Solar Power In Canada
Solar power in Canada has been around for a while now. Forward thinking Canadians have been implementing major initiatives geared towards the uptake of solar panels since the early nineties. Even with some of the lowest energy costs in the world, Canada still actively pursues solar power technologies particularly for low temperature heating applications. This is because solar panels in Canada can make an even bigger difference.
Because as it stands now, one-fifth of total energy use in Canada is consumed by the residential sector. And around 17 percent is used to heat water. This makes water heating one of the most energy consuming applications and one where solar panels can make a massive impact in further reducing bills and helping the environment. Canada's goal is to achieve 100,000 solar power installations by 2010 and to move over to green electricity suppliers. Residential pool heating Nearly one in 10 homes in Canada have outdoor swimming pools. Can you believe that? I could never imagine that in olde England. This puts the total number of residential pools to well over 600,000. Solar panels would be ideal you would think. 600,000 pools must use a lot of energy. But the market share for solar panels has remained small despite the best efforts of the ETB. ADVANCEMENTS IN PHOTOVOLTAICS The environment in northern Canada is a particulary harsh one. The Canadian government through the years has focused much of its efforts on this region, where energy costs can skyrocket to as much as 12 times the national average. Their programs focuses on reducing the high energy costs by developing PV solar panels that are robust enough to withstand northern Canada's extremely harsh climate. The cost of installing solar panels can be prohibitive to some families. However, if you have a basic grasp of DIY you can greatly reduce the costs by installing your own solar panels. For more information click here.
OUTLOOK Although, compared to many countries solar power in Canada is lagging behind, it is continuing to make advancements in solar energy technologies. With close co-operation between industry and the Canadian government, the future is bright for solar energy in Canada.
LATEST NEWS Ontario Opts For Solar Energy Feed-In Tariff Canadian solar power community all install solar panels on their garages. Solar energy in Canada increases 25% a year. Global warming and Canada's attempts to combat it. To return to our solar energy home page.
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