CANADA DOES RECORD NUMBERS FOR SOLAR IN THE 2007!

September, 2007: The Ontario Power Authority (OPA) reports that it has approved 72 contracts for over 108 MW of PV generating capacity in the past eight ?months of the year through the Canadian province's new Renewable Energy Standard Offer Contract Program.

This has been a historic year for Canada and Alternative energy. Canada’s alternative energy consists of 5 categories Wind, Solar PV, Water Power and Bio-Energy.? But one category in particular has made great strides towards Canada becoming a force in Alternative energy: Solar PV.

Solar power uses the energy from the sun to directly generate electricity. It is an abundant, renewable, sustainable energy source. The benefits of solar power are tremendous.? It does everything from decreasing the amount of local air pollution to diversifying the energy supply mix.? It also contributes to local energy self-reliance as well as reducing carbon dioxide to global green house gases which doesn’t interfere with the natural environment.? Less pollution equals a cleaner, healthier planet.

Ontario is the first province in Canada to actively support the development of solar electricity generation projects through the Standard Offer Program, which will enable solar power producers to get into the energy market. This program is giving Ontarians the opportunity to help strengthen our energy system and clean up our air.

As of August 2007, Ontario has done 108 MW for Solar PV under the Renewable Energy Standard Offer Program ("RESOP").? In the month of August, the Ontario Power Authority (“OPA”) executed 26 RESOP contracts, bringing the total to 72 executed RESOP solar PV projects with more applications in process.

With the largest PV power station in the world developed by OptiSolar Farms Canada Inc. changed from 40MW to 50MW, another 20MW solar power plant in Petrolia of Ontario was awarded by OPA to OptiSolar in June. In August, Pod Generating Group, a developer of utility-scale solar power generating facilities, announced a 20MW solar project in the city of Sault Ste. Marie in northern Ontario with 20 years contract of OPA. The two 20MW projects will be the second biggest solar power plant in Canada. Also, Pod Generating plans to develop a series of solar facilities across Ontario while SkyPower Corp. intends to build at least 50 MW by 2009. The 9.12 MW project owned by SkyPower already started in Thunder Bay. In addition, more than 40 PV installations marked under 100KW were approved under RESOP in the past four months. It shows solar power is roaming hot all over the Ontario.

With projects like the world’s largest solar farms, Ontario has chosen to take a world-leading role in encouraging the development of solar energy.? It’s this type of initiative that is transforming the way we generate electricity in Ontario. Making solar power a mainstream energy source is spreading all over Canada and the world is watching now. With many applications in process and more on the way, Canada is becoming a legitimate force in Solar PV!

Media Contact:

Mr. Anthony Long
Media Coordinator
Solar Power Canada 2008
Tel: +00 1 905 471 3808

Email: media@solarcanadaexpo.com