OUT OF DATE.  PLEASE SEE MORE RECENT PRICING INFORMATION AVAILABLE HERE.

Recently the recommended Vendors have been announced for RISE Again. 

• Solar Thermal (Hot Water): Solar Ontario
• Solar Photovoltaic (Electricity): Sun Volts

System Pricing

Pricing Sheets are now available for RISE Again participants.

• Solar Thermal (Hot Water) Pricing
• Solar Photovoltaic (Electricity) Pricing

Installation Steps

Here are the steps to follow for getting a solar system!

Mayor David Miller and Councillor Paula Fletcher at a press conference on May 12 to announce the Toronto Solar Neighbourhoods Initiative.  Thanks especially to Councillor Fletcher for for promoting RISE Again!  Rob McMonagle from the Toronto Energy Efficiency office was also in attendance (right).

RISE Again Vendor Selection is Complete

RISE Again is pleased to announce that the following vendors have been invited to partner with us on our community solar project:

Solar PV: Sun Volts Unlimited www.sunvoltssolar.com

Solar Hot Water: Solar Ontario Ltd. www.solarontario.com

Both vendors were chosen based on the collective decision of the steering committee and among other criteria, they were evaluated based on system price, capacity to install, system type, location and interest shown towards working with a community group.

Pricing and project planning details will be announced shortly.

Next Steps

• Pricing and system information will be released soon - stay tuned
• Community Meetings will be announced in May to provide more information
• Sign-ups will start at the same time as the community meetings happen

We want to coordinate the sign-ups and installation schedules, so for now please don't contact the vendors directly.

Special Thanks

There was a tremendous response to our Request for Proposals and I'd like to thank all the vendors who took the time and showed interest in responding.

Additionally, I'd like to thank the members of the steering committee who were involved in this selection process: Susan Crofts, Gord Fraser, Gord Dimitrieff, Ian Small, Claudia Duggan, Ken Traynor

RISE Again had an unprecedented total of 12 vendors respond to the RFP with a combined total of 41 different PV or Solar Thermal systems for consideration!

Needless to say, it has taken some time to wade through all that information and make an informed decision.  We're close though!  Very close.

We hope to have final vendor recommendations ready in the next few weeks and that installations can get started very very soon.

You've probably heard, but it's worth mentioning the tremendous support that's coming to help this project....

1. Green Energy Act means barriers to installation and market obstacles for renewable energy are coming down.
2. The Standard Offer Program (RESOP) is now being called the Feed In Tariff (FIT) program and we're lobbying for the rate to be raised from $0.42 to $0.80 for solar PV 
3. The Federal government just announced a dramatic increase in the ecoEnergy rebate for Solar Thermal systems - up from $500 to $1250!  We're hoping the province matches that committment.

Get ready for it - it's going to be a great summer for household renewable energy!

Stay tuned for more developments on the RISE Again project coming soon.

Attention Vendors and Suppliers of Domestic Solar Hot Water and Solar Photovoltaic Systems

• Request for Proposals - Solar Hot Water
• Request for Proposals - Solar PV

It is recommended that if you plan on responding to this RFP, you register such intent by emailing: [email protected].  By doing so you will be informed of any updates, questions and status notices relating to this RFP process.

RESPONSES MUST BE RECEIVED NO LATER THAN 2 MARCH 2022

First off, let me offer some personal Happy New Year wishes to everyone. Someone told me the other day that we're too far into January to still be saying that. I haven't been in touch for awhile, so I think it's still appropriate.  It's going to be a great year for solar and a great year for RISE Again!

Steering Committee Participation Call

We had a great, involved and eager steering committee to help organize summer events and draft our Request for Proposals.

This winter we'll need volunteers to help organize more community out-reach and evaluate the responses we get from vendors.

If you're interested in participating as a member of the Steering Committee this winter, please let me know: [email protected]

We're looking for people with a range of experience and backgrounds whether it's technical, planning, translating, advocating or even baking!

What's Next?

• Let's get some momentum back!
• Additional winter workshops and community meetings being scheduled for February and March with a similar format and content to the summer meetings.
• Restart regular steering committee meetings as soon as the end of January.
• Evaluate vendors who respond to a Request for Proposals to be released soon.
• Get some solar systems installed this spring!

A lot of people have been patiently waiting and wondering how to get a solar system for their house.  Your support and interest is fantastic!  We're looking forward to getting our RISE Again group ramped up for spring installations.

What's Been Going On?

As I mentioned, it's been awhile since there's been an update from RISE Again.  Let me quickly run down what has been happening since our busy summer season:

• Building Permits -  there were issues were blocking us from moving forward and being able to easily get solar systems installed, but lots of work with the city has been happening to remove that barrier.  The result has had province-wide impact on this process.
• RISE Again Request for Proposals - RFPs have been drafted and we're at the point of asking solar vendors to submit proposals to install systems for RISE Again participants.  Timing has been worked out with the Solar Neighbourhoods program and these RFPs will be released very soon.
• Green Energy Act - policy makers have been busily working on some new legislation to help make renewable energy implementation a lot easier in Ontario.  A lot of the experience from RISE Again and other Our Power groups is being taken into consideration with this new act. More info: http://www.greenenergyact.ca/

The Riverdale Solar Tour was a big success as part of the Solar Neighbourhoods Pool Party.  Click here to take the virtual tour yourself.

Getting out in the community.
The Riverdale Initiative for Solar Energy (RISE Again) invites you to join the fun.

What: Solar Pool Party

Where: Jimmie Simpson Recreation Centre
870 Queen St. E - Click for map

When: Saturday September 20
That's this Saturday!

What's Happening

• Informative workshops
• Tours of neighbourhood solar installations
• Product exhibits
• Lots of kids activities
• Solar ice cream making
• Solar car races
• Pool games

This is a free community even open to everyone. A free BBQ and refreshments are also available to help keep your energy up.

This event is being run by the Solar Neighbourhoods project. Please come talk to us at the RISE Again booth.

You can see the full schedule of events online at www.solarneighbourhoods.ca/poolparty.php. You can also pre-register for the Solar Neighbourhood Tours on the site.

Solar Tours go at 10:30 and 12:20.  Please pre-register on the Solar Neighbourhoods Website.

RISE Again Presentation - How Community Power Groups can Help You - 1pm

Know anyone in Riverdale?  Get them out to this event!  RISE Again will be giving a community power presenation at 1pm.

Volunteer Call - If you can help out this weekend, please email [email protected].  Thanks!

I hope everyone is enjoying the good, sunny weather we've been enjoying lately.
RISE Again is very close to releasing our Request for Quotation to move our project ahead.
Before we do that, we have one quick question for you...

At this point, how interested are you in getting a solar system?

We need to collect responses from you for both kinds of solar systems that we're recommending:
•    Solar Thermal for Hot Water
•    Solar PV for Electricity
Please take 30 seconds to send us your response.

Click here to complete our two question survey.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=EaRrHNhTPnKvcYd47xJo_2bw_3d_3d
 
Thanks for your continued interest in this initiative!
 

Community Information Meeting
Tuesday July 8th and Wednesday July 23rd
7 to 9 pm
Ralph Thornton Centre
765 Queen St. East

RISE Again is holding two community information meetings.

What's on the Agenda?

• RISE Again
  The buying club process and how you can get involved.
• Technology Overview
  How solar energy works.
• Financial Details
  What's the return on my investment?
• Solar Neighbourhoods
  RISE Again will participate in this program.
• Question & Answers
  Ask about anything we didn't cover.

Steering Committee Meetings Continue

Attendance and participation is open to everyone.  The Steering Committee is a group of dedicated volunteers who organize the RISE Again project.

Next Meeting: Wednesday July 9.
7-9pm
138 Hamilton St

And then every other Wednesday following - EXCEPT JULY 23.

The Community Information Meeting listed above will supercede the Steering Committee Meeting on the 23rd.

It's really happening and really making a difference. Through Our Power, several communities are getting active and involved in renewable energy.

RISE Again! - 19 April 2022

The Toronto Solar Neighbourhoods Initiative has been started by the city of Toronto as a pilot program for a city-wide renewable energy campaign.

RISE Again will participate in this pilot program by organizing a community group for any neighbours in Ward 30 interested in taking advantage of this program.

More information can be found on the website for the Toronto Atmospheric Fund.

The Toronto Solar Neighbourhood Initiative is specifically targetted at providing incentives for the installation of solar thermal hot water.

RISE Again will extend the offering of this program to include Solar PV systems for renewable electricity.

Requesting Neighbourhood Planning Committee Members

At this time RISE Again is soliciting interested neighbours to help with the organiziation of this initiative.  We will need a range of expertise on the committee - anyone interested in joining the Steering Committee for this project is encouraged to get in touch.

If you are interested in being involved on the planning committee, please use the contact form on the right side of this page to send us a note or get more information.

If you are a resident of Ward 30 who is interested in participating in the program as a purchaser, we can add your name to our email list at this point and send you more information as this initiative gets started in the coming weeks.  Please also use the contact form on the right side of this page.

Thanks!

- Scott Snowden