Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

solar panels

Is anyone concerned with this solar excitement.

 

Current prices are about 5.6 to 8 cent per KWH. The government is paying people with solar panels ect 80 cents per KWH. This seems really excessive.

 

Does this make sense? Can we expect hydro to jump that much. Why is our government taking taxes from the masses and giving it to the few? I understand the whole global warming talk and utilizing green power. Does it come down to deregulation of generators now everyone can do it instead of the people owing the generation. I am not sure this is sustainable.

 

What does everyone think of solar?

Views: 364

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Go Solar Canada on July 7, 2010 at 10:30am
If Pythagoras (cira 600BC) developed nuclear energy, we would still be watching over his waste today. Is that the legacy you want to leave.

For those that think $5 a year per family in Ontario is a lot of money maybe they should look at the debt retirement charge on your Hydro bill. This is the cost of going nuclear, How about 5 bucks a month. 60% of my bill was distribution charges, this is so high because of the great losses in bringing the energy from the power plant to your home. It costs the hydro company nothing to bring the power off of my roof or out of my back yard and into my house. The power you use is already subsidized. These subsidies go towards fat paychecks for the people who run the industry and are used to wine and dine the people who are behind the decisions to make sure great programs like the microFIT do not work, it keeps their checks fat. Why pay 10 microFITs a million dollars over 20 years when you can use that money for part of one persons bonuses for a year. Why use clean energy when we can spend billions on storing our nuclear waste. There is nothing wrong with our current technologies as long as we leave the cost of cleaning up after their use to our children. (Smog, tar sands, nuclear waste, They say if a natural gas plant blows up it will take a few blocks with it. Remember they said three mile island couldn't happen. Maybe to save money we can design a couple more reactors just like the Maple reactors that cost us millions and have been shelved by the Harper government.
Just in the almost four months my small 8 module microFIT has been running, My generation has saved 1142 lbs of carbon going into the air. How much would it cost you to remove that carbon out of the air once it has been put there by a coal plant or oil field.

Dan
Permalink Reply by Dale Ketcheson on July 7, 2010 at 3:16pm
I think anybody who thinks this current or some future Ontario government won't find a way to break these "contracts" and dramatically reduce the prices they're paying hasn't been paying attention to the way governments have been operating for the past... um... decades?

I wish people luck but my bet is that within the first 6 or 7 years of the plan, a whole lot of people will be bankrupted or severely hurt financially and a lot of panels will be on the market at firesale prices.
Permalink Reply by Wayne Black on July 8, 2010 at 2:18am
I guess the way I look at it, when on July 7, 2010 at about 11 AM Ontario Energy costs were 28 cents/kWh, I would rather the 58 or 80 cents go to Ontario residents rather than MB, QB, or US businesses. Current prices that the consumer pays is only 5 to 8 cents but demand pricing pushes that over $1/kWh at times (summer of 2008). On average the price is only 2 to 5 cents to buy but the peaks are what costs big money. For more info on demand pricing visit: http://ieso.ca
Permalink Reply by Peter Gredig on July 8, 2010 at 7:15am
Can anyone show me some solar installations that have been productive and running for 20 years? I don't have a problem with whatever the gov't wants to spend to encourage alt energy. I do have a problem investing $100,000 in solar technology that will be out of date in less than two years.
Permalink Reply by Go Solar Canada on July 8, 2010 at 10:57am
Solar is actually a fairly old technology, Einstein won a Nobel in the 1920's for his paper he wrote in the early 1900's, Bell laboratories first sold them in the 50's. There is a system that was installed in 1986 and still running. You can see it and learn more about it if you visit the Kortright Center west of the 400 just off Rutherford.
Permalink Reply by Roadrunner on July 9, 2010 at 3:33pm
Looks like the price drop is slowing down everyone who was looking at putting a solar system on their farm....I think solar could have a place but I want to business to be sound and not too expensive for consumers...

▶ Reply to Discussion

RSS

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

North American Farm Groups Unite to Strengthen USMCA/CUSMA Ahead of 2026 Review

Farm organizations across North America are urging governments to reinforce CUSMA/USMCA, warning that stability in cross-border trade is essential to producers in all three countries.

US Cuts Tariffs on Agricultural Machinery to 15% - What It Means for Farmers

The U.S. is reducing tariffs on farm equipment imports, a move expected to ease cost pressures for farmers and support equipment investment.

Farmer wellness initiative offers support across Ontario

The mental health of Ontario farmers is receiving greater attention through the Farmer Wellness Initiative, a program designed to support the well-being of farmers, farm workers, and their families across the province. Operated through Agriculture Wellness Ontario, the initiative offers free and unlimited counselling services tailored specifically to the agricultural community. Farming is often described as more than just a career; it is a lifestyle that comes with long hours, financial uncertainty, unpredictable weather, and emotional stress. Recognizing these challenges, the Farmer Wellness Initiative provides access to trained mental health professionals who understand the realities of agricultural life. Support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, through a confidential helpline. The program is open to Ontario farmers, farm employees, international agricultural workers, and family members over the age of 16. Youth between 12 and 15 years old may also access services wi

Ontario's pitch to expand northern farming sparks questions from farmers, food security experts

Ontario is pitching its plan to expand agriculture in the north and restrict foreign ownership of farmland as a way to strengthen food security and protect farmers. But some farmers, researchers and environmental advocates say the proposed legislation leaves unanswered questions about land ownership, affordability and whether more production would improve food access in the north. The province introduced the Protecting Ontario’s Food Independence Act, 2026 on April 22. The bill would limit foreign ownership of farmland and “unlock” agricultural potential in the Clay Belt — a region of fertile soil in northeastern Ontario and northwestern Quebec covering 180,000 square kilometres. In a statement to CBC News, the Ministry of Northern Economic Development and Growth said expanding agricultural access in the Clay Belt would help farmers grow their businesses, create jobs, increase local production and strengthen domestic supply chains. Province says Clay Belt offers growth opportunity

Rapid seeding progress made in some areas of the province

Farmers are dealt with all kinds of weather conditions this spring. The mixed precipitation in late-April, subsequent rainfall, and the recent heat wave resulted in producers beginning seeding operations one week or more later than normal. Jeremy Welter farms in the Kerrobert area in west-central Saskatchewan and is also a Vice-President with the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS). He said while the warm weather allowed them to catch up, it did provide a challenge to equipment. "The high temperature did certainly help to dry land out so the guys could get on it. That being said, those really hot days, they add a lot of stress to your machinery," he said. "You really notice it when you get out of the tractor. Even on a cool day, the tractor's blowing a lot of warm air off of it, but on those plus 35 days that temperature is as hard on equipment as it is on people, so it definitely creates additional challenges." In the Kerrobert area, they're about a week to

© 2026   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service