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 [email protected]. The tour is free, but donations are welcome. Additional tours will be planned.