SkyPower proposes four commercial solar projects in Sudbury

Morning North4:52Large solar farm projects in the works for Sudbury

CBC reporter Megan Thomas joined us in studio with a look at some of the solar farm projects proposed for rural areas of Greater Sudbury. Toronto based SkyPower is looking at four properties to develop some large scale solar farms.

Another commercial solar electricity producer is eyeing the sunshine in Sudbury.

A Toronto-based company called SkyPower is hoping to install four large solar farms if it can land government contracts for the electricity.

It haseither bought or plans to lease land in four rural locations in ChelmsfordandValley East with the hope ofone day installing solar panels that would feed into Ontario's power grid(see maps with locations below).

Each one of the projects would be close to the size of a solar farm another company is already operating in Capreol, saidCharmaine Thompson, vice-president of Ontario projects for SkyPower.

• Sudbury's first solar farm set to come online

The company wants to operate in Sudbury because there is available land with power lines close by and because of the northern Ontario climate, she said.

"Cooler temperatures are better for the panels. Sunlight comes in the winter and the summer."

Awaiting contracts

There's noguaranteeyet that the SkyPower projects proposed for Sudburywill go ahead. The province changed the rules last year for how it awards contracts for large green energy projects.

It's now a competetive process aimed at making it cheaper per kilowatt hour.

"That's the expectation, that by introducing the competition element, that we will have lower prices for these larger scale projects," saidShawn Cronkwright,the director ofrenewablesprocurementwith the Independent Electricity System Operator.

The decision on whetherSkyPower wins contracts for any,or all,of the solar farms it hasproposed for Sudbury is expected by the end of the year.

Any company that wins a new contract under the new green energy rules will have three years to build the project and start operating.

SkyPower already has solar farms operating on other Ontario cities including Thunder Bay and Napanee.

The company isholding a public meeting in Valley East on June 11to share more information with residents about its plans in Sudbury. The meeting will be held at theValley East Library & Citizens Service Centre, 4100 Elmview Drive.

Proposed locations