Toronton Company offering Free Solar Panels!

Horus
Horus Registered Users Posts: 24 ✭
in Solar Skeptics, Hype, & Scams Corner #1
I just read an article about a Toronto based company that is making money off of the new feed in rates available from the government for clean energy. The company will install a full on $40,000-$50,000 PV system on your roof and pay for all costs. It will then collect the 80 cents for every kilowatt hour generated, and pay a percentage to the homeowner. It's that simple. And after the contract expires, the homeowner can buy out the system for $1.

This business model seems like a win for everyone, and will definitely help increase the overall numbers of people with these type of clean energy systems.

For more details, the original article is linked below.

http://envirogy.wordpress.com/2010/05/07/when-solar-make-sense/
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  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: Toronton Company offering Free Solar Panels!

    As long as there is no "trap" that requires the homeowner to generate "x" amount of power, or there is a penalty, sounds like a deal. Who is responsible for maintainance & parts cost (new inverter, labor for dud panel?) A $1 buy out is neat.
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,613 admin
    #3
    Re: Toronton Company offering Free Solar Panels!

    Except for "the people" (who/whomever they are) paying $0.80 per kWHr when the cost of hydro/fuel generated power is probably less than $0.04 per kWHr...

    -Bill :roll:;)
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • stevend
    stevend Solar Expert Posts: 34 ✭
    #4
    Re: Toronton Company offering Free Solar Panels!
    BB. wrote: »
    Except for "the people" (who/whomever they are) paying $0.80 per kWHr when the cost of hydro/fuel generated power is probably less than $0.04 per kWHr...

    Hard to call this one... The government pays out the $0.80/kWh but since electricity here in Ontario is heavily subsidized, a lot of it comes from the taxpayer. However, the program exists for reasons, two of them being getting a green economy going and "helping" to get rid of our coal fired plants for reasons of health and climate change. Regarding the first one, as a direct result of certain domestic requirements companies are setting up PV module assembly plants (Samsung, Canadian Solar, Photowatt, and Opsun Panels are ones I've heard about) and inverter assembly plants (SMA Solar Technology AG that I know of) plus there's all the new solar installer companies.

    The $0.80/kWh is for <10kW systems and is just the price you hear about. There are other, but still generous, rates for larger systems. We've a 20MW solar farm near Ottawa that's on an older version of this program getting $0.40/kWh:
    http://rimstar.org/renewnrg/sp_arnprior_solar_farm.htm
    -Steve
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  • CaptTurbo
    CaptTurbo Solar Expert Posts: 66 ✭✭✭✭
    #5
    Re: Toronton Company offering Free Solar Panels!

    "Hard to call this one... The government pays out the $0.80/kWh but since electricity here in Ontario is heavily subsidized, a lot of it comes from the taxpayer."

    Just who in the heck do you think the "government" is when talking about funds? Government generates or creates nothing. Welcome to the new order.

    That said, I jumped on the redistribution band wagon and look forward to my 30% tax credit. The po folks can pay my taxes for a while. :blush:
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  • stevend
    stevend Solar Expert Posts: 34 ✭
    #6
    Re: Toronton Company offering Free Solar Panels!
    CaptTurbo wrote: »
    "Hard to call this one... The government pays out the... Just who in the heck do you think the "government" is when talking about funds? Government generates or creates nothing. Welcome to the new order.

    That said, I jumped on the redistribution band wagon and look forward to my 30% tax credit. The po folks can pay my taxes for a while. :blush:

    Sure the money is coming from us but in this case our government is doing exactly what I want them to do with it.

    Ah heck, being a solar installer I come out ahead anyway. :blush:
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  • Jerry
    Jerry Registered Users Posts: 19 ✭
    #7
    Re: Toronto Company offering Free Solar Panels!
    Horus wrote: »
    I just read an article about a Toronto based company that is making money off of the new feed in rates available from the government for clean energy. The company will install a full on $40,000-$50,000 PV system on your roof and pay for all costs. It will then collect the 80 cents for every kilowatt hour generated, and pay a percentage to the homeowner. It's that simple. And after the contract expires, the homeowner can buy out the system for $1.

    This business model seems like a win for everyone, and will definitely help increase the overall numbers of people with these type of clean energy systems.

    For more details, the original article is linked below.

    http://envirogy.wordpress.com/2010/05/07/when-solar-make-sense/

    I am wondering who is responsible to pay for service?

    After contract finished, equitment such as inverters might run out of standard warranty....... That mean a cost of service in the future indeeded !!

    Therefore, I don't thinks it is a good deal
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  • trends
    trends Registered Users Posts: 6 ✭
    #8
    Re: Toronton Company offering Free Solar Panels!

    Yes it would be a winning situation for the homeowner. it would allow for some recouping of the power price increases that have been announced since the $0.80 deal was struck.
    I also hope the company has some pull and a even better business plan because the OPA approval is currently over 13 weeks and growing.
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