Information on Ontario's FIT (Feed In Tariff) Program
Ontario's PV Feed In Tariff is Second to None
Depending on the size you choose for the PV array on your property, you will fall under the microFIT Program (10 kilowatts or less in size) or the regular FIT Program (for projects over 10 kilowatts).
Domestic content
If you are applying for a solar PV microFIT contract, your project must meet domestic content requirements. These requirements ensure that a portion of your solar PV project is manufactured or produced in Ontario.
Requirements
The minimum required amount of Ontario-based content will increase over time and is determined by the year that a project reaches commercial operation. The minimum requirements are:
| Minimum Domestic Content Level | Year of Commercial Operation |
| 40% | 2009 to 2010 |
| 60% | 2011 and later |
The list below outlines the components or “designated activities” that will contribute to meeting your domestic content requirements.
| Designated Activity | Qualifying Percentage | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Silicon that has been used as input to solar photovoltaic cells manufactured in an Ontario refinery. | 10% | |
| 2. | Silicon ingots and wafer, where silicon ingots have been cast in Ontario and wafers have been cut from the casting by a saw in Ontario. | 12% | |
| 3. | The crystalline silicon solar photovoltaic cells, where their active photovoltaic layer(s) have been formed in Ontario. | 10% | |
| 4. | Solar photovoltaic modules (i.e. panels), where the electrical connections between the solar cells have been made in Ontario, and the solar photovoltaic module materials have been encapsulated in Ontario | 13% | |
| 5. | Inverter, where the assembly, final wiring and testing has been done in Ontario. (Conserval can source an Ontario supplier) | 9% | |
| 6. | Mounting systems, where the structural components of the fixed or moving mounting systems, have been entirely machined or formed or cast in Ontario. The metal for the structural components may not have been pre-machined outside Ontario other than peeling/roughing of the part for quality control purposes when it left the smelter or forge. The machining and assembly of the mounting system must entirely take place in Ontario (i.e. bending, welding, piercing, and bolting). (Conserval’s SolarDuct PV/T qualifies) | 9% | |
| 7. | Wiring and electrical hardware that is not part of other designated activities (i.e., items 1, 2, 3, and 5 of this table), sourced from an Ontario supplier. (Conserval will source an Ontario supplier) | 10% | |
| 8. | All on- and off-site labour and services. For greater certainty, this designated activity shall apply in respect of all contract facilities. (Conserval and its installers qualify) | 27% | |
| Total | 100% | ||
PV Feed In Tariff Example
To meet the domestic content requirements for a solar PV project reaching commercial operation on or before December 31, 2010, the project could be constructed with:
- a made-in-Ontario mounting system (SolarDuct PV/T)
- made-in-Ontario hardware (Conserval supplied)
- Ontario labour. (Project Management by Conserval)
The total domestic content of the project would be 46 percent and therefore would meet the 40 percent minimum domestic content level.
Responsibilities of the microFIT contract holder
To demonstrate that your project meets the domestic content requirements, you must:
- obtain a written confirmation from the equipment suppliers or installers and provide this to the OPA upon request
- indicate the achieved “designated activities” at the time the microFIT contract is offered.
How to Participate in Ontario's Feed In Tariff Program
Contact Conserval today & get your Ontario incentive eligible PV/T system
Contact Conserval to select the size of the solar PV thermal system.
Ontario content is required to be eligible for FIT.
SolarDuct units for mounting PV panels are manufactured in Ontario and qualify for the domestic content for the category - PV racking.
Working with Conserval Engineering, an Ontario corporation with its head office in Toronto, will ensure that your project qualifies for the domestic content.
EcoEnergy Program is a separate application and Conserval can assist you to sign up for the ecoEnergy Program to receive an additional $74 to $98 per square meter of SolarWall PV panels.
Signing up for the microFIT Program is straightforward. You apply online, there’s minimal paperwork – and there’s no application fee. There are three key steps involved in participating in the microFIT Program:
- Step 1: Submit an application
- Step 2: Build and connect your project
- Step 3: Accept your contract
Projects over 10kW in size are included in the regular FIT Program which has additional rules and regulations. Proponents are well advised to review the FIT rules and regulations to fully understand these requirements.
The FIT rates decline for larger installed systems in accordance with the following table.
| Solar PV Projects | |||
| Contract Price | Rooftop or ground-mounted | ≤ 10 kW | 80.2 ¢/kWh |
| Rooftop | > 10 kW ≤ 250 kW | 71.3 ¢/kWh | |
| Rooftop | > 250 kW ≤ 500 kW | 63.5 ¢/kWh | |
| Rooftop | > 500 kW | 53.9 ¢/kWh | |
| Ground-mounted* | >10 kW ≤ 10 MW | 44.3 ¢/kWh | |
| Length of Contract | 20 Years | ||
SolarDuct PV/T Summary for 10 kW Array
-
6 to 8 strings of 8 SolarDuct modules would be used to mount most PV panels depending on wattage of each PV module
- The system could be designed for preheating up to 10,000 cfm of ventilation air
- Potential thermal energy delivered is between 46 and 65 MWh annually
- Footprint (including ballast) over the entire roof area taken up is approximately 4 lbs/ft2
- Federal and Provincial (Ontario) thermal incentives approximately $165 to $218 per SolarDuct module depending on PV panels utilized in array.
Download Information on the Ontario FIT and SolarDuct PV/T
Below is a SolarDuct leaflet that contains information on how SolarDuct PV/T applies to the Ontario FIT, with a financial breakdown (example) of a PV/T VS traditional PV installation. You can download the PDF (requires a PDF reader; such as Adobe Reader) or view it online using iPaper (which requires Flash).