North America's First Feed-In Tariff Launched
On September 24, 2009, the Government of Ontario officially launched Canada's first feed-in tariff, a new renewable energy program established under the landmark Green Energy Act. The feed-in tariff is a cornerstone of the province's plan, Government's 10 steps to green energy, to make Ontario a No
Ontario's Feed-in Tariff Program Highlights
More Headlines
- The Uses of Ultra High Purity Gas Valves and Gas Cabinets in Photovoltaic and Solar Panel Manufacturing
- Stabilizing the Electric Grid Siemens, DEPCOM Power and local utility come together to provide affordable, efficient renewable power
- Turning up the heat on grid reliability: How FLIR thermal vision is protecting a quarter of Ireland's electricity grid from cascade failure blackouts
- Breakthrough GameChange Solar Terrain Following System Dramatically Reduces Grading
- Dispatch Energy Receives $160 Million Investment from Terramont Infrastructure Partners
Feed-in Tariff Program
The feed-in tariff (FIT) Program will accelerate the growth of clean, renewable sources of energy, including bioenergy, solar, waterpower and wind, and the creation of thousands of new green jobs. The program will attract a diverse range of renewable energy producers including homeowners, community-based groups and larger scale commercial generators by:
* guaranteeing specific rates for energy generated from renewable sources
* providing the right to connect to the electricity grid for renewable energy projects that meet technical, economic and other regulatory requirements
* delivering a one-stop streamlined approvals process, providing service guarantees for renewable energy projects that meet regulatory requirements
* requiring domestic content for renewable energy projects - creating job opportunities here at home
* helping local communities and First Nation and Métis communities to build, own and operate their own renewable energy projects.
Ontario Power Authority is responsible for administering FIT. Applications will be accepted starting October 1, 2009.
Renewable energy projects that generate less than 10 kW of electricity will have a different application process than larger commercial projects and will be administered as micro-feed-in tariff (microFIT) projects.
Dedicated websites will go live September 30, 2009, providing step-by-step instructions and materials to assist developers, homeowners and small businesses with program requirements and the application process.
Information on renewable energy development and approvals can also be accessed through the provincial government's Renewable Energy Facilitation Office.
WHAT IS A FEED-IN TARIFF AND HOW IT WORKS
* "Feed-in tariff" refers to the specific price paid to renewable energy suppliers for the green energy they produce.
* It guarantees market-viable prices for electricity generated from renewable energy sources and provides a reasonable rate of return for projects of different types and sizes. It includes standardized program rules, prices and contracts. The rates are based on the size of the project and the type of energy used to generate electricity.
* A feed-in tariff helps spark new investment in renewable energy generation by offering proponents easier access to financing and the energy grid, and a streamlined approvals process.
Featured Product
Vecoplan - Planning and implementation of complete processing plants in refuse derived fuel production
In order to reduce the costs involved in the energy-intensive production of cement, many manufacturers are turning to refuse-derived fuels (RDF), considerably reducing the proportion of expensive primary fuels they would normally use. Solid fuels are being increasingly used - these might be used tyres, waste wood or mixtures of plastics, paper, composite materials and textiles. Vecoplan provides operators of cement plants with proven and robust components for conveying the material and separating iron and impurities, efficient receiving stations, storage systems and, of course, efficient shredders for an output in various qualities.
