We are looking for FIT and MicroFIT projects to purchase. If you have a contract offer for your project then contact us today and we can negotiate an upfront cash settlement.

Also, if you have a contract offer but are just looking for a financing partner, or just simply an installer, contact us for a free consultation. We have the experience to get your large projects in fast.

January 6, 2012

October 27, 2011

April 26, 2011

April 13, 2011

April 13, 2011

March 25, 2011

March 10, 2011

March 8, 2011

You want a solar power system. You want to take advantage of the MicroFIT program. You want a great investment. Now comes the hard part: choosing the right solar partner.

It's tough out there in the trenches. You approach different vendors because you're supposed to. You get 3 quotes because you're supposed to. You try your best but are you comparing apples to apples? How will I be sure I'm not just getting a leaky roof? Am I happy buying panel X or should I go with the better Sharp panels? Is this vendor going to treat me like I'm the boss?

Well, we've come up with one sure-fire way of determining how to choose the right vendor. Tell your prospective vendor this: "Show me a list of 20 systems in my area that you have installed and let me choose one at random. I would like to see that system and speak with that home-owner." Will you get excuses or will you get a list? If you get a list, then chances are you're speaking with Solar Direct Canada.

Thanks to all who came by.

February 1, 2011 - New FIT Program

The OPA announced today a new FIT program for Commercial Aggregators. This program is intended for commercial entities who wish to take advantage of the MicroFIT program but don't qualify under the current rules. The new program is called CFIT, or Commercial Feed-In-Tariff. Solar Power systems in the CFIT program will earn 71.3c/kWh for rooftop and 44.3c/kWh for ground-mount.

How does this affect the MicroFIT program and your existing application or contract? It doesn't. It's simply a new and separate program stream. If you have any questions please contact us and we'll be happy to answer them.

January 25, 2011 - Open House this Saturday

Big thanks to everyone who stopped by. If you missed this event but would like this or another one of our installations, please contact us and we'll make arrangements.

January 3, 2011 - Sharp Panels in stock

We now have Ontario-made solar panels in our warehouse that satisfies the 2011 domestic content requirements under the MicroFIT program. These panels are made by Sharp and are top tier in the industry.

If you have your OPA Contract already in hand and haven't talked to us yet, give us a call. We have everything in stock and can get started on your project right away.

December 12, 2010 - Some pictures from one of our recent installs

We're quickly approaching a deadline of sorts. Come January 1, 2011, anyone hoping to get a solar PV system in on the MicroFIT program will have to comply with 60% domestic content (up from 40% this year). Essentially it means we (and every other solar company in this province) will have to start buying solar panels made in Ontario. This reduces our number of panel suppliers quite drastically. If you're serious about getting into the MicroFIT program and would rather buy a system at today's prices, you better contact us soon.

On an unrelated note, we are now installing our dual-axis tracker systems (11.28kW) on 3 poles or 4. (PS: Did you know we manufacturer our own tracker heads? We do!)

September 23, 2010 - Open House & Milton Fall Fair

We like busy weekends, I guess. We'll be having an Open House in Fergus and we'll also be attending the Milton Fall Fair. Come chat with us!

August 18, 2010 - Open House Sunday August 29

As part of the Halton Region Solar Project, we're showing off two locations!

Big thanks to everyone who stopped by.

August 13, 2010 - Good News & Bad News
The Ontario Power Authority finally made their announcement regarding price changes for ground-mounted solar power. The good news is that all applications that were submitted before July 2 will get the full 80.2c/kWh.

The not-so-great news is that all apps submitted after July 2, for ground-mount systems, will receive 64.2c/kWh. There is still money to be made here, just not as much.

You can read their press release here.

July 22, 2010 - MicroFIT Town Hall
We attended the MicroFIT town hall in Vaughan this evening. Among the guests were:

Ben Chin, VP Communications, Ontario Power Authority (OPA)
Jaret Henhoeffer, CEO, Penguin Power - A Developer's Perspective
Ian Karleff, CEO, AS Solar - A Distributor's Perspective
Adam Webb, CEO, Sentinel Solar - A Manufacturer's Perspective
Carlos Leite, CEO, Solarize Energy - A Policy Perspective

All of the presentations were excellent, except Ben Chin's which was pretty canned, as expected. As usual, Ben kept asking people over and over to email in their experiences, data, and information. But while the OPA have kept asking for this information, Ben said during his presentation (paraphrasing): "One of the two things we keep hearing from everyone is that the new model is fair, they just don't like how it was announced."

Well I was one of the ones that stood up for questions, and my question was to the crowd: Does anyone here feel the new model is fair and they just don't like how it was announced? No one raised their hands, no one stood up. It was very quiet. So I turned to Mr. Chin and said, "There you go."

Once again, the most important point of the entire evening was this: since the OPA isn't listening or doesn't care, our only voice left is your local MPP. Call them now. Ask what they're doing for you. Insist they react on your behalf. Now.

July 22, 2010 - The MicroFIT battle heats up
In an interesting development, the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario has gotten involved and issued a press release:

The Ontario Power Authority (OPA) must fully disclose the financial assumptions it used to justify the price cut to Ontario’s renewable energy feed-in tariff ("microFIT") program, says Gord Miller, the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario. “People will lose confidence in Ontario’s commitment to green energy,” he warned. “We need the full financial details used to justify this price cut.”

Read the full release here.

We're quickly running out of time, so the time to act is now! If you haven't recently, get in touch with your MPP and ask for a status update. Ask them what they've done and what their plans are for helping all MicroFIT homeowners. Let them know you'll call them again in a couple of days for another status update. Do not let up!

July 16, 2010 - OPA Clearly Out To Lunch
The OPA released a "rationale" document for their price change for ground-mounted systems. What's odd about this article (besides the fact that they still haven't provided any of the magical data they keep purporting to have used), is that it clearly shows a gross year-one return of 14.7% for the tracker system, and a 15.2% return for the fixed (and conveniently doesn't show any numbers for rooftop, since it would show roughly the same kind of numbers).

But then they point to a 23% ROI for the former, and 24% for the latter. Now, what kind of universe did they compute their math to arrive at these numbers? Well, they've retreated into the world of debt/equity ratios. Witness:

In setting FIT and microFIT rates, OPA took into account typical project capital costs, operating and maintenance costs, financing costs and expected electricity production over the life of the project. A 70/30 debt/equity split was assumed and debt borrowing costs were assumed at 7 percent.

This is, quite frankly, one of the most ridiculous things we've ever come across. Sure, if you want to sit there and service 70% price of the system as debt, you can probably make 24% return on the 30% that you invested yourself. But who on earth would actually calculate their investment like this? Certainly none of our customers. No sane person would. There are a number of problems with us, such as what happens to the 70% debt that you are servicing at the end of the contract?

What is this really pointing to? The OPA is clearly doing whatever they can to justify the rate change decision. Which means they've been ordered to make the change regardless of how stupid it is. Ie: this is entirely political. This is no longer a game of trying to clue them in, because they already know the truth. We must fight this battle on the political level.

Contact your MPP today and insist on a meeting. Communicate your concerns and get their position on the matter. If you get a meeting set up with your MPP and would like one of us to attend to help clarify the facts, we would be more than happy to help you out. Do not let up. This is far from over.

Big thanks to Ted Chudleigh, MPP for Halton Region for taking a stand against the OPA and McGuinty's government. If you know of an MPP who is fighting with us, please let us know so we can publicly thank them for their support.

July 15, 2010 - Open House this Sunday
Well we're moving forward because we believe in this business and in green energy. We hope you do too.

Big thanks to everyone who came out for the event. If you missed it but would still like to see this installation, please contact us.

July 9, 2010 - MPPs are listening!
If you've read this article in The Star, you can see our communication plan is working! But this is no time to stop, in fact this is the time to ramp it up. Contact your local MPP again, thank them for bringing the issue to McGuinty, and encourage them to not let up. It is very important to make them aware that the Return On Investment of ground-mount is no more than rooftop. Also, if you can arrange a meeting with your local MPP, we'll be glad to accompany and assist you in your presentation.

July 9, 2010 - OPA Webcasts
If you missed the OPA webcasts on Tuesday and Thursday, you can listen to both at these links:

Tuesday's Webcast
Thursday's Webcast

You can still help! Write to your local MPP and tell them how you feel. Also, the OPA wants to hear your experiences. Write to them and tell them how much you've seen rooftop and ground-mount systems quoted for and how much rate of return was expected on each system.

We have an automated tool that we use to price systems and also tells us the rate of return for each type. Under ideal conditions, a ground-mount system will have a 20 year return of 13.9%. An equivallent sized rooftop system will have a 14.1% return. It doesn't get any simpler than that.

(Please note these numbers don't account for insurance, maintenance, cost of borrowing, loss of land use (if you're a farmer and are using agricultural land, there's an actual $ here), and whatever costs are unique to your situation. Your true ROI is always lower and very likely in the 10 to 11% the OPA keeps harping about.)

July 7, 2010 - OPA Changes Rules for no good reason - continued
If you listened in on the OPA webcast yesterday, then you will know that several things are immediately apparent:

• Homeowners across the board are outraged over the "proposed" changes.
  
• Companies like ourselves, who have made a significant investment in preparing ourselves for ground-mount system installs, are flabbergasted that the OPA has pulled the rug out from under us with zero warning. We'll see some bankruptcies in the coming weeks.
  
• We're not sure which cave the OPA were sitting in when they did their research, compiled their data, and decided that ground-mount systems were so much cheaper than rooftop systems, but it certainly wasn't part of the real world or had anything to do with consulting the companies who are selling and implementing these systems.
  
• Based on the new version of the MicroFIT rules already published on the website, and the changes to the application process, including unlocking all outstanding microfit applications, this whole thing sure seems like a done deal, donit?

One thing you can do right now: they want to hear from you. They want to hear about your experiences, exactly how much you paid for your system, how much different companies are quoting, how you financed it, what kind of return you are expecting. If you've already done work or spent money preparing for your system, such as removing trees or preparing access to your land, let them know. You can send your emails to the OPA here: microfit@powerauthority.on.ca.

July 5, 2010 - OPA Changes Rules for no good reason
The Ontario Power Authority released new changes to the MicroFIT program last Friday that call for a change in the price they're paying for ground-mount PV electricity to 58.8c/watt down from 80.2c/watt. Their reasoning is: "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." This is, quite frankly, hogwash.

Perhaps they are unaware of the 40 tons of concrete that is required in a ground-mount system, or the several tons of steel (in addition to aluminum that is 3x the strength of rooftop), or the $100,000 worth of equipment required to dig holes, trench 350', remove dirt, or crane to hoist equipment into place on top of the poles. Not to mention 2 weeks worth of labour instead of 2 days.

This move is especially painful for us as most of our customers have purchased ground-mount systems, and we've made significant investment on gearing up for these installs, including having product in inventory waiting for install. We have OPA applications that we have been waiting for responses from, dating back to February. These, too, are affected by this change.

Since the ROI is pretty much the same between the two, the only reason people are opting for ground-mount systems is because so few people have ideal rooftops.

If you care about the solar industry, consider making yourself heard now. Write a letter to your local MPP and to the OPA. There is a 30 day comment period regarding these changes, so please send your letters now. If you would like a sample letter you can use to forward to your local elected official, please email us and we will forward you one.

May 29, 2010 - Open House this Saturday

Big thanks to everyone who stopped by. If you missed this open house but would still like to see one of our installed systems, please contact us and we'll arrange an appointment.

May 29, 2010 - Another System Online
We have another system with online monitoring. This is a 4.6kW rooftop system near Acton, Ontario. Click here.

May 11, 2010 - More Pictures
Some pictures from one of our roof-top installs: Click here.

April 27, 2010 - Open House this Sunday

Big thanks to everyone who stopped by. Once again, the coffee machine was a big hit. If you were there but didn't get a chance to ask questions, drop us a line at sales@solardirectcanada.com or give us a call tollfree at 1-866-559-1087.

April 17, 2010 - Pictures and Panels
We discovered a couple more pictures of the Acton install with John working on one of the Actuators, so we threw them up with the others. Click here to see the whole series.

Also note that we have added Sharp 230W panels to the products section at a very good price.

Monday March 22, 2010 - Open House this Sunday

Big thanks to everyone who dropped by.

March 10, 2010 - MicroFIT Update

As of March 8:

• 180 MicroFIT projects are connected to the grid and receiving payments for electricity generated.
  
• The OPA has received 6,176 applications since October 1, of which 6,114 are solar PV.
  
• 2000 conditional offers have been sent out.
  

March 8, 2010 - Another Great Open House
We would like to thank everyone who came out to our Open House on Sunday. We had an amazing tournout, especially from the folks on the Halton Region Solar Project tour. We sold 3 more systems yesterday as folks are rushing to get in line to get their systems up and running before the summer sunshine comes. Also, the coffee machine was a big success.

March 3, 2010 - Open House

This time we're part of the Halton Region Solar Project tour. Come by and check us out. There'll be free coffee, mochachino, hot chocolate, latte, and one more I can't remember.

February 17, 2010 - Halton Compass Article
There are two very fine looking gentlemen on the front page of the Halton Compass. Click here to read the article.

February 14, 2010 - Open House Questions
By far, the most common question we got at the Open House was, "Why isn't everyone doing this?" They will be, shortly. You're going to see solar systems going up everywhere within 6 months to a year. The only question we ask of you is: do you want to collect money now or do you want to be in the queue?

If you missed the open house but would still like to see the system in Acton in action, just contact us and we'll be happy to schedule a visit. Or you can call us toll free at 1-866-559-1087.

February 12, 2010 - Free TV at Open House
I was told not to announce it on the website but I'm going to do it anyway. I'm giving a free 28" LCD TV to anyone putting a down payment on a system at tomorrow's Open House. Tomorrow only!

February 4, 2010

Visit one of the largest residential ground-mount solar power systems in Ontario at our Open House. Talk with the owner and our solar professionals.

Jan 5, 2010 -- Monitoring for Acton Project
Our latest system in Acton is now being monitored online. Check live daily progress at our Solarvu Energy Portal.

Also, be sure to tune into AM800, CHUM Radio Windsor, as our co-founder Ray Jarvis is scheduled to appear on their Experts on Call program this Sunday, January 10th, at 9AM.

Dec 24, 2009 -- OPA Accepts Contracts
The OPA has announced that out of 2,200 applications submitted for FIT and MicroFIT contracts, 700 have been accepted and have received conditional offers.

As one of those 700, Solar Direct Canada will be flipping the switch on a 10kW ground-mount system in Halton Hills, our first under the new MicroFIT program. This is one of the largest residential systems in Ontario, and fully meets domestic content rules for the MicroFIT program.

We will be scheduling a ribbon-cutting ceremony shortly. Please contact us if you would like to attend: sales@solardirectcanada.com.

Dec 14, 2009 -- More Pictures
More pictures added here.

Nov 19, 2009 -- Pictures
Click here for some pictures of our latest installation. This is a 10.8kW ground-mount system near Acton, Ontario.

Nov 4, 2009 -- PST Rebate - More
Just a quick update as a few people have inquired about the criteria for claiming the PST rebate. The system must be purchased and installed by Jan 1, 2010 to qualify.

Oct 23, 2009 -- PST Rebate
Just a reminder that if you purchase a solar system before Jan 1, 2010, you are eligible to receive the PST back in full. That's up to $6500! Your ROI just got better. See this Ontario Ministry of Revenue page for more details.

Oct 14, 2009 -- OPA Update
The Ontario Power Authority held the first of a number of weekly post-FIT Announcement Q&A sessions with the public last Thursday. The hottest topic, of course, was the domestic content rules as announced in their FIT and microFIT rules released Sept 24. For solar PV microFIT projects, a whopping 40% must be Ontario sourced. This makes it challenging for solar PV installers such as ourselves as we must adhere to these rules or be declined under the microFIT program.

The real problem stems from the lack of manufacturers of solar PV and mounting systems in Ontario. It will take time for national and international suppliers to scale up some kind of manufacturing solution for Ontario customers. Fortunately they are pushing forward for some quick work-arounds and we expect resolution within the coming month.

In the meantime, we are pleased to announce that we have a solution for ground-mount systems and we can install these projects and be approved for microFIT asap. Roof-mount systems will not lag long, however, and now is a great chance to jump the queue and get your position.

And finally, the Ontario Power Authority are meeting with the Minister of Environment to further discuss the domestic content rules, and we wouldn't be surprised if they tweaked these rules in our favour in the near term.

Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.

Sept 24, 2009 -- Important Announcement from the Ontario Power Authority
The OPA has announced the Feed-In Tarriff program, a first for Canada. Homeowners can now enjoy money from the government in return for clean green energy produced on their homes.

Read the official announcement for more information.

How much will I be paid? Up to 80.2c/kwH for solar panels on your roof. Check the price schedule here.

News for Ontario Homeowners

With the passing of the Ontario Green Energy Act we have the last piece of the “perfect storm” for the solar industry (in a good way). The generous feed-in-tariff that it provides, coupled with very low interest rates and cheap equipment prices mean that there has never been a better time for solar energy in Ontario.

Best of all, this is not one of those opportunities that is meant just for the utilities and big corporations. The Act simplifies the energy regulations with the homeowner in mind, provides a “Right to Connect” and opens the door for everyone.

This “perfect storm” means that your roof is no longer just for keeping the rain out. It is now a place to invest money and can provide a rate of return that mutual funds can only dream of. To make things even more secure, this rate is guaranteed by the government for 20 years.

These are exciting times. Make the most of it.