Solar PV design and manufacturer, SolarDock, LLC, recently signed a license and distribution agreement with Ontario-based SunRise Power Corp to produce, market, and distribute a new high-tilt-angle solar racking system that installs without penetrating existing rooftop surfaces. Touting the unique value proposition of the new design, Rob Kenton, Account Manager at SunRise Power expects that “the SolarDock product will quickly become the racking system of choice for most commercial, educational. and government end users. With only foam board touching the mounting surface, it is the most roof-friendly system on the market!”

The innovative racking systems promises to be a major boon for Ontario - a market that has already made significant inroads in the renewable energy industry thanks to aggressive feed-in-tariffs (FIT). In fact, Ontario’s undisguised enthusiasm for solar energy is one of the primary reasons why Delaware-based SolarDock decided to expand its operations internationally. Although places like California, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey have woven generous rebates and incentives into their solar energy legislation, few states have matched the unambiguous support for solar installations that the Ontario Power Authority demonstrated with its recent FIT and microFIT programs.

Once decided on the Ontario market, SolarDock had little difficulty selecting a partner capable of manufacturing and promoting the new technology. SunRise Power, with its manufacturing, marketing, and distribution expertise, was a link worth adding to SolarDock’s solar supply chain. However, this partnership represents only the beginning. SolarDock’s COO, Sean Chipman, offered that joining forces with SunRise Power was the first step in a much larger “plan to license our technology with leading local-market participants in Canada and around the globe.”

Where Are the Solar Panel Installers?

An auspicious beginning on all fronts, this partnership heralds a new chapter in North America’s solarization. However, even with the best of intentions, the road ahead could prove bumpy. For although Ontario may have the technology, legislation, and demand to forge a cleaner, more sustainable future, Canada’s solar energy industry admits that it may not have the manpower to actually install the panels en masse. The Canadian Solar Industries Association’s (CanSIA) solar energy report cast a dark shadow on the country’s solar future, citing a potential dearth of qualified rooftop installers. These imminent labour shortages could affect the ease and affordability with which homeowners actually reap the benefits of clean, free energy from the sun.

While appreciative of the labour shortage scenario outlined in CanSIA’s survey, Jacob Travis, Director of the Ontario Solar Academy, believes that the market will adjust to compensate. “Our 5-day solar installation training courses have received tremendous interest since we launched earlier this year. If our enrollment numbers are any indication, the people of Ontario are fanatic about doing everything they can to make solar energy a reality.”

But even with its growing roster of solar panel installers, can training programs like the Ontario Solar Academy produce enough certified professionals to help make SolarDock and SunRise Power’s partnership sustainable?

This remains to be seen.

However, Ontario represents extremely fertile ground in which to plant such hopes. Paul Pauze, President of SunRise Power cited Ontario’s feed-in-tariff program as just one in a series of promising signs about Canada’s clean energy future. He went on to add that “with SolarDock’s technology, our manufacturing and distribution savvy, and Ontario Solar Academy’s steady stream of qualified solar installers, we’re confident that homeowners across the province will begin finding the economics of solar energy irresistible.”