2002/48 (a)

BACKGROUNDER

PHOTOVOLTAIC SOLAR HOMES

Overview

The Government of Canada, through the Climate Change Action Fund's (CCAF's) Technology Early Action Measures (TEAM) and Natural Resources Canada, is investing approximately $1,025,000 with ARISE Technologies Corporation to develop and demonstrate Canada's first community-scale photovoltaic (PV) rooftop solar energy systems for homes.

ARISE will monitor the performance of the systems to help optimize the integration of components so that this type of system can eventually be marketed on a larger scale across the country.

Total Budget: $2,095,000
CCAF/TEAM: $820,000
Natural Resources Canada: $205,000 ($105,000; $100,000 in-kind)
ARISE Technologies: $591,000
Other Partners: $479,000 (Cook Homes; Waterloo North Hydro; City of Waterloo; Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce; Professor Ian Rowlands, University of Waterloo; homebuyers)

Description of the Project

ARISE Technologies Corporation, with the help of Natural Resources Canada's CANMET Energy Technology Centre, will install integrated PV systems on the rooftops of eight to ten new homes in Kitchener–Waterloo, Ontario.

The systems will be capable of generating a total of 4,500 kilowatt hours of electricity per home each year, or approximately 45 percent of the electrical load of a typical Canadian house. They will be connected to the utility grid, and will be able to send surplus electricity back to the utility. The rooftop arrays will contain crystalline PV modules as well as thin-film amorphous-silicon solar cells and a supporting roofing structure. These PV rooftop systems will consist of about 40 percent Canadian content.

Significance of the Project

By using these technologies on energy-efficient homes, designers hope to gain a better understanding of the technical and non-technical issues, including electrical grid connection, roof design, performance, permits and regulations, community planning, financing, marketing and raising awareness.

Using solar PV panels can displace fossil fuels that would normally be used to generate electricity, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Investment Partners

Climate Change Action Fund (CCAF): The Government of Canada established the $150-million Fund in the 1998 federal budget. The Fund is built into the existing fiscal framework. The CCAF supports projects that have the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as well as increase understanding of climate change. The TEAM portion of the CCAF focuses on supporting investments in technology projects to reduce emissions, while sustaining economic and social development. The Government of Canada renewed the CCAF in Budget 2000.

Natural Resources Canada (NRCan): NRCan is a Government of Canada department which is dedicated to improving the quality of life of Canadians through the sustainable development and use of natural resources. NRCan looks at these issues from both a national and international perspective, using expertise in science and technology, policy and programs. R&D supporting the development and deployment of PV technology is carried out at NRCan's CANMET Energy Technology Centre in Varennes, Quebec.

ARISE Technologies Corporation: ARISE is a solar engineering and manufacturing company based in Kitchener, Ontario, that is dedicated to providing sustainable energy solutions. It is a leader in integrating PV technology into the structure of buildings.

For more information, contact:

Josef Ayoub
CANMET Energy Technology Centre – Varennes
(450) 652-1981
Cellphone: (514) 917-2557

More information on the CCAF and the TEAM component is available on the Government of Canada's Climate Change Web site at www.climatechange.gc.ca.