia, and the Centre for Alternative Waste Water Treatment at Fleming College in Peterborough are just three examples of the green energy initiatives that Ontario’s colleges are undertaking.  Whether it is in water management or in solar energy jobs, these programs showcase the diversity of green career programs that colleges are investing in, the skills they provide to graduates, and their passion for making Ontario’s economy cleaner and greener. 

Solar Energy As Major Component of Green Job Development

Although Ontario’s Green Energy Act has helped spark a surge in innovation, manufacturing, and development across numerous renewable technologies, few areas have benefited as much as solar has.  Scalable, flexible, and heavily subsidized, solar energy has generated tremendous interest, not only for businesses and homes, but also for First Nation communities, school districts, and government agencies.

To meet this demand requires training a solar workforce capable of installing the technology and infrastructure when and as it is needed.  Training such a workforce is the primary goal of Ontario Solar Academy – Canada’s only ISPQ-accredited PV school.  Comments Director, Jacob Travis, “The green industry is vast, and we support all competing renewable energy technologies that can help make Ontario a cleaner and more sustainable economy.”  He adds, “However, solar still remains the most accessible to small businesses and homeowners.  You can install PV technology on your lawn, empty parking lot, or roof – the success of Ontario’s green push is closely linked to the province’s solar progress.”

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Ontario Solar Energy Company Receives CSA Certification

Sunday, November 28th, 2010

Solar energy company, Lumin Solar, Inc. (Lumin), has announced that it has received certification from CSA International (CSA) for its LS-240 PV panels, which also meet standards set out by Underwriters Laboratories.  The CSA certification assures regulators and customers that Lumin’s new state-of-the-art panels comply with national and international standards for safety and performance.

The Lumin team brings more than thirty years of manufacturing experience to its business.  According to a press release, the Thornhill, Ontario-based solar energy company’s goal is to be “the best in its class, emphasizing quality and customer service while helping to bring a greener vision to Ontario.”  Lumin’s 240W panels are designed for household use in both on- and off-grid applications.  The company’s modules use a layout of sixty high-efficiency monocrystalline cells and are made using premium components that ensure a high energy output.  Lumin guarantees that its modules are free from harmful materials such as cadmium telluride and gallium arsenide and that they are made in Ontario, which qualifies them as domestic content under the province’s feed-in tariff (FIT) program.

Green Energy and Green Economy Act Boosts Industry, Creates Careers

The FIT is a product of 2009’s Green Energy and Green Economy Act (Green Energy Act).  One of its stated purposes is to “help Ontario phase out coal-fired electricity generation by 2014.”  The FIT works to achieve this by providing financial incentives to energy producers who feed into the electrical grid from “green” sources, and the many spin-off benefits of the program include new green careers for an economy devastated by the decline in manufacturing.

Lumin is enthusiastic about the opportunity to become part of the toolkits that the next wave of solar designers and installers will use in their new green careers.  “We are very excited to have achieved this important milestone,” says Mr. Brian Read, the company’s CEO.  “I am very grateful and appreciative of our dedicated staff and their commitment to making Lumin Solar an Ontario success.  We are now poised to provide the residential and commercial industry with our Ontario-made solar panels that meet the FIT and microFIT requirements.”  To help boost awareness of its products, the company will participate in this year’s Solar Canada exhibition, which takes place in Toronto from December 6-7.

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Green Energy Act Benefits Ontario Hospital

Thursday, November 25th, 2010

Kingston General Hospital (Kingston General) has announced that it will install 95 kW worth of solar panels on the rooftop of its Kidd Wing.  The project is one of several measures the hospital will take between now and 2012 to make its operations more energy efficient and incorporate alternative sources of power.  Kingston General will work to ensure that the new solar installation complies with the eligibility criteria under Ontario’s feed-in tariff (FIT) program, which pays high prices for green energy and helps create new career opportunities in the energy sector.  The hospital will also receive $118,000 from Utilities Kingston to help pay for the renovations.

Ontario passed its Green Energy Act in May of 2009, paving the way for the province to establish the continent’s first FIT program.  The FIT pays producers of green energy to tie into the electrical grid, provided that they meet certain requirements.  Among them, owners of participating projects must certify that a certain percentage of parts and labour were sourced in Ontario.  The Act and the program’s financial incentives encourage people to switch to alternative sources of energy and create opportunities for manufacturing and career training, such as certification courses for solar installers.

Alternative Energy Part of Greater, Greener Objective

The Kidd Wing solar installation is part of an agreement between Kingston General and New Jersey-based Honeywell for a $10.5 million upgrade to the hospital’s medical research and career training infrastructure.  In addition to the solar PV panels, the company will also help the hospital install a high-efficiency hot water condensing boiler plant, replace 250 windows in its heritage Watkins building, update fixtures to include more energy efficient models, and install low-flow toilets and sinks.

Kingston General expects to prevent the release of 2,200 tonnes of greenhouse gases annually with the new upgrades and save more than 70,000 cubic metres of water per year.  The hospital overhaul reflects a province-wide move toward greater energy efficiency and an overall commitment on the part of Ontarians to act as stewards of the environment, protecting it for future generations.

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