Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

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: 382

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

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
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.
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
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.
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.
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

Canada Packers Reports Q2 Loss as Pork Market Conditions Weigh on Results

Canada Packers reported a second-quarter loss of $28.4 million for the period ending June 27, 2026, as weaker pork market conditions impacted results despite ongoing operational efficiencies and positive adjusted earnings.

Grain Markets Are Closely Watching the August USDA Report and Beyond

Ahead of the August USDA crop report, quiet grain markets face potential volatility driven by Corn Belt weather concerns, strong Chinese soybean demand, and emerging El Niño risks.

Swine Innovation Porc debuts new Research in Action series

Following the recent launch of the Pork Research Hub, Swine Innovation Porc is expanding the Research in Action section with the debut of a new video series highlighting the researchers and projects behind Canada's pork research. The Pork Research Hub is Canada's bilingual online destination for pork research, bringing together practical resources, research findings and innovation stories in one searchable location. Its Research in Action section showcases how Canadian pork research is delivering real-world value through articles, videos, podcasts and other knowledge transfer resources. The first video in the series features Aline Remus, research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, whose Swine Cluster 4 research explores precision feeding systems that can reduce feed costs, lower greenhouse gas emissions and improve the sustainability of pig production.

Canada Packers Reports Q2 Loss as Pork Market Conditions Weigh on Results

Canada Packers reported a second-quarter loss of $28.4 million for the period ending June 27, 2026, as weaker pork market conditions impacted results despite ongoing operational efficiencies and positive adjusted earnings.

1776 Pork Chop Salute to Celebrate America 250 During Iowa State Fair

For generations of fairgoers, a visit to the Iowa State Fair has been synonymous with one specific food item: the Pork Chop on a Stick ™. The Iowa Pork Producers Association sells tens of thousands of them each year during the fair. This summer, that tradition will take on an extra measure of patriotic pride as the Iowa Pork Producers Association presents the 1776 Pork Chop Salute – A Taste of America 250. On Sunday, Aug. 16, IPPA will give away 1,776 Pork Chops on a Stick™, beginning at 11 a.m. Fairgoers looking for the 1776 Pork Chop Salute Giveaway should enter the Pork Tent building from the north side near the Animal Learning Center. The giveaway is limited to one pork chop per customer and will continue while supplies last. The promotion is designed to commemorate the nation's semiquincentennial while recognizing the farm families who have helped feed America for generations. Just as the country reflects on 250 years of history, Iowa pig farmers continue a tradition of producin

© 2026   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service