THUNDER BAY – Thunder Bay Hydro will begin installation of commercial rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on the Victoriaville Parkade and the EMS Headquarters on Junot Street this week. The combined systems consist of 1,350 PV modules, made by Heliene Inc. from Sault Ste. Marie, are designed to generate approximately 394 megawatt hours of electricity per year- enough to power 36 homes.
The installations are expected to begin generating electricity by the end of December 2012. Thunder Bay Hydro will sell the generated electricity to the Ontario Power Authority under a 20 year Feed-In Tariff program (FIT) contract. The electricity will be distributed to the provincial grid.
“The opportunities from renewable electricity generation have been a natural fit for our company,” states Robert Mace, President of Thunder Bay Hydro Corporation. “These projects line up well with our vision to grow our business value for the City of Thunder Bay”.
These two installations are the first of six planned since Thunder Bay Hydro entered into a strategic alliance with the City of Thunder Bay in July 20101 and follows on the success of the Thunder Bay Hydro Mapleward Renewable Generating Station. The City will receive regular income from annual lease payments and, as sole shareholder of Thunder Bay Hydro, will benefit from future profit from the installations.
Thunder Bay Hydro has awarded the general contract for installation to local contractor, Maki Bay Solar Ltd, in conjunction with local subcontractors. The choice exemplifies the vision of Thunder Bay Hydro to create local green employment and local economic benefits through its SEED Initiative (Sustainable Electric Energy Development).
