Renewable energy production program open for applications

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

by JOE CALLAHAN

The Ontario Power Authority is accepting applications for renewable energy production projects between 10 kilowatts and 500 kW under its Feed-in Tariff  (FIT) program until Dec. 13.

The FIT program was designed as part of Ontario’s 2010 Long Term Energy Plan. According to the program’s web site, it fosters the development of renewable generating facilities of varying sizes, technologies and configurations via a standardized, open and fair process.

Renewable energy sources that qualify include rooftop solar systems, non-rooftop solar systems, onshore wind, waterpower and renewable biomass technologies. The program’s pay rates per kilowatt depend on the source of energy and the volume produced.

There are widespread changes in the program from FIT 2.1 to the current FIT 3 and they are detailed on FIT’s website.

According to statistics released by Ontario Power Authority, up to March 2013 the FIT program had awarded 1,706 contracts that generated 4,540,790 kW. The highest number of contracts was awarded to rooftop solar systems (1,393) and they generated 247,587 kW. The largest source of renewable energy was wind, which produced 3,112,561 kW from 75 projects. BF