Dear Homeowner,

Dear Homeowners,

Monika Caemmerer is very excited to report that her 9.5 kW photovoltaic installation has topped 10,000 kilowatt-hours of production.

The system was installed by Sun Volts Unlimited in December 2008 and became operational on February 5, 2009. It hit the 10,000 mark on October 13, 2009. The system pays $.42/kWhr under the RESOP program. Monika is especially excited to learn that, because she was an early adopter, her system will be automatically upgraded to the new MicroFIT program, which will pay her $.802/kWhr, thus almost doubling her income.

Monika attended our first Solar Fair in October 2008 and decided right there to install a PV system. Her installation was the first for the Halton Residential Solar Project.

The system is installed on a portion of her barn. Monika is planning on adding to the system and registering the additional panels under the new Feed-in Tariff program.

Monika is a great ambassador for solar energy and has welcomed visitors to view her system at each of our Solar Tours and spoken at our Solar Fairs. Monika's system will again be on display at our Solar Tour on Sunday, November 1, 2009. To sign up, please email hrsp.admin@gmail.com.  

We are holding a Solar Tour on the afternoon of Sunday, November 1. This will be our last tour before the winter.

The new locations include a house with both PV and solar hot water heating systems in Oakville, a solar pool heating system in Oakville, and a large PV system west of Hamilton which also has geothermal on site. Our tours have been  mainly self-guided, but we would like to arrange carpooling to the PV/geothermal site since it is a bit of a distance outside of Halton.

Previously visited sites which are on the tour again are a large PV system near Acton and a solar pool system in Milton.

If you are interested in attending on Nov. 1, please send an email to hrsp.admin@gmail.com including:

a) where you are coming from, and

b) which systems you are interested in seeing.

We are not widely publishing the addresses of the homes on the tour, to respect the privacy of the homeowners. 

Two public meetings are being planned in Halton for this fall.

Solar Photovoltaic Information Meeting:

Wednesday, September 30, 2009
7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Oakville Town Hall, South Atrium
1225 Trafalgar Rd., Oakville, just north of the QEW

Solar Fair:

Saturday, October 17, 2009
1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Milton Sports Centre
605 Santa Maria Blvd., Milton
at Derry Rd., west of Hwy. 25

Vendors of solar hot water and photovoltaic (PV) equipment will be displaying and explaining their products and answering questions throughout the afternoon. Project team members, including a financial advisor, will be ready to answer questions. Home energy auditors, hydro representatives, and local environmental groups will also have displays.

A series of one-hour workshops is also being offered:

Main Project Contact:

             Amanda Donatelli
             email: hrsp.admin@gmail.com
             phone: 905-299-2327

Project Coordinator:

Lisa Seiler
email: hrsp.lisa@gmail.com
phone: 905-827-5989

 Main project website:

www.the-hen.net

 The Halton Environmental Network now has a group page on facebook for our Halton Residential Solar Project.

This is a great way to start discussions with other people in your neighbourhood, to throw questions out to the public or to the HEN members and to stay tunned to what we are up to. 

We encourage you to sign yourself up and persuade your friends and colleagues to do the same!

To find us on Facebook simply search the groups for "Halton Residential Solar Project"

OR

If you do not have facebook but would like to be updated on our projects you can join our email list by entering your information in the lower part of the screen in the "Join the Group" box.

(The email addresses are not distributed anywhere and are only used for us to notify you about solar updates.) 

Solar Tour

The Halton Residential Solar Project is hosting a Solar Tour of newly installed systems in the Halton Region that are up and running.

 The tour will take place on Sunday August 30, 2009 at four locations in Halton between 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. including three solar electricity (Photovoltaic) systems and a solar pool heating system.

Photovoltaic systems create electricity that can be used to power electronics in the home. Currently, the most profitable use of these systems is to sell the electricity from the solar system back to your hydro provider for $0.802 per kW hour produced. There will be three of these systems on display August 30^th including; a 1kW system near Erin, a 2kW system in Oakville and a 9.5 kW system near Acton.

Solar water heating and solar pool heating systems are an efficient way to harness the sun’s energy for direct use at your home. According to Andy McKegney, president of SolarOntario, “A solar pool heating system can potentially supply all your pool heating needs, and can also extend your swimming season by 6-8 weeks.” There will be one solar pool heating system on display in Milton, installed early this year by SolarOntario.

At all locations you will be able to view the units and to speak with the homeowners and vendors about the unit, how it works, financial strategies and incentives that are associated with installing solar energy equipment and to answer any questions you may have before you get started.

All are welcome, free to attend. For more information, e-mail hrsp.admin@gmail.com or call 905-827-5989. To respect the privacy of the home owners the exact addresses are not being widely published

The Halton Residential Solar Project will also be holding solar tours of different systems and solar information sessions this fall. Details will be announced. To receive ongoing project updates directly please e-mail hrsp.admin@gmail.com or visit http://www.ourpower.ca.

The Halton Environmental Network (HEN) is a network of environmental non-profit groups in Halton Region. It runs the Halton Residential Solar Project as a way to promote the reduction of green house gas emissions. HEN is grateful to the financial support of Environment Canada’s EcoAction Community Funding Program and Service Canada’s Summer Jobs program to assist with this project.

Oakville can now boast two solar installations as a result of the Halton Residential Solar Project (HRSP).

The first installation took place in December. The second was just recently completed at the home of the Project Coordinator, Lisa Seiler. Both systems will convert the sun’s energy into electricity, which will be fed directly into the electricity grid.

Both homeowners are awaiting finalization of the province’s new Feed-in Tariff (FIT) program before having their systems connected. According to Seiler, that is supposed to happen sometime this month, and it’s worth the wait.

“With the FIT, the Ontario Power Authority will pay us 80.2¢ per kilowatt-hour for all electricity produced, which is a lot better than the 5 or 6 cents we pay to Oakville Hydro,” says Seiler. “The reason for the huge incentive is that the bulk of the solar electricity is produced during peak load times, e.g. when the sun is hot and everyone has their air conditioners on. At those times, the OPA is actually getting a good deal by buying electricity under a dollar, plus it’s clean energy.”

Both Oakville systems will be on display this Sunday, June 14, when the HRSP team holds a Solar Tour. A third much larger installation, on a barn in north Milton, is also on the tour. Carpooling can be arranged.

The HRSP involves three vendors of solar electric (PV) systems. The three systems were each installed by a different vendor, so the tour gives the opportunity to compare and ask questions. Members of the project team, representatives of the vendors, and the homeowners will be on hand.

The HRSP is a project of the Halton Environmental Network (HEN). Although Seiler and the rest of the project team are currently operating on a volunteer basis, they are pleased to have an Electrical Engineering co-op student helping out this summer, thanks to funding from Canada Summer Jobs.

To sign up for the tour, please call 905-827-5989 or email hrsp.admin@gmail.com. The tour is free, but donations are welcome. Additional tours will be planned.

The Green Energy Act has passed Third Reading and Oakville Town Hall will be the site of a public forum on the Act on Tuesday, May 19 from 7:30 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. Kevin Flynn, Oakville MPP and Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of the Environment, will be the keynote speaker. Responses will come from Rabia Yazdanie, HRSP team member, and Roberto Garcia of the Ontario Sustainable Energy Association. Oakville Town Hall is located at 1225 Trafalgar Road, just north of the QEW. The event is open to the public and free to attend.

HRSP team members will also be appearing at the following public events:

• Sat. May 23 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Oakville Conserves Energy Fair
  at Oakville Town Hall, 1225 Trafalgar Road.
  Exhibitors will be displaying energy conservation information and wares. HEN will display solar and conservation information as well as the new Halton Enviro Guide. HRSP will hold solar workshops from 10:30 to 11:30 and from 1:00 to 2:00. This fair is free to attend.
   
• Sun. May 24 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Willow Park Ecology Centre
  on Mary Street off Hwy 7 in Norval (near Georgetown)
  It's opening day for Willow Park. HEN will staff a table and be on hand to answer questions about going solar.
   
• Sat. June 6 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Whole Foods Market
  at 301 Cornwall Road, just east of Trafalgar Road south of the QEW in Oakville.
  Whole Foods is holding a mini-fair for Canadian Environment Week. HRSP will hold solar workshops at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. and staff a table. Find out more about this event at www.wholefoodsmarket.com.
   
• Sat. June 6 from 3:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. at the Downtown Milton Street Festival
  HEN and the HRSP will have a table at this fun community event. www.downtownmilton.com
   
• Sun. June 14 from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
  HRSP will hold a Solar Tour of recent PV installations under HRSP. There are three installations at present - two in Oakville and one in north Milton. Please email hrsp.admin@gmail.com if you are interested in attending. There is no cost, but donations will be appreciated.
   
• Sat. June 20 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Ice Cream with Alan and Ralph
  This is the Oakville Ward 1 Councillors' annual event at the gazebo by the lake in Bronte.
  HEN will staff a table and be on hand to answer questions about going solar.

• Friday July 17, 6 p.m. – 12 a.m. – Downtown Oakville Midnight Madness
  Come and visit us and HEN member groups Oakvillegreen and GreenTrans on Lakeshore Road in front of Swiss Interiors!

• Tuesday July 21, 7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. – Home, Green Home
  Located at Halton Hills Public Library, 9 Church Street, Georgetown
  A workshop for home owners  on environmental purchasing, pitching, and getting paid to go green, presented by Practically Green Solutions. Register for this free program in person at the Georgetown Branch or call 905-873-2881 ext. 2511

• Friday July 24, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. – Burlington Mall Farmer’s Market
  Located at Guelph Line and Prospect Street, South of Zellers.
  Come and visit us and HEN member group BurlingtonGreen and buy some local produce!

• Saturday August 22, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. – Harbourside Organic Farmers’ Market
  Located in Downtown Oakville at the corner of Lakeshore Road and Navy St, in front of the library

• Saturday September 25, 8 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – Georgetown Farmers’ Market
  Located on Main Street in downtown Georgetown. www.downtowngeorgetown.com
  

The Government of Canada is now offering a rebate of $1,250 (an increase from $500 previously offered) for the purchase of eligible solar hot water systems until March 31, 2011. In addition, the Government of Ontario is matching the increased rebate offered by the federal government for a total combined rebate of $2,500 towards the cost of an approved solar domestic hot water system.
 
The Halton Residential Solar Project can help you determine whether your chosen system is eligible for these rebates.
 
The federal rebate is available through the ecoENERGY Retrofit-Homes program which encourages various retrofits to increase the energy efficiency of a home. All rebates under the program are being increased by at least 25% until March 31, 2011.
 
For details on the federal program and a list of available federal rebates visit: http://www.ecoaction.gc.ca/ecoenergy-ecoenergie/retrofithomes-renovationmaisons-eng.cfm
 
See news article: http://www.thestar.com/comment/columnists/article/610800

Note that to qualify for the abovementioned rebates, an NRCan-certified energy advisor must conduct a pre and post-retrofit assessment in your home.

Solar hot water systems are also eligible for the Home Renovation Tax Credit, which returns to you 15% of expenses between $1,000 and $10,000, until February 1, 2010.

For a complete table of government inventives, visit: http://www.the-hen.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=572&Itemid=91 

Yesterday the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) proposed that rooftop solar electricity producers be paid 80.2 cents per kWh of electricity that they produce under a long-term contract. This rate will apply to most residential photovoltaic systems.

This guaranteed-pricing structure is called a feed-in-tariff (FIT). The FIT program will replace the OPA's Renewable Energy Standard Offer Program that currently pays solar electricity producers 42 cents per kWh.

On Saturday, March 7, the Halton Residential Solar Project will host a Solar Fair at the Halton Regional Centre, Auditorium (1151 Bronte Rd., Oakville ON).

AGENDA

At the Solar Fair, speakers will give an overview of residential solar energy applications as well as the costs and benefits. Homeowners will be able to speak with vendors of solar energy technologies, view vendors' displays, and talk to a financial advisor about the financial strategies and incentives that are associated with installing solar energy equipment.

All welcome, free to attend.

Government of Canada’s Ecoaction Program Supports Halton Solar Project 

ACTON, ON -- February 6, 2009 -- Canada’s Natural Resources Minister and Halton MP Lisa Raitt, on behalf of Canada’s Environment Minister Jim Prentice, today announced support from the federal government for the Halton Residential Solar Project. The project is part of Environment Canada’s EcoAction Community Funding Program.

“These local projects show how ordinary Canadians, in their own communities, can help to build a more sustainable Canada. We are proud to support community groups across the country who want to take action to help preserve Canada’s natural environment,” said Minister Raitt.

This project is led by the Halton Environmental Network (HEN), to provide education and outreach to homeowners in Halton Region, and facilitate the adoption of solar technologies in Halton Region.

Read more: http://www.ec.gc.ca/default.asp?lang=En&n=714D9AAE-1&news=89A2A98C-2BB2-4AA8-AD23-609F5837F080

A series of four evening meetings is being held in the last two weeks of February. All meetings are open to the public and free to attend. See the post below for dates and locations.

The agenda for each of our four evening meetings is:

Happy New Year from the Halton Residential Solar Project! 

At the Solar Fair on October 4, HRSP team members announced the establishment of an online solar group. This allows homeowners interested in installing a solar system to communicate with each other.

Membership in the group is by invitation. The project team is monitoring the communication but not leading it. It is the intention that vendors will not be members.

If you are interested in using this tool to communicate with other homeowners, please send an email to solarhalton-subscribe@googlegroups.com.

To communicate with the project team, please email hrsp.admin@gmail.com.

There are seven vendors participating in the Halton Residential Solar Project (HRSP). Three of the vendors are offering photovoltaic (solar electricity) systems. Four of the vendors are offering solar thermal (hot water) systems. They are listed below in alphabetical order.

The photovoltaic (PV) vendors are:

• ARISE Technologies
• Eco Alternative Energy
• Sun Volts Unlimited

The solar domestic hot water vendors are:

• Glenbarra Energy
• Globe Solar Energy
• Goldwater Solar Services
• SolarOntario Ltd.

For more information about the vendors' offerings, click here.

To download information handed out at the public meetings, click here.

Click on the links below to the main HRSP website for information on the topics shown. The site is part of the Halton Environmental Network's website.

• Solar thermal (hot water) systems
• Photovoltaic (solar electricity) systems
• Home energy audits and grants
• Frequently asked questions

To help us gather data and determine your level of interest in the project, please fill in our survey.

Contact the Halton Residential Solar Project (HRSP) at hrsp.admin@gmail.com.

A series of public information meetings was held in Halton Region between September 22, 2008 and October 2, 2008.  A  culminating meeting & Solar Fair was held: Saturday October 4 in the  Halton Regional Centre Auditorium 1151 Bronte Rd. Oakville. 

For times and locations or for information on these meetings and more, please visit our main site.

Greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming are a leading environmental concern at present. The Halton Environmental Network (HEN) plans to help reduce these emissions by providing homeowners in Halton with an incentive to produce green power. The project is known as the Halton Residential Solar Project (HRSP).

This project will see solar panels installed on homes throughout Halton. The target is a minimum of 50 homes. The incentive comes in the form of bulk buying discounts offered by the vendors for the opportunity to supply a large number of buyers. Both solar electric (photovoltaic panels) and solar thermal (water heating) options will be offered.  HEN has received bids back from vendors in response to an RFP and plans are moving ahead. Visit the HRSP website for more information.