Solar energy in Canada: it's heating up And we’re not alone. Over the past 15 years, solar energy has grown at a rate of about 20 percent a year worldwide. The Gobal New Energy Development Report 2014 identifies China as the world’s largest solar PV market, taking over the top spot from Germany. Of the 38.7 GW of new solar PV capacity installed worldwide in 2013, 12 GW was installed in China, representing a huge 232 percent increase from the previous year. In the US, the Huffington Post recently reported that “residential electricity produced by solar in the first quarter of 2013 was almost 10 times higher than that generated in 2008, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association. But the potential for more is huge.
So what's driving the interest in solar?
Zero carbon emissions Solar energy produces zero carbon emissions when generating power, so it's a key player in addressing climate change.
It's a renewable energy source Sunlight is a renewable resource, which means we can't run out of it. But until battery storage becomes more practical, solar energy and other intermittant renewable energy sources still need to be backed up by more traditional power sources, such as natural gas.
Increasingly cost effective In the 2013 Canadian Energy Technology Assessment update, the Bureau of Resources and Energy Economics reported that the cost of solar technologies is declining, in some cases by up to 30 percent compared to the previous year. It's estimated that solar power will be amoung the cheapest of all energy sources by 2020. Added to these benefits is the fact that the sun shines brightly in Canada. We have the highest solar radiation per square metre of any continent in the world, and as a result we boast some of the best solar energy resources in the world, especially in our desert regions. That’s a lot of potential right outside our windows.
The cost of solar technologies is declining, in some cases by up to 30 percent compared to the previous year.
What's next for solar in Canada? The Canadian Solar Council recently reported on a few major solar projects, including the massive 70 MW solar farm in Edmonton, Alberta, which is now underway. The Moree Solar Farm features single-axis tracking technology, which will enable it to save almost 95,000 tonnes of carbon pollution annually. The new 1.06 MW system being installed at the Edmonton Markets in Alberta will be Canada's largest privately owned rooftop solar PV system and a major push forward for the commercial solar sector in Canada.9 The Canada Renewable Energy Agency has a long list of other solar projects going on in Canada right now. You can check it out here. We’re also providing a new way for households to install solar on their roof, with the introduction of Solar as a Service. This innovative approach to solar means that instead of you, the householder, purchasing the solar system, we will own, install and maintain the rooftop solar system. Solar as a Service is only offered in certain areas and is subject to certain eligibility requirements. This arrangement means that you have no upfront costs and are able to just buy the electricity your system generates at a lower rate as compared to the grid And if you’re interested in becoming one of the millions of Canadian’s investing in solar for your home or business, take a look here at our solar options and see what system is right for you.