Owned Solar PV System in Ontario
"Be the first in your area to make money from Solar PV.
Earn as much as $200,000 for installing a 10kw Solar PV System."
As previously mentioned, one of the ways you can take advantage of the Micro–fit program is by owning your own Solar PV project.
Please visit the site www.solarpvforhome.com for a more detailed information on owning small solar pv projects
(≤ 10kW systems)in Ontario.
If you develop your own project, you will receive the monthly payments for the electricity your system generated from your Local Electricity Distributor [LDC](i.e. Toronto Hydro) on behalf of the Ontario Power Authority [OPA]. If you chose to own this project, you must consider hiring an installer. The installer will purchase the equipment, obtain a building permit, and when the construction is complete, they will secure the approval from the Electrical Safety Authority [ESA], and work with the local electricity distributor to ensure the facility is properly connected to the electricity grid. In some cases, the equipment vendor will also be the installer. Your obligation, is to insure the facility normally, by an adder or rider to your home insurance.
Your Role - obtaining a MicroFIT contract
- ♦ As an applicant, you will register on the OPA’s microFIT website to create your own account.
Follow this link to create your account with OPA. - ♦ All applications are available online only. The basic applicant and project information required is set out in the OPA document entitled "Renewable Energy/Micro feed-in tariff program" on the OPA website – MicroFIT section. If you need assistance, we are more than willing to help you fill out the application.
- ♦ Once the application has been completed, and the project was determined to be eligible, the OPA will issue a "conditional offer of MicroFIT Contract" to you. Based on the most recent announcement made by the OPA, the first release of conditional offer contract, the wait will take at least 6 weeks. The conditional offer will become a firm offer to contract once you satisfy the conditions in the offer.
- ♦ The conditions sets out by the OPA are simple and very straightforward. As your hired contractor or installer, we will ensure that you will meet all the requirements to comply with the microFIT rules; we will ensure that your project is connected to the distribution system with proper metering; we will ensure that your project will comply with Ontario Content Rules requirements; we can assist you on providing the OPA with your LDC connection details and formally accept the offer contract
- ♦ If you decide to proceed with your project, we will apply for a building permit and construct the facility
- ♦ As a condition prior to connection to the grid, we will complete a safety inspection with the Electrical Safety Authority.
- ♦ The conditional offer is valid for 12 months and cannot be transferred to another person or other legal entity. The conditional offer should be sufficient to allow you to obtain a loan for the project from your banker, provided you have a good credit and a reasonable relationship.
- ♦ You will need your conditional offer to apply to your local electricity distribution company for connection. The LDC will renew your application and make you an offer to connect within 15 days, provided your application is completed
- ♦ Once the system is connected to the grid, you will complete the payment for any outstanding connection costs incurred by the distributor
Our Role – to provide assistance from the beginning of the project to its commissioning
Important facts on Conditional Offer
Once your connection to the grid is complete, the LDC will inform the OPA and the OPA will make a final offer of the contract. The effective contract start date will be the connection date if you accept the offer within 15 days or the later of the connection date or the firt day of the LDC’s settlement period, if you take longer than 15 days to accept the offer.
