Coming as part of Ontario’s push for more green power generation, the province announced last week that its electricity grid will soon get a boost from 14 new renewable energy projects, one of which will become North America’s largest solar farm.

The projects were awarded through the Standard Offer Program (SOP), Ontario Energy Minister Dwight Duncan said. “The Standard Offer Program is transforming the way we generate electricity in Ontario. This program is giving Ontarians the opportunity to help strengthen our energy system and clean up our air.”

The solar farm to be built in Sarnia by OptiSolar Farms will include more than one-million ground-mounted solar panels and will comprise four solar farms, contributing 40 MW to the grid by 2010, enough to power 6,000 homes.

The Ontario government has chosen to take a world-leading role in encouraging the development of renewable energy, and the SOP is making things happen, said OptiSolar Farms vice-president Peter Carrie. “Our goal is to make solar power a mainstream energy source.”

The 14 projects include two residential-sized solar photovoltaic installations, several 10 MW wind farms and two waterpower projects with First Nations participation. The Gitchi Animki Bezhig project will produce more than 8 MW of electricity; the Gitchi Animki Niizh project will produce 9.9 MW. All of the contracted projects are expected to be in service by 2010.

“This program continues to demonstrate Ontario’s international leadership in developing small renewable generation,” said Paul Shervill, a vice-president of the Ontario Power Authority, the developer and manager of the SOP. “But I am most pleased by the number, scope and provincewide geography of the projects it demonstrates that Ontarians are truly engaged in our electricity future.”

Including Thursday’s announcement, 36 projects have been awarded under the SOP since February. Taken together, these projects will generate 250 MW of renewable energy — enough to power more than 55,000 homes.

Ontario noted that its renewable SOP is the largest of its kind in North America and is expected to add 1,000 MW of clean energy to the grid over the next 10 years.

©Copyright 2007Intelligence Press Inc. All rights reserved. The preceding news reportmay not be republished or redistributed, in whole or in part, in anyform, without prior written consent of Intelligence Press, Inc.