Solar Field
Scientists from Queen’s University recently completed a study praising the potential benefits of solar energy in Ontario. The study, which is to be published in Computers, Environment and Urban Systems, specifically highlights southeastern Ontario’s vital role in harnessing the sun’s energy through the use of ground-mounted and rooftop solar panels (photovoltaics).
According to Professor Joshua Pearce, lead scientist in this study, Ontario’s solar industry could provide the province with approximately 5% of its energy needs by installing rooftop solar panel technology on choice houses. This translates to roughly 5% of all of Ontario’s energy consumption. “To put this in perspective, all the coal plants in all of Ontario produce just over six gigawatts,” Pearce explains.
It is unclear whether Canadian solar power could replace coal plants entirely. However, it is promising to learn that solar photovoltaic technology can generate enough renewable energy to reduce and displace dirtier, nonrenewable energy sources.
The Great Potential of Canadian Solar
A second study by the Queens University team concluded that ground-mounted systems in uninhabited regions of the province could supply another 900 gigawatts of energy. When added to rooftop solar installations, this would be enough to rival the energy output of all U.S. nuclear power plants combined. To give an idea of scope, the U.S. Energy Information Administration reports that in 2008, the US had 65 operational nuclear power plants, producing an average of 12.4 billion kilowatt-hours of energy each, or roughly 20% of the nation’s energy needs.
Several Reasons to Become Interested in Solar Panels
As studies like Pearce’s continue to focus attention on solar power’s potential in the province, Ontario’s government is redoubling its efforts to encourage greater residential and commercial interest in solar panels.
The Ontario government recently awarded 510 contracts to renewable energy projects earlier this month and another 184 contracts just last week, totaling 694 projects. These renewable energy projects are slated to generate more than 2,500 megawatts of electricity, which is enough to power the equivalent of 600,000 homes. And as for the economic benefits of this undertaking, experts predict that Ontario’s clean energy push could generate $8.9 billion of investment and create more than 20,000 new green jobs.
