Solar Photovoltaics and The

Feed In Tariff

 Company based in Brantford.

Dan Cole - Owner and Manager.
Mike Triska Engineering and Energy
Audits.
Installation crew of 4 headed up by our
master electrician with 6 yrs experience in
PV and small wind.

 A brief overview of solar energy is required

in order to make sure the over all concept
of todays presentation is understood

Solar Energy
Solar energy is a renewable resource that is
free, readily available, environmentally
friendly and necessary for all life on earth.
Solar energy can be used in many ways to provide heat, lighting, mechanical
power and electricity, which is what we are
focusing on here today.

Photovoltaics (PV)
dc electricity is generated from sunlight by
using photovoltaic (PV) solar cells.

 These cells are semiconductor devices,

usually made of silicon, which contain no
liquids, corrosive chemicals or moving
parts. The PV panels require little
maintenance, do not pollute, and operate
silently, making photovoltaic energy a very
clean and safe method of power
generation.

TYPES OF SOLAR CELLS

MONOCRYSTALINE CELLS:
High quality starting

material (same a
computer chips)
Highest cell efficiency
(14% to 17%)
Most expensive
Original type of PV cell
Depends on direct
sunlight (not so good on
cloudy days)
Most sensitive to heat

POLYCRYSTALINE CELLS:
Most common type
cell efficiency 13% to
15%
Less expensive to
manufacture than
mono
Less temperature
sensitive

THIN FILM CELLS:

Thin layers vacuum

evaporated onto glass

Cell efficiency currently
5% to 8%
New technology
Silicon and other materials
(e.g. first solar CIGS)
Less sensitive to
temperature
Works better in indirect
light than crystalline cells
Potentially much cheaper

 Using an Inverter, the DC electricity from

the Solar PV is converted to AC, then its
fed through a meter, in the case of FIT, to
measure the amount produced, and then it
is all sold to the grid.

TYPICAL GRID CONNECTION

(FROM ESA-SPEC-004)

TYPICAL GRID-TIE INVERTER SPECIFICATIONS

(From SMA)

ANTI-ISLANDING PROTECTION
(UL 1741, IEEE 1547, CSA C22.2 No. 107.1 STANDARDS)

Grid-tied inverters that meet the above

standards will shut off if they do not detect the

presence of the utility grid to prevent and Island
An inverter designed for grid-tie operation will
have anti-islanding protection built in; it will inject
small pulses that are slightly out of phase with
the AC electrical system in order to cancel any
stray resonances that may be present when the
grid shuts down.
Required by ESA-SPEC-004

 This brings us to the question

What is a Feed in Tariff?

Basic terms you generate renewable
electricity, the Ontario Power Authority
buys it from you through your Local
Distribution Company.

 Ontario's feed-in tariff is North America's

first comprehensive guaranteed pricing
structure for renewable electricity
production. It offers stable prices under a
long-term 20 yr contract.

 The FIT Program was enabled by the Green

Energy and Green Economy Act, 2009 which
was passed into law on May 14, 2009. The
Ontario Power Authority is responsible for
implementing the program.
FIT came online the end of September 2009.
There have been over 21,000 applications
submitted and 14,000 approvals and 1,800
contracts offered. 99% of these are for Solar PV.

Goals of FIT
help Ontario phase out coal-fired
electricity
help replace generating capacity from
soon to be retired nuclear plants
boost economic activity and the
development of renewable energy
technologies
create green industries and jobs.

 The program is divided into two streams FIT and microFIT. The FIT Program is for
renewable energy projects over 10kW, any
projects under 10kW are classed as Micro
FIT.

 The made-in-Ontario FIT Program

combines lessons learned from FIT
programs in Germany, Spain, Denmark.
Canada is far behind many other countries
in the deployment of renewable energy

FIT and MICRO-FIT PRICE SCHEDULE

SOLAR PV
(From: http://fit.powerauthority.on.ca/Page.asp?PageID=924&ContentID=10543)
(AS OF 13 AUG 2010)

What is required to participate?

Proper location is critical.
Rule # 1- stick it where the sun shines!
For every kW of PV we need 100 sq feet
(10 X10) of south facing sloped roof or
200 sq ft (10 X 20) of flat roof

 unobstructed by trees or any other

obstacles that cast a shadow
Ground mounted on racks at a 30 to 50
degree angle, unobstructed by trees or
other obstacles that cast a shadow.

 Access to the grid is required to sell your

green electricity.
Thats rule # 2- plug it in and get paid for
it!

 So, lets assume someone is interested in

getting paid to help save the planet with a
south facing roof of 1000sq ft.

What is the cost?

Micro-FIT
Price range for 10kw system is between
$7.50-$10.00 per watt installed, and
connected to the grid.
Includes site assessment, design,
applications, permits, inspections,
installation and connection turnkey
solution.
Assessment includes a RETScreen Analysis.

RETScreen
Renewable-energy and Energy-efficient
Technologies (RETs)

Overview
The RETScreen Clean Energy Project
Analysis Software is the worlds leading
clean energy decision-making software. It
is provided by the Government of Canada
as part of Canadas recognition of the
need to take an integrated approach in
addressing climate change and reducing
pollution. RETScreen is a proven enabler
of clean energy projects worldwide.

 RETScreen allows decision-makers and

professionals to determine whether or not
a proposed renewable energy project
makes financial sense. If a project is
viableor if it is notRETScreen will help
the decision-maker understand this:
quickly, unequivocally, in a user-friendly
format, and at relatively minimal cost.

RETScreen Partners
National Aeronautics & Space

Administration's (NASA) Langley

Research Center
Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency
Partnership (REEEP)
United Nations Environment Programme's
(UNEP) Energy Unit of the Division of
Technology, Industry and Economics (
DTIE)

RETScreen Partners

EXAMPLE RETScreen ANALYSIS

We know the basics

what PV is and how it works,
what a feed in tariff is and how it works,
the legislation behind the program,
what kind of site we need, rules 1 and 2,
how much a system will cost,
how much electricity we will produce

What about the $GREEN ?

Price Schedules
Micro FIT- <10kw = 80.2 cents per kWh
Roof Mount (ground mount 64.2 cents per
kWh)

Average price to purchase electricity in

Ontario is 12-13 cents per kWh
This is where the term sell high, buy low
fits in.

Example 9.72kW system

(Micro- FIT)
Initial cost is around $75,000.00-85,000.00
100% financed at 5%-6% mortgaged over 11 years
System generates approximately 11.5-12 MWh of green

electricity per year

$9,000.00-$10,000.00 per year in revenue dependant on
the site.
Payback is about 8-10 years, dependant on financing,
exact initial cost, etc.
Remaining 10-12 years of 20 year contract is profit.
ROI between 10-13%
Emission reduction of NEGATIVE 11 tonnes of CO2 per
year

MicroFIT Project Timeline

1-2
WEEKS

7 - 28
DAYS

UP TO
3
MONTHS

4
1-2
WEEKS WEEKS

1-2
WEEKS

1 HR 1 DAY

Each 10 kW system equals

negative 11 tCO2
-11 tonnes of CO2 is equivalent to :

9 acres of carbon absorbing forest.

2.2 cars or light trucks taken off the road
4,310 litres of gasoline not consumed
22 barrels of crude oil not consumed
10.6 people reducing their energy
consumption by 20%.

Just Think.
What if we had 10 of these systems
-110 tcO2
115-120 MW of GREEN electricity equals

90 acres of forest
22 cars or light trucks off the road
43,100 litres of gasoline not consumed
220 barrels of crude oil not consumed
106 people reducing their energy
consumption by 20%.

Summary
By promoting the use of renewable energy
to produce clean electricity, we are able to
generate income, reduce harmful
emissions and create jobs. By coming
together as a community we will enable
individual non-profit organizations to
achieve these goals more easily and
sooner.

Solar PV for Residential and Commercial

Off Grid, Grid Tied and Emergency Backup
Let us show you how to put $GREEN
back into YOUR budget!
www.directcurrent.ca

Questions?