In its most recent, 2010 first quarter report (updated June 9), the Ontario Power Authority lists 13,485 MW of capacity under contract, comprising 3,785 MW of renewables, 6700 MW of clean energy (simple/combined cycle and CHP), and 3000 MW of nuclear power. Of that, 11,463 MW are new development, redevelopment or refurbishment of existing facilities. Total capacity in commercial operation adds up to 6,868 MW, with the rest under development.
That total breaks down as follows:
Within the renewables category, the OPA currently counts 694 Feed-in Tariff contract offers, for a total capacity of 2,533 MW, and 2,868 microFIT conditional contract offers, for a total of 23.4 MW, with more applications coming in steadily.
Under the Renewable Energy Standard Offer Program, as of the first quarter, 2010, the OPA had 1,017 MW under contract, with 218 MW in commercial operation.
Under other procurement processes for renewables, the OPA has 2,678 MW of renewables under contract, with 2,171 MW in commercial operation. Of that,
• 1,511 MW are in wind, 1,084 MW of it in commercial operation,
• 1158 MW are in water, with 1078 MW in commercial operation,
• 9 MW are in biomass, all of it in commercial operation.
The OPA notes that, with the implementation of the FIT Program, it has no plans to procure further renewable energy supply capacity through competitive processes in the near future.
Under the 6700 MW of clean energy, the OPA has 4480 MW in commercial operation and 2220 MW under development. Of the 429 MW of that that is CHP, all but 15 are already in service.
The 3000 MW of nuclear energy supply are the Bruce Power refurbishment.
With that as the general picture, renewable energy projects, under RESOP and then under FIT, have been coming in at a great pace. The following are some recent projects to have commenced development or enter service:
• On June 24 EDF EN Canada Inc., an EDF Energies Nouvelles Company announced that construction had commenced on three solar photovoltaic projects totalling 36 MW (DC).
The Elmsley Solar Project, located near Lombardy in the Township of Rideau Lakes, comprises two 12 MW (DC) sites utilizing Suntech panels. The 12 MW (DC) St. Isidore Project is located near the town of St. Isidore and will consist of First Solar panels. All three sites have contracts under the Government of Ontario’s Renewable Energy Standard Offer Program.
• Energy and Infrastructure Minister Brad Duguid visited SunE Sky Ryerse, one of two solar PV parks under construction in Norfolk County (near Simcoe) June 30. The parks have a combined total solar energy capacity of 18 MW. Construction of the parks, for which the capital investment approximates $80 to $90 million dollars, commenced on March 25th of this year and is to be completed this fall. Together, they are expected to generate over 19 million KWh of clean electricity in their first year of operation and almost 400 million kWh over 20 years.
“These solar parks represent an important step in Ontario’s effort to become a leader in the global clean energy market,” said Minister Duguid. “Not only will increasing the province’s renewable energy capacity offer environmental and economic benefits to the province, but it will help us accomplish our goal of phasing out dirty coal-fired power by 2014.”
• International Power Canada (IPC, formerly AIM PowerGen Corporation) announced the commissioning June 25 of the Harrow Wind project in Essex County. The four projects, developed under RESOP, each have an installed capacity of 9.9 megawatts.
IPC President Mike Crawley commented that these projects are among the first to be built in Essex County. “We are pleased that Harrow is now on-line. The Standard Offer Program was a ground-breaking initiative for the province and has allowed smaller projects such as these to be developed to support Ontario’s evolving energy system.”
Construction of the $110 million wind project began in October 2009. AMEC Black & MacDonald served as the general contractors on the project. The construction team was primarily made up of local labourers, electricians and iron workers. “At times we had over 120 people working on site. This was good news for local union halls and service suppliers in the Windsor-Essex region,” says Paul Robinson, construction manager with Black & MacDonald.
The project, located on private lands near the community of Harrow, in the Town of Essex, comprises twenty-four Vestas V82 1.65 MW turbines. “Many of these turbines are hosted by landowners who were approached over six years ago. These people embraced Ontario’s energy revolution very early on and acted as pioneers in making this a reality,” says Tim Sullivan, project manager on the project. “We are happy that our dream and their vision has now become a reality.”
• Schneider Power Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide Inc., announced June 7 that it had signed a 20-year power purchase agreement with the OPA for energy from the 10-MW Trout Creek Wind Project, under development in northern Ontario, expected to be on line by 2012.
• Atlantic Wind & Solar Inc. made several announcements in June and July of agreements with several Ontario commercial real estate developers in the Greater Toronto area that will allow it to develop and construct a total (as of present writing) of 19 solar rooftop projects. The projects will generate a combined name plate power capacity of approximately 3 MW to feed into the grid under the FIT program.
Under the agreement, Atlantic Wind & Solar will finance, build, own, operate, and maintain the solar energy systems hosted on the roofs of the commercial buildings, and the electrical power generated from the systems will be sold directly into the grid to the Ontario Power Authority for 71.3 cents per kilowatt hour, for a total of 20 years, under the terms and conditions of the FIT.
AWS has a standing offer on its website to property owners and managers with unobstructed commercial rooftops of 30,000 square feet or more, to use the space to set up its photovoltaic arrays.
• On July 8 Solar Semiconductor, Inc. and Conex Energy, Inc. announced an agreement to develop over 300 MW of solar opportunities at various locations in Ontario and California. Under the terms of the agreement, Solar Semiconductor will assume primary responsibility for the design, supply of Solar Semiconductor photovoltaic solar panels and balance of system equipment. Conex Energy will assume responsibility for management of development activities, including but not limited to optimizing project energy sales, negotiating interconnection arrangements, securing project financing, and optimizing tax planning opportunities.
Solar Semiconductor is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, and Conex Energy in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
• On July 7, Victoria, BC-based Carmanah Technologies Corp. announced the awarding of a $1.5 million contract by the Town of Markham to supply, install, and commission a 250 kW solar photovoltaic system connected to the distribution grid. The system will be installed on the town’s newly re-located Emergency Operation Centre. The project is being funded by a combination of Markham’s own capital budget money and infrastructure stimulus funds provided through a funding partnership with the governments of Canada and Ontario. From the annual revenue received by the system under the contract, Markham will pay down its capital budget investment portion within the first five years of operation. The remaining 15 years of the contract revenues are proposed to be reinvested in future Markham energy projects.
• On June 25 ARISE Technologies Corporation also announced that it has established a joint venture with Sky Solar (Canada) Ltd. to provide engineering, procurement and contracting (EPC) services for solar projects under the Ontario FIT program.
Under the terms of the agreement, Sky Solar will provide operating funding to the JV. EPC staff from ARISE’s systems division will become employees of the JV and join with the Sky Solar engineers to deliver EPC services to solar power generation customers in Ontario.
Sky Solar (Canada) Ltd, headquartered in Toronto, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sky Solar Holding Company (http://www.skysolargroup.com), which is a multi-national enterprise specializing in the solar photovoltaic market. ARISE Technologies is based in Waterloo.
Current status of OPA generation contracts
Wind Power
As of March 31, 2010, the OPA is managing 1,889 MW of wind power contracts.
Under Development and Construction
• Gosfield Wind Project (50.4 MW) - Kingsville
• Greenwich Wind Farm (99.0 MW) - District of Thunder Bay
• Kruger Energy Chatham Wind Project (101.2 MW) - Chatham-Kent
• Raleigh Wind Energy Centre (78.0 MW) - Chatham-Kent
• Talbot Windfarm (99.0 MW) - Howard / Oxford TWP
• RESOP (262 MW)
In Commercial Operation
• Enbridge Ontario Wind Farm (181.5 MW) - Bruce County
• Erie Shores Wind Farm (99 MW) - Port Burwell
• Kingsbridge I Wind Power Project (39.6 MW) - Goderich
• Kruger Energy Port Alma Wind Power Project (101.2 MW) - Port Alma
• Melancthon I Wind Plant (67.5 MW) - Melancthon TWP
• Melancthon II Wind Plant (132 MW) - Amaranth/Melancthon TWP
• Prince I Wind Power Project (99 MW) - Aweres/Dennis/Pennefather/Prince TWP
• Prince II Wind Power Project (90 MW) - Dennis/Pennefather TWP
• Ripley Wind Power Project (76 MW) - Huron/Kinloss TWP
• Wolfe Island Wind Project (197.8 MW) - Wolfe Island
• RESOP (114 MW)
Waterpower
As of March 31, 2010, the OPA is managing 1,190 MW of hydroelectric power generation contracts.
Under Development and Construction
• Healey Falls Generating Station (15.7 MW) - Trenton: Trent River
• Hound Chute Generating Station (9.5 MW) - Timiskaming: Montreal River
• Island Falls Generating Station (20 MW) - Smooth Rock Falls: Mattagami River
• Lower Sturgeon Generating Station (14 MW) - Timmins: Mattagami River
• Sandy Falls Generating Station (5.5 MW) - Timmins: Mattagami River
• Wawaitin Generating Station (15 MW) - Timmins: Mattagami River
In Commercial Operation
• Andrews Generating Station (47 MW) - Montreal River
• Aubrey Falls Generating Station (162 MW) - Mississagi River
• Calm Lake Generating Station (9 MW) - Bennett Township: Rainy River
• Cambelford Generating Station (2.0 MW) - Trent Severn Waterway
• Cascade Street Generating Station (1.2 MW) - Sequin River
• Clergue Generating Station (52.2 MW) - St. Mary's River
• Current River Generating Station (0.5 MW) - Current River
• Dunford Generating Station (45 MW) - Michipicoten River
• Fort Frances Generating Station (10 MW) - Fort Frances: Rainy River
• Gartshore Generating Station (23 MW) - Montreal River
• Glen Miller Generating Station (8 MW) - Trenton: Trent River
• Harris Generating Station (12.5 MW) - Magpie River
• Heywood Generating Station (7.2 MW) - Twelve Mile Creek
• Hogg Generating Station (17.4 MW) - Montreal River
• Hollingsworth Generating Station (23 MW) - Michipicoten River
• Iroquois Falls Generating Station (29 MW) - Iroquois Falls: Abitibi River
• Island Falls Generating Station (38 MW) - Smooth Rock Falls: Abitibi River
• Kagawong Generating Station (0.75 MW) - Kagawong River
• Kenora Generating Station (6 MW) - Kenora: Winnipeg River
• Lac Seul/Ear Falls Generating Station (29.3 MW) - Ear Falls: English River
• London Street Generating Station (4.1 MW) - Otonabee River
• MacKay Generating Station (62 MW) - Montreal River
• Matthias Generating Station (2.95 MW) - South Musoka River
• McPhail Generating Station (12.8 MW) - Michipicoten River
• Minden Generating Station (4.0 MW) - Gull River
• Mission Generating Station (15.5 MW) - Magpie River
• Norman Generating Station (10 MW) - Kenora: Winnipeg River
• Rayner Generating Station (46 MW) - Wharnclife: Mississagi River
• Red Rock Falls Generating Station (41 MW) - Algoma: Mississagi River
• Renfrew Lower Plant (0.99 MW) - Bonnechere River
• Renfrew Upper Plant (0.99 MW) - Bonnechere River
• Scarfe Lake Generating Station (2.28 MW) - Canoe Lake
• Scone Generating Station (0.07 MW) - North Saugeen River
• Scott Falls Generating Station (22.4 MW) - Michipicoten River
• Steephill Generating Station (15.5 MW) - Magpie River
• Sturgeon Falls Generating Station (7 MW) - Bennett Township: Seine River
• Sturgeon Falls Generating Station (6.5 MW) -Sturgeon River
• Swift Rapids Generating Station (7.9 MW) - Severn River
• Tembec Generating Station (8.0 MW) - Mattagami River
• Twin Falls Generating Station (22 MW) - Iroquois Falls: Abitibi River
• Umbata Falls Generating Station (23 MW) - Marathon: White River
• Wells Generating Station (239 MW) - Wharnclife: Mississagi River
• 635294 Ontario Limited Generating Station (0.52 MW) - Black River
• RESOP (26 MW)
Bio-energy
As of December 31, 2009, the OPA is managing 91 MW of bio-energy contracts. All are in Commercial Operation
• Eastview Landfill Gas Energy Plant (2.5 MW) - Guelph
• Hamilton (Digester Gas) Cogeneration Plant (1.6 MW) - Hamilton
• Trail Road Landfill Generating Facility (5.0 MW) - Ottawa
Clean Energy (natural gas)
As of December 31, 2009, the OPA is managing 6, 271MW of natural gas-fired energy generation contracts.
Under Development and Construction
• Greenfield South Power Plant (280 MW) - Mississauga
• Halton Hills Generating Station (631.5 MW) - Halton Hills
• Oakville Generating Station (900 MW) - Oakville
• York Energy Centre (393 MW) - King TWP
In Commercial Operation
• Brighton Beach Power Station (550 MW) - Windsor
• Goreway Station (839.1 MW) - Brampton
• Greenfield Energy Centre (1005 MW) - Sarnia
• GTAA Cogeneration Plant (90 MW) - Mississauga
• Portlands Energy Centre (550 MW) - Toronto
• Sarnia Regional Cogeneration Plant (505 MW) - Sarnia
• St. Clair Energy Centre (577 MW) - Sarnia
• Sudbury District Energy Cogeneration Plant (5 MW) - Sudbury
• Sudbury District Energy Hospital Cogeneration (6.7 MW) - Sudbury
• Trent Valley Cogeneration Plant (8.3 MW) - Trenton
Combined Heat and Power (CHP)
As of March 31, 2010, the OPA is managing 429 MW of CHP contracts.
Under Development and Construction
• Becker Cogeneration Plant (15 MW) - Hornepayne
In Commercial Operation
• Algoma Energy Cogeneration Facility (63 MW) - Sault Ste. Marie
• Durham College District Energy (2.3 MW) - Oshawa
• East Windsor Cogeneration Centre (84 MW) - Windsor
• Great Northern Tri-Gen Facility (11.3 MW) - Kingsville
• London Cogeneration Facility (12 MW) - London
• Thorold Cogeneration Project (236.4 MW) - Thorold
• Warden Energy Centre (5 MW) - Markham
Nuclear Power
Bruce A Restart and Refurbishment Project (3,000 MW) - Tiverton