Duane Hicks
The town soon will be reaping the benefits of solar power to sell now that panels have been installed on four municipal buildings and soon will be connected to the grid.
The solar panels recently were installed atop the water treatment plant, Memorial Sports Centre, Fort Frances Children’s Complex, and Public Works garage.
All four were installed by Solar Logix of Thunder Bay in less than two weeks (between July 25 and Aug. 7).
“The installation of the panels is more or less done,” the town’s sustainability co-ordinator, Travis Rob, said Friday.
“What’s left to do now is M.L. Caron, who is the electrical subcontractor, will be wiring them,” he added, noting that process was to begin this week.
“As they get wired, we’re going to be connecting them and turning them on, more or less,” Rob explained Rob.
He said it’s hard to say when all the panels will be wired, but that hopefully the first one will be up and running within a week-and-a-half.
Back in May, town council chose Solar Logix to install 10-kilowatt microFIT solar power generating systems on top of the four municipal buildings.
As previously reported, the solar systems are projected to generate $11,632 in annual income as the town pays off a 10-year loan used to buy the panels.
Once the 10-year financing term is over, the annual revenue is expected to jump to $49,000.
This revenue will be realized through the feed-in tariff (FIT) program under the Ontario Green Energy Act, which guarantees specific rates for energy generation from renewable sources paid by the Ontario Power Authority (OPA).
Under the microFIT program, which is for generators of less than 10 kilowatts, the town is guaranteed 80 cents per kilowatt hour produced through a 20-year contract with the OPA.
Each installation is estimated to have an annual operating cost of $600, which includes maintenance (i.e., cleaning, snow removal, etc.) and insurance.
The solar panels cost a total of $363,552 (plus HST).
The systems for the Memorial Sports Centre, Public Works garage, and day care are being financed through a 10-year loan.
The one at the water treatment plant is being paid for through the 2011 capital program.
