Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

Solar Prices Drop -- Blood Pressure Rises

The Ontario government is changing the price they will pay for solar power -- here's what they have to say....

"To help ensure the program remains sustainable the OPA has proposed a new price category for microFIT ground-mounted solar PV projects. Ground-mounted solar PV
projects of 10 kilowatts or less will be eligible to receive a proposed price of
58.8 cents per kilowatt-hour (¢/kWh). Rooftop solar PV projects, as defined in
the microFIT Rules, version 1.4, will continue to be eligible for 80.2 ¢/kWh.


The proposed new price category will better reflect the lower costs to install a ground-mounted solar PV project versus a rooftop project. It will provide a
price that enables future project owners to recover costs of the projects as
well as earn a reasonable return on their investment over the long term."

The business side of me is actually pretty angry with the move. We are getting ready to file an application - taking the cautious approach. Making sure to comb over a number of deals to make sure when we lock into 20 years -- we don't get the short end of the stick. Now - because we have taken the time to do that (which they encouraged) we are out over 20 cents. After all they said the price wouldn't change until October 2011.

That said - I couldn't figure out how they were going to pay 80 cents to begin with. Although - 58 cents is still too high.

This all makes believing what government says pretty tough to do -- doesn't it....

Views: 1491

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Wayne Black on July 5, 2010 at 3:32am
Price has not been set in stone yet. Comment period is open for 30 days (or less by now). I have not yet found where to make comments but rest assured - we are working on it.
Point is though - the price will be dropping as it has in other jurisdictions. By how much?
Does 58 cents still pay well enough for the investor (such as farmer Andrew)?
Permalink Reply by Graham Dyer on July 5, 2010 at 8:51am
I also can't find the place to send any comments.....it makes me wonder if they really want them.

Although, you will notice that they have had the time to already published these new 58c price points and the new 58c category.

They have also included a phrase that for RoofTop projects, that the building has to be 'pre-existing' to the solar application - ie you can't build a building after being awarded the solar project.... there goes a whole bunch of projects aswell !!

Watch the fine print !!!
Permalink Reply by Wayne Black on July 5, 2010 at 1:50pm
Comments!! - Check out http://microfit.powerauthority.on.ca for July 6 & 8 Sessions and for comment instructions.

There will be a 30-day comment period on the proposed new price category. Please send all comments and submissions to microFIT@powerauthority.on.ca. While all emails will be read, not all emails will receive individual responses.

Comments also can be mailed to the following address and must be postmarked no later than Tuesday, August 3, 2010.

Ontario Power Authority
120 Adelaide Street West, Suite 1600
Toronto, Ontario M5H 1T1

Attention: Ground-Mounted Solar PV
Permalink Reply by Brent Royce on July 5, 2010 at 3:23pm
we all knew it was to high to be true. The ones getting screwed are the people that have already bought the equipment and signed contracts. I know a farm that is putting in a biogas digester and OPA changes the rules almost by the day. OPA is a government body that doesn't like to do what the politicians have made manditory. Why buy power from everyone when you are used to buying from a couple of people.
Permalink Reply by Dale Ketcheson on July 5, 2010 at 10:57pm
Really?

Somebody believed something the McGuinty government said?
Permalink Reply by Mary Ann Hendrikx on July 6, 2010 at 1:08am
There's lots to be angry about in this whole thing, starting with the slowness of reply to applications. There's the issue of financing, which is difficult at best for a lot of people in animal agriculture. They could really use a little pocket change. People have gone through legal costs to arrange financing, spent time on investigating and researching. Those I know who don't have the money sitting around and arranged financing, are seriously considering cutting out.
The 80 cents is not a really big issue, when the sun is hot, and the air conditioners get humming, it costs more than that to bring in outside power at peak times, exactly when the solar is working best. I dislike conspiracy theories, but it seems like someone figured out that farmers in the province might be getting some cash, and put a damper on the whole thing.
Permalink Reply by Andrew Campbell on July 6, 2010 at 1:20am
I don't think you are not too far off Mary Ann.

The idea that the cost of rooftop panels are that much more expensive that ground mounted is outrageous. They should have known the costs before putting this in place, and made decisions based on that. If application numbers weren't so high - would they be doing the same thing?

All of the sudden - farmers are taking advantage of this is big numbers - and then get their legs cut from underneath them.
Permalink Reply by Graham Dyer on July 6, 2010 at 1:33am
What kind of contracts did Farmers have with the developers...with this price drop - do people need to continue to install and pay for a solar project even though revenue has dropped by 30% ??
Permalink Reply by Wayne Black on July 6, 2010 at 2:57am
This is mainly for individuals who bought and installed on their own. Farmers who have a signed contract will still get the 80.2 cents from my understanding. It is the ones who, like has been stated, waiting to check things over with a fine tooth comb, that will be disadvantaged. The technology has not improved that much in the last 30 days to account for the big drop in price.
As with any government program - it will change... and not likely for the best.
The bigger projects (over 10 kW) will be on a different price structure (and much lower than 80 cents).

Graham Dyer said:
What kind of contracts did Farmers have with the developers...with this price drop - do people need to continue to install and pay for a solar project even though revenue has dropped by 30% ??
Permalink Reply by Go Solar Canada on July 6, 2010 at 3:14am
The truth is even though they are paying 80.2 cents it doesn't mean that is what it is costing them.
1. Distributed Generation, generates the power where it is needed without large power losses in the resistance of the wire ove long distances, I have heard that this can be up to a 30% loss from nuclear, coal or Hydro plant to your home
2. Job creation, part of the money put into the coffers to fund this program was for job creation in the much needed manufacturing sector
3. Dept repayment, Would you rather pay a larger Dept repayment charge one the new nuclear reactors that are built and once again 40% over priced ( that's a lot of money on a 20 billion dollar expenditure.)
4. Your Hydro is already subsidized, Would you rather have the subsidy or would you rather give it to the big businesses so they can pad their executives pockets.

Do you still think 80cents is to high
Permalink Reply by Joann on July 6, 2010 at 7:05am
I agree with you Andrew. A 60 page agreement, I can imagine, has plenty of wiggle room in it. I can well imagine there will be more surprises in the future.

Many people questioned how the government can afford paying 80 cents to produce hydro only to turn around and sell for 9 cents.

When one looks up the definition of "ponzi scheme" and "pyramid scheme"....... one wonders if the whole solar bandwagon is a hybrid of the two.

Our provincial government shows little to no respect towards agriculture and the latest stunt amplifies the contempt they have towards farmers.
Permalink Reply by John Schwartzentruber on July 6, 2010 at 4:03pm
Why does the "Pigeon King" come to mind?

▶ Reply to Discussion

RSS

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

Guinness World Record attempt to take place in St. Albert on Aug. 22

?ST. ALBERT – If you have ever wanted to witness an attempt at a Guinness World Record, then you will want to be in St. Albert, Ontario on August 22 when an attempt will be made to set a record for the most plow blades pulled simultaneously.

Why Alignment Matters: Domestic Check-Off and the Import Levy

When Canadian beef producers sell cattle, they contribute to the national beef check-off. That investment supports work that benefits the broader Canadian beef industry, including market development, consumer demand, public and stakeholder engagement, and research. When beef or beef cattle are imported into Canada, an import levy is also collected. While the structure is not identical in every detail, the principle behind it is straightforward: beef marketed in Canada should help contribute to the programs that support beef demand in Canada. The national check-off paid by producers and the import levy paid on eligible imports are two parts of a broader investment approach. Together, they help ensure that both domestic beef production and imported beef products are connected to the market development work that strengthens beef’s position with Canadian consumers. For producers, the domestic cattle check-off is collected at the point of sale and includes both national and provincial po

I’ve noticed a lot of wild oat escapes in some of my fields this year; what can I do to prevent it from getting worse next year?

Despite our best efforts, sometimes even the best laid weed control plans go wrong! The first thing to remember is that not all weed escapes are created equal. In some cases, weeds can survive because of application timing issues, challenging weather conditions or late flushes that emerge after spraying. However, when weeds aren’t controlled by herbicide applications, herbicide resistance should also be on your radar. A recent survey in Manitoba found that in fields with uncontrolled wild oats, 100 per cent of populations were resistant to Group 1 products, 82 per cent were resistant to Group 2 products, and 82 per cent were resistant to both Group 1 and 2 herbicides. Those numbers show how important it is to take a closer look at wild oat weed escapes. Identifying why your herbicide failed to control wild oats is the first step toward finding a solution. Start by scouting the field to narrow down the cause. Consider factors such as application timing, weather conditions, late flush

Is fungicide actually effective on Sclerotinia head rot in sunflower?

This is one of the most difficult questions to answer because there are many things to consider. I also don’t want to be outright negative because we do still have options for sclerotinia management in sunflowers. However, management is the operative word. First of all, sclerotinia head rot infections have an interesting pathway. Spores use dead sunflower florets, plus pollen, as the base to infect a sunflower plant. The spores grow into the receptacle, infecting and decaying the entire head after a period of time. Sclerotinia wilt (basal stalk rot) and mid-stalk rot are also infected by the same sclerotinia species, but it will be via the mycelia that grow from the sclerotia bodies in the soil for basal stalk rot. Mid-stalk rot is also infected by ascospores, but this can be earlier in the season than head rot or at the same time. So, management of sclerotinia does not start at flowering. Crop rotation is the most obvious management tool that we are familiar with in sunflowers, but

Using Water More Efficiently in Beef Packing Plants

Packing plants use a time-tested approach to clean their facilities. The first step uses high-pressure hot water to remove fat and meat scraps from equipment, floors and walls. Next, surfaces are cleaned using detergent. Finally, sanitizers are used to further reduce bacterial numbers. Processing companies want to reduce water use as part of their environmental goals and to reduce energy bills. High-pressure water and steam can produce aerosols that capture bacteria and spread them throughout the plant. They can then settle on and cross-contaminate clean surfaces long after the cleaning has been completed, which complicates efforts to effectively clean facilities. Biofilms are another problem. Biofilms are colonies of bacteria surrounded by a protective layer that firmly attaches them to surfaces and shelters the bacteria from hot water, detergents and sanitizers. Biofilms are hard to remove and are commonly found in hard-to-reach places. These researchers investigated potential cro

© 2026   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service