Solar energy

On Saturday last we saw an article in the Ottawa Citizen about the first annual Solar Fair to be held at Ottawa's City Hall that day. We had seen a flyer about roof top solar energy a few months earlier and were interested. Now we could investigate further. So, in a "green" moment, we drove to the nearby Park and Ride and took the bus downtown where we could have lunch with the benefits of a $25.00 off coupon and visit the fair too.

Initially we were not too impressed by the fair. Outside City Hall was a hand printed Bristol Board poster advertising the fair. A very low tech introduction to this high tech business. Inside were about a dozen solar power companies with their booths, reps from Ontario Hydro and Ottawa Hydro, as well as Green Power people and money lending institutions. The inside looked a bit more promising.

We circulated and asked questions. We learned that our home with its S.W. facing roof might be an ideal site for producing electricity through solar power. We asked more questions and picked up handouts. We plan to have quotes and visits from three or more installers of solar power roof top electricity generators, and hope to make a decision about having our own installation after these visits.

The Ontario Power Authority (OPA)  will pay for the electricity produced, and the installation should pay for itself in 7 or so years in the 20 year contract. The OPA's website http://microfit.powerauthority.on.ca/ is an excellenet site for information about setting up a home solar power site.

Currently we are setting up visits from SOLARLOGIX, SOLACITY, and ISOLARA so we can learn more. The OPA site has lists of questions to ask such companies. We have already talked to SOLARLOGIX, have an appointment with SOLACITY set up for Monday, and are waiting for a response from ISOLARA to whom we sent a request for an appointment yesterday.