Residential Solar PV Systems

Effective Friday 13th, August, 2010 the following table applies to Solar PV systems:
(currently under review - new pricing expected January 2012)

The feed-in tariff:

Feed-In Tariff Prices for Renewable Energy Projects in Ontario
Technology	Size	Proposed ¢/kWh
Solar PV
Rooftop Microfit	≤ 10 kW	80.2
Ground Mounted Microfit	≤ 10 kW	64.2
Rooftop	10 – 250 kW	71.3
Rooftop	250– 500 kW	63.5
Rooftop	> 500 kW	53.9
Ground Mounted	≤ 10 MW	44.3

These tariffs are designed to replace the existing net metering and standard offer programs. Under the new Feed-in Tariff, you are paid for every kWh of electricity produced.

August 13, 2010 Update: OPA changes the tariff for ground based microfit systems to 64.2 cents from 80.2 cents. Read more at the OPA website: Ground Based Microfit

December 2010 Update: OPA proposal to have all MicroFiT customers request an Offer to Connect from their LDC before the OPA issues a microFIT conditional offer .

October 31, 2011: prices under review - expect new rates to be announced in January 2012.

Residential Plug & Play Packages

Rooftop

We offer several residential rooftop packages that fit under the MicroFiT maximum size of 10 kW AC. These packages include 230-245 watt solar panels, racking, ground lugs, combiner boxes, fuses and grid-tie inverters. We ship to your home and you call a local electrician and have the system installed or we can install the rooftop systems for you. We have several pre-packaged system sizes to suit your requirements.

Our systems can be designed with Central Inverters or with Micro-inverters. Central inverters work very well where there is no chance of shading on the solar panels. Micro-inverters will produce more power if one or more of your solar panels may experience shade during the day - large trees, chimney, etc.

An Ontario Solar Farms 3.6kW Rooftop Installation in London.

Ground Mounted

If you have the space, a ground mounted system can increase power production. We offer several residential ground mounted systems that qualify for the MicroFiT program of 10kW AC or less.

A 11 kW DC (10 kW AC) Static Ground Mounted system. This package provides a lowest cost, minimal maintenance, fixed solution. The panels are positioned to point south and with the best elevation for your specific site. There are no adjustments made once the system is installed. One of the racks we use, holds 3 rows of solar panels. If you would like a lower profile we also have a racking system that mounts the solar panels just 2 rows high - longer row, but lower profile.

A 11 kW DC (10kW AC) static pole mounted system. This solution provides a very low profile, 4 pole setup, with seasonal adjustments made to increase production. The season adjustments provide a significant increase in power output over a fixed installation (10%), while requiring a minimum of effort.

A 11 kW DC (10kW AC) single-axis or dual-axis ground mounted trackers. The dual-axis tracker package offers the improved output of a dual-axis tracker (40% over fixed), while maintaining a fairly low profile setup via use of two poles. If space is a concern, we also offer a 10kW system on a single pole.

Our single-axis tracker offers a very low to the ground option, spreading the 10kW solar panels across 3 or 4 poles. With this smaller array size, the single-axis tracker doesn't require complete wind-guard technology.

Email us for pricing: email

Inverters: We offer both a central grid-tie inverter system: one or two inverters for the complete system, as well as micro-inverters which are connected to each solar panel. Where your solar system will not experience any shading throughout the day, a central inverter is usually the cheaper option to implement.

About Ontario Solar Farms

Ontario Solar Farms has been in the solar PV business since 2007, long before the Green Energy Act and the hundreds of start-up companies that flooded the market. We offer high quality products and services at excellent prices. Having been in the solar PV business since 2007, we purchase our products directly from the manufacturer and pass on the savings to you, our customer.

What was the Net metering and Standard Offer Program that was offer prior to Feed-in Tariff?

Netmetering

Your electrical meter is replaced with a new meter that can run forward and backward. All electricity produced by your solar system is first used within your residence. If there is a surplus, it runs onto the electrical grid and your electrical meter runs backwards. You get billed for your "total" usage over a period of time - usually billed per month, but your total usage in taken over a one year span. If you happened to have a surplus during this "total" usage timeframe, you would not get any credit for the extra electricity you generated. Very few residential systems under this program, would produce enough power to cover the needs of the household. Residential solar systems typically were sized to cover less than half of the total electrical needs of the household since you were not paid for any extra electricity that was produced. If you have a Net Metering system and want to convert to the Feed-in Tariff system, you need to install a second meter and meet the Ontario content rules. You can then "sell" ALL of the electrical power you produce, to the OPA (in Ontario) at 80.2 cents per kwh (under 10kW). Your existing meter is used to determine how much power your house uses and you pay for this power at the going rate - around 11 cents per kwh. You must also apply for a new MicroFiT contact via the OPA website.

Standard Offer Program

Your production of electrical power, is kept completely separate from all other systems. Production is metered as it goes onto the electrical grid. Your contract is with the Ontario Power Authority, though you deal with the Local Distribution Company for Impact Assessments and connection issues. You are paid 42 cents per kilowatt-hour produced, for a period of 20 years. The new FiT rates are better for ALL system sizes. To switch to the FiT system, you need to apply for a new contract through the OPA Website and meet the Ontario content rules.

FAQ About Solar PV Systems

Will solar panels work in the north? A. Yes. Ontario has good quantities of sunlight.
What about trees? A. No part of a solar panel should be covered in shade between 8:00am and 6:00pm during summer months or 10:00am to 4:00pm in winter. Even a small amount of shade can drastically reduce electrical production. If shading may take place, we offer a micro-inverter system. With a micro-inverter, only the panel or panels, that have shading, have reduced power output. With a central inverter, if one panel in a string of panels is shaded, the output of the whole string can be reduced.
Do I need to face Due South? A. While solar thermal systems that heat water can face east, west or south, solar PV panels need to point close to a southerly direction. Some mounting systems can assist with aiming the panels if they are not to far off of south. The ground mounted systems can easily be aimed in the correct direction. You should NEVER install rooftop mounted solar panels facing straight East or West!

Would you like more information ? Please complete our contact form and we'll give you a call or send you a detailed quote.