The Gleaners Food Bank, a community organization located in Belleville, Ontario, is planning to install 72 PV solar panels on its roof. Each of these panels will produce 15kW of green energy for a yearly total of 22,704kWh. Susanne Quinlan, Director of Operations at Gleaners, declares that “[the company] decided to pursue solar energy to create a healthy and sustainable environment for residents and families [Gleaners] serve[s], and to help greatly offset power costs.” Like all solar photovoltaic projects, this initiative will create green jobs for local workers having followed recognized solar courses.

According to Michael Tiffe, from TAB Mechanical Inc., using the clean energy produced by the solar installation will be equivalent to “taking two cars off the road or 1,383 gallons of gas or 38 barrels of oil.” The solar PV panels will help cut electricity costs, but they will also allow Gleaners to generate additional revenue through the Ontario Power Authority’s Feed-in Tariff (FIT) program. This project is completely funded by the Parrot Foundation. Quinlan says that the foundation’s financial help “made a huge difference in the realization of this project.”

The Gleaners Food Bank, a Green Job Creator

The rooftop solar panels project is part of the Gleaners Green Initiative Program. This program not only benefits the community and global environment, but it also helps Gleaners because of the reduced operation and energy costs associated with green actions. Other environmentally friendly initiatives from Gleaners include the installation of a rain harvesting system and the use of Energy Star appliances.

Solar Courses Are Essential for This Type of Project

Installing 72 solar panels requires more than funding; a well-trained workforce is essential to ensure that the process goes smoothly. Because of the success of Ontario’s FIT program, the number of solar panel installations continues to rise rapidly throughout the province. These PV projects have great potential for creating green jobs. To benefit from these employment opportunities, the local population must be willing to complete solar courses such as the ones offered by ISPQ-accredited Ontario Solar Academy.