Canada - New contracts add small renewable power generation to Ontario grid

Since its inception in November 2006, the Ontario Power Authority’s (OPA) Standard Offer Program has signed 36 contracts—totalling 238 megawatts (MW) of power— with small renewable generators to provide electricity to the Ontario grid.

The 20-year contracts, reported in the OPA’s 2007 First Quarter Report on the program, released today, involve all four renewable “fuels”—solar, water power, bio-mass and wind. The projects include four small kilowatt residential solar photovoltaic installations, several 10 megawatt wind farms, one of the largest solar farms in the world and two waterpower projects that will be developed by partnerships with First Nations’ interests.

The OPA is currently reviewing a further 89 applications—contracts will be awarded as they are evaluated and reported quarterly. All of the contracted projects are expected to be in-service by 2010. As part of the application process, each project is required to demonstrate the commencement of the environmental screening process, if required.

The Standard Offer Program—the largest of its kind in North America—is the culmination of a year-long process to encourage small generators to participate in the province’s electricity system.

The program is a collaboration of the OPA, the Ontario Energy Board, Local Distribution Companies and organizations promoting renewable energy. The guiding principles of the program are: simplicity, the removal of barriers to participation by smaller projects, supporting the government’s renewable generation targets and providing value to Ontario’s electricity users.