Increasing interest in Ontario-based solar energy has led Sentinel Solar Corp. (formerly Sentinel Power Systems, Inc.) to partner with SolGate, Inc., according to a recent media announcement. The business partnership between Sentinel and SolGate leverages on the companies’ respective strengths in the marketing and manufacture of solar power equipment in Ontario.
Since 2003, Sentinel Solar Corp. has been an active player in Ontario’s solar energy industry, making significant inroads in the marketing, distribution, and delivery of solar energy solutions. Because of the province’s domestic content requirements for renewable energy deployment, Sentinel’s focus remains on servicing the needs of residential, commercial, and agricultural clients using locally manufactured solar equipment. The company is set to launch its dual-axis solar tracking system in May 2010, which will improve the efficiency of solar energy capture by 25%.
SolGate, meanwhile, is an expert in the design and production of photovoltaic panels. The company, with a manufacturing facility located in Woodbridge, Ontario, has been heavily investing in new, state-of-the-art equipment meant to expand its capacity from 6 Megawatts to 25 Megawatts of photovoltaic power production per year. In particular, the company is now able to produce high-efficiency polycrystalline solar power modules, which it will be marketing through Sentinel.
Solar Power Career and Business Opportunities in Ontario
Through the business partnership, the two companies have started sharing an expanded facility in Woodbridge with a staff of 30 personnel. The companies expect their staffing and business requirements to grow as Ontario continues to expand its solarization efforts. For instance, California-based Enphase Energy has recently opened a production line for its microinverters, which long-time distributor Sentinel is also distributing in Ontario.
Ontario’s aggressive push to harness solar energy, particularly through the feed-in-tariff (FIT) and MicroFIT programs, has encouraged the various players in the province’s solar power industry to scale up operations in order to adequately meet rising demand. The Ontario Solar Academy is one such stakeholder that has started ramping up its presence in the solar energy game. Aware of the labour bottlenecks that exist throughout Canada’s renewable energy industry, the Ontario Solar Academy recently launched an intensive 5-day solar panel installation and design course to certify rooftop installers.
Clean Energy from the Sun: Bringing It All Together
The partnership between Sentinel and SolGate aims to improve the efficiency between production and marketing. Homeowners, small business owners, and professional solar power equipment installers can use this opportunity to speed up their own involvement with Ontario’s FIT and MicroFIT programs. The improved efficiency of Sentinel’s and SolGate’s equipment can help to ensure faster paybacks once customers start contributing solar power to the grid.
