Northland Power Scores Ontario Renewable Energy Deals
Energy Boom
Toronto-based Northland Power haslanded contracts to build 216 megawatts of green energy projects by theOntario Power Authority under the provincial government’s Clean Energy Act’s Feed-in Tariff program.
The projects, which include the development of ground-mounted solarpanel systems at 13 locations across Ontario, a wind farm on ManitoulinIsland, and partnerships in four hydroelectric energy projects on theKabinakagami River.
The 18 projects are Northland’s share of 184 new renewable energy deals under the province’s bulked up feed-intariff program, which will provide roughly 2,500 megawatts ofalternative power. Another winner in Ontario is Recurrent Energy, a privatesolar company in San Francisco, which won a deal to build severalphotovoltaic farms, with a combined capacity of 145 megawatts,ultimately creating 2,500 related jobs over the next two years—theresult of provincial rules that require the company to source 60% of its equipment in Ontario.
"Ontario has a vision for green energy," said Premier DaltonMcGuinty. "We will be a North American leader."
While the contracts awarded to Northland, Recurrent and others spellgood news for the future of renewables in the province, Ontarians will end up payingsomewhere in the neighborhood of CDN$300 more per year on their electric bills, according to some estimates.
Northland has recently completed construction of a 265 MWco-generation plant in Thorold, Ontario, and is obtaining financing tobuild a 86 MW peaking facility and 261 MW combined cycle solar plant,both in Saskatchewan, Canada.
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Original Article on EnergyBoom
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