Toronto Skyline: Sunset

In years past, Ontario frequently played younger sibling to more established solar markets like California’s or New Jersey’s. Without much solar infrastructure to speak of, the province often imported equipment, standards, and guidelines as if hand-me-downs from older sisters and brothers. However, the winds of change are picking up speed as Ontario continues to establish its own identity as a solar powerhouse on the continent.

Few in the industry have monitored this transition more closely than David Birch of Lakeshore Power Systems - Ontario-based online retailer of renewable energy equipment. Birch has watched as his catalog of solar panels, mounting systems, and other green technologies has expanded to incorporate more equipment manufactured domestically in Ontario.

Domestic sourcing is not simply a matter of pride. Rather, solar professionals and power producers across the province are eager to take advantage of Ontario’s relatively new feed-in-tariff (FIT) and microFIT programs. Under these incentives, power producers can sell excess electricity back into the grid, thus, generating a potential profit with every new sunrise. However, qualifying for these incentives requires that solar installations meet the province’s domestic content quota in which a percentage of all materials and labour must be sourced from within Ontario.

As retailer of solar equipment, Birch’s unique vantage point allows him to spot trends that many in the industry might overlook. It’s not just that Ontario-manufactured solar technology is on the rise, but also, the guidelines and manuals are also increasingly geared towards a Canadian audience.

Birch explains how US-based UniRac has begun tailoring its solar mounting product line for the Ontario market. Just this month, the company announced it would be manufacturing many of its products in Ontario, making it easier for residential and commercial installations to satisfy domestic content guidelines. Birch adds that,

UniRac has brought their “SolarMount Standard” profile to Ontario. With it, they have released a Canadian Professional Engineering stamp of approval to support its use in Canada, and have also released a Canadian code-compliant installation manual. Their Canadian offerings will expand, as well as their “Canadian-focused” support for their products.

Ontario Solar Training for Ontario Solar Projects
Ontario-sourced equipment and Canadian code-compliant manuals are not the only ways in which the region’s solar landscape is evolving. Birch also cites a growing interest in training and certification specific to the province.

Ontario needs focused training tools to quickly educate new installers. This training is best focused on trades people (electricians, HVAC, roofers, etc.) who are already working in Ontario but who need to familiarize themselves with the specific needs of the solar industry.

Not surprisingly, when the Ontario Solar Academy (OSA) invited Birch to guest speak at its 5-Day PV Design and Installation Training course earlier this year, he was eager to share his thoughts on the province’s exciting transition. David Gower, Associate Director of the Academy, explains that,

Our intensive solar installation workshops arose out of a very real need to train students using curricula specific to Ontario. We were happy to host [Birch], given his familiarity with the locally manufactured equipment our graduates will use in the future.

Director, Jacob Travis, adds “before we started, it was very difficult for installers to find solar training that followed the Canadian Electrical Code. Many simply used the US’ National Electrical Code, leaving a very large void in the Ontario market”

According to Birch, “the Ontario Solar Academy fills that ‘void,’ and those that take the course will be fast-tracked and ready to capture market share with professional installations.”

The rise of Ontario-specific training could not have come at a better time. For although UniRac is just one of many manufacturers clamoring for visibility in the province, Canada, as a whole, suffers from a dearth of qualified professionals capable of deploying the technology, regardless of its origins. According to a recent CanSIA survey, more than half of all Canadian solar companies anticipate labour shortages by 2012 - and this despite expectations that the country’s solar workforce could expand by 101% over that time.