Following last week's installation of 44 solar panels on the roof of the Church Hall at Glen Cairn United Church, the hook-up to the electricity grid took place yesterday, February 26th. Hydro Ottawa turned off the power at the church before 8 00 am so that the hook-up could be made.
By the end of the day there were two meters and other equipment installed. The regular meter measures how much electricity is pulled from the grid by the church. The lower meter, the new one, measures how much electricity is fed into the grid from the solar panels.
iSolara is the company that installed to solar panels for the church. iSolara estimates it will take around six years to replenish the capital funds borrowed to pay for the installation. For the remaining fourteen years of the initial contract with Hydro Ottawa, the panels will produce a welcome revenue stream for the church. Expectations are that that revenue stream will continue for many years after that twenty year contract has ended.
The system became operational late in the afternoon on February 26th, a cloudy day. Even for the hour or so of production on that day the solar energy meter registered the first out put of 4kW. As spring and summer come closer that output will soar.
No comments:
Post a Comment