Our Power is an organization with a proven track record of helping communities drive the growth of installed solar energy capacity.
Community groups can use this website to plan a professional renewable energy project, get experienced advice and access a comprehensive toolkit continually updated by stakeholders in the community power sector using a
wiki platform.
The site also allows individuals to share information with their neighbours and other groups as well as keep up to date on community power development in a blog-style approach.
Community Project Toolkit
One of the primary motivations for building this website was
to encourage community leaders in Ontario, across Canada and
around the world to start their own sustainable energy initiative.
Years of experience successfully developing and installing
community solar projects in Southern Ontario have informed this
suggested project development plan. Linked to each heading are
specific tools to facilitate and simplify each project step. Please
adapt them to suit your own situation and contribute to the
continual improvement of materials using the Our Power
wiki,
http://wiki.oupower.ca.
Community-based Solar Projects offer homeowners and small businesses a chance to drive the growth of the renewable energy sector in Ontario while adding value to their home or business. The following is a description of how Our Power helps to facilitate this:
Thoughts and comments from RISE project leader Ron McKay about starting your own community initiative:
Sign-up sheet used at community events and door-to-door campaigns to collect contact information.
Identifying Developed Community Networks for Gathering Interest and Promoting a Community Power Project
The Objectives and Content of the First Public Meeting
Media and Marketing Materials
The Latest Our Power, Powerpoint Presentation for Public Meeting
Original Press Release announcing the intentions of RISE.
One of the most valuable services that a community power project provides is selecting a vendor of solar equipment that is reliable and offers an affordable product. This can be done by selecting a list of preffered vendors that meet a set of established criteria OR by selecting a single vendor for solar thermal and single vendor for solar PV. Both approaches will be addressed below.
Selecting a Single Vendor for Thermal and PV
Bid and Terms sent to various Solar vendors.
Upon completion of the vendor selection process, a follow-up meeting should be scheduled to introduce the vendors, their products and their pricing to interested community members.
Press Release to announce the public meeting to present the winning bid.
Speech given by Ron McKay at the RISE public meeting.
Helpful materials for follow-up public meeting
After the public meetings, it is important for committee members to provide support to homeowners and vendors to simplify the installation phase of the project.