The Ontario, Canada solar market is moving fast as companies take advantage of the province“s feed-in tariff (FIT), which means that the majority of a solar system can be produced domestically.
Sust…
The Ontario, Canada solar market is moving fast as companies take advantage of the province“s feed-in tariff (FIT), which means that the majority of a solar system can be produced domestically. Sustainable Energy Technologies and Satcon have announced they will manufacture inverters in Ontario, while Canadian Solar and Opsun are preparing to set up panel manufacturing facilities in the province. Canadian Solar has commenced the processes regarding site selection and approvals to establish a 200-megawatt (MW) module manufacturing facility in Ontario, Canada. The company has recently submitted a significant number of FIT applications to Ontario Power Authority, and has received considerable interest from clients for solar systems “Made in Ontario”. Canadian Solar expects to make definite decisions about the plant site, cost and ultimate size, which is expected to result in 500 new direct manufacturing jobs in Ontario in the first quarter of 2010. The estimated cost of the plant, which will be completed in stages, will be CAD 24 million. Once completed, it will be one of the largest solar panel manufacturing facilities in North America. “Our new facility will help expand “green“ skilled jobs and investment in Ontario as well as the rest of Canada,” said Dr. Shawn Qu, chairman and CEO of Canadian Solar Inc. “Additionally, with this facility, our leading-edge photovoltaic technology will be manufactured and readily available in Ontario for those who are ready to take advantage of the FIT programmes.” Opsun Panels Inc., a subsidiary of Opsun Technologies Inc., has decided to set up a 50-megawatt (MW) solar panel production line in the province, and expects to start production in the third quarter of 2010. Opsun is already manufacturing its SunRail mounting system and StructuralPV commercial solution in Ontario. Opsun“s PV panels are built using high-efficiency SE solar cells from CSUN, and are available immediately, along SunRail mounting systems and StructuralPV. Opsun will integrate China Sunergy“s advanced solar cell technology into its PV Panel, StructuralPV modules and 3X Concentrated modules. Sales of the panels will initially be focused in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec, as well as north-eastern US.