Going Solar: How your Faith
Community FITs in!
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Thank you to our
funding partner
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Agenda
 Greening Sacred Spaces
 Renewable Energy Options
 Solar Overview
 Financing Options
 Incentives & Rebates
 Green Energy Act
 MicroFIT Program
 MicroFIT Process
 FAQs
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Greening Sacred Spaces
 Greening Sacred Spaces (GSS) is a practical program developed
by Faith & the Common Good to assist faith communities in taking
concrete actions to create a more sustainable and energy efficient
place of worship and to educate members of the community about
ecological issues.
 Our latest initiative, Renewable Energy Revival for Faith
Communities (RERFC) engages diverse faith communities and
their key decision makers across Ontario in a year-long revival of
renewable energy development. RERFC builds on our Solar Faith
Initiative work over the last three years through developing
resources and tools to assist faith groups in going solar. RERFC will
further increase knowledge and raise awareness about the role faith
communities of all backgrounds are playing in contributing to a clean
energy future.
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Renewable Energy
 Renewable energy is any energy that comes from naturally
replenished resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, flowing
water and geothermal heat.
 Renewable energy options for Faith Communities come in the form
of solar panels, wind turbines, geothermal heating systems and
potentially hydro turbines.
 All renewable energy projects (with the exception of geothermal
heating) are eligible for the Ontario governments FIT and microFIT
program, where premium $$ are paid for energy produced by these
systems.
 Although solar power is generally more suitable for both urban and
rural faith communities, it is important to consider that there are
other renewable energy options out there.
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Wind Turbines
 A wind turbine is a device that converts kinetic energy from the
wind into mechanical energy.
 Both small and large scale wind projects are eligible to be paid 11.5
cents per kWh through the Ontario governments FIT and MicroFIT
programs.
Geothermal Heating
 A geothermal heat pump is a central heating and/or cooling system
that pumps heat to or from the ground. It uses the earth as a heat
source (in the winter) or a heat sink (in the summer).
 Although not eligible for the FIT program, geothermal heating
systems receive a large rebate from the governments ecoEnergy
program.
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Hydro Power
 Power that is derived from the force or energy of moving water,
which may be harnessed for useful purposes.
 Energy produced from hydro power is eligible to receive 13.1 cents
per kWh through the FIT and MicroFIT programs.
Biogas
 Biogas typically refers to a gas produced by the biological
breakdown of organic matter in the absence of oxygen. Organic
waste such as dead plant and animal material, animal dung, and
kitchen waste can be converted into a gaseous fuel called biogas.
 Energy produced from biogas is eligible to receive up to 16 cents
per kWh through the FIT and MicroFIT programs.
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Going Solar for Faith
Communities
There are two main areas of focus:
-Community Members (homes and offices)
-Faith Buildings
There are two main solar technologies
-Solar Hot Water
-Solar Photovoltaic (PV)
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Energy Efficiency – the first step!
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Why invest in solar?
Helping the Environment:
 use of fossil fuels   GHGs, air pollution
- Creating immediate impact, for the long term!
Be a part of a movement
- Solar industry  jobs, transformation
Save money
- Hedge against rising energy prices by becoming
energy secure
- Low risk investment!
Thinking of future generations:
– Set an example to your community, family and
friends!
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Canadian Solar Map
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Solar Potential of Major Cities
City
Cairo, Egypt
Los Angeles, U.S.A
Regina, Saskatchewan
Rome, Italy
Ottawa, Canada
Toronto, Canada
Washington, D.C., U.S.A.
Paris, France
Berlin, Germany
London, England
Yearly PV potential (kWh/kW)
1635
1485
1361
1283
1198
1161
1133
938
848
728
Hours of sun is reliable - only varies by +/- 3% per year
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An Ideal Roof for Solar
 Structurally sound with adequate
rafters and spacing
– A re-shingled roof in the last 5 years
 Sloped at 30-45 degrees
– A flat roof will require a rack and
withstand snow / wind loads if higher
than 3 feet
– <30 or >45 degrees will reduce
output (by 5% at 60 degrees)
 South or SW/SE facing
– East or west facing will reduce output
by 15%-20%
 At least 120 square feet (12 sq
metres) of free roof area
– Un-shaded by other buildings or trees
(now and for 20 years)
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Solar PV vs Solar Hot Water
 Solar Photovoltaic (PV):
– Solar panels convert photons into
electricity
– $20,000+ initial investment
– microFIT and FIT programs provides
guaranteed 20 year income stream,
 SolarHot Water (SHW):
– Solar collectors pre-heat water or glycol
for potable water or space heating
– $5,000 - $15000 initial investment
depending on size
– Reduces your hot water heating bill
 Both are reliable, low maintenance
investments
– About 10 year payback time
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A typical SHW installation
A typical system has:
– Collectors
– Heat Transfer Medium
(Glycol)
– Storage Tank
– Heat Exchanger
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Solar PV Grid-Tie vs Off-Grid
 Grid-Tie
– Solar electricity is fed to electricity
grid
– Less expensive than off-grid
• no batteries required
– Can use as much electricity as you
need from grid
• No back up power in an outage
 Off-Grid
– Solar electricity is stored in
batteries and used in the home
– More expensive than grid-tie
• Batteries & controller required
– Limited to electricity generated by
sun
• Not affected by electricity outages
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A typical Grid Tie Solar PV
Installation
 Panels mounted flush on
sloping, south facing roof
 An Inverter to convert DC
power to grid AC power
 A new meter to measure
how much power you
generate
 Connection through your
electrical panel
 A grid disconnect switch
Simple and reliable – no moving parts!
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Financing Options
 Invest savings as
alternative to other low
risk options
 Vendor financing
– Offered by some suppliers
 Secured bank loans
– Shorter term
 Capital Campaign
 Debentures program
 Maximize rebates and
incentives
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Rebates, Incentives and Grants
Programs for home owners
Programs for faith buildings
Preferential pricing from local
installers
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PV Incentives
Government incentives:
– the FIT and microFIT programs
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Ontario Green Energy Act
 Green Energy Act aims to expand the green economy by supporting renewable energy
and conservation projects
 Feed In Tariff (FIT) provides guaranteed 20 year pricing for renewable energy projects
– Solar, wind, hydro and bio-energy can qualify
– The FIT program is divided into two streams – FIT and microFIT
 The MicroFIT program is designed to encourage homeowners, institutions, and small
business to invest in small renewable energy projects
– Simplified process for projects less than 10 kW in size
– Provides reasonable rate of return for 20 years
 The FIT program is designed for large scale renewable energy projects such as wind
and solar farms
– The project size must be over 10 kW in size and up to 500 kW
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MicroFIT Price Schedule
Renewable Energy Price
Solar PV (rooftop)
Contract
38.4 cents/kWh 20 years
Solar PV (non-rooftop) 28.9 cents/kWh 20 years
Wind
12.8 cents/kWh 20 years
Waterpower
24.6 cents/kWh 40 years
Biomass
17.5 cents/kWh 20 years
Biogas
16.8 cents/kWh 20 years
Landfill
17.1 cents/kWh 20 years
Premium for solar makes sense because it matches peak demand.
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Solar PV Price Schedule
Mounting
MicroFIT Roof
MicroFIT Ground
FIT Rooftop
FIT Rooftop
FIT Ground
Size
< 10 kW
< 10 kW
10 - 100 kW
100 - 500 kW
10 - 500 kW
Contract Price
38.4 cents/kWh
28.9 cents/kWh
34.3 cents/kWh
31.6 cents/kWh
27.5 cents/kWh
FIT program has lower pricing for larger solar systems.
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MicroFit Rules for Solar
 10 kW or less in size
 Located in Ontario
 Not have an existing IESO or Ontario Power Authority
contract
 Have a separate meter, as specified by your LDC,
suitable for data collection and payment calculation.
 Have an eligible participant as the Applicant. The IESO
has developed an Eligible Participant Schedule to
identify who is able to submit an Application to the
microFIT Program.
http://microfit.powerauthority.on.ca/
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Participating in Ontario’s MicroFIT
Program – Step by Step
 Get a site assessment and quotes
 Evaluate your options
 Decide on size and supplier
 Apply for a Conditional MicroFIT Contract
 Apply for a Connection Agreement
 Arrange Insurance, Financing and Permits
 Install and connect your system
 Finalize your MicroFIT Contract
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FIT Rules for Solar
Greater than 10 kW in size up to 500 kW
Located in Ontario
Not comprise an Incremental Project
Directly connect to the Distribution System.
Projects are no longer permitted to connect
directly to the Transmission System
Have Access Rights to the Site in which the
Project will be located
http://microfit.powerauthority.on.ca/
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Up Front Costs
 Panels, inverter and
wiring (including taxes),
installation and testing
– $2500 - $4500 per kW
– 75 sq ft roof space per kW
 Connection fee (Hydro)
– $1000 to $1500
 Building Permit (City)
– typically $250
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Annual Revenue
 On a south facing un-shaded
roof your system should
provide about 1200 kWh/year
for each kW installed
 At the MicroFIT tariff of 38.4
cents/kWh for 20 yrs
– $460.80 per year for each
kW
 Expect a small drop in output
each year - no more than 20%
over 20 years
 Retains it’s value after 20
years (net metering)
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Simple Payback
Fixed – No Tracking (10 kW)
Estimated Cost to Install
Capacity Factor
Annual Production
$35,000
13%
13,000 kWh
Annual Revenue
$4608
Simple Payback
7.5 years
Return on Equity*
12%
*Return on equity = annual revenue –
annual debt repayment (70% of project costs) ÷ equity investment (30% of project costs)
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Annual Costs
 Additional Insurance
(damage and liability)
– May be 0.1% to 0.3% of
Installed cost per year
 Maintenance (minimal)
– Warrantees should cover
any failures of components
– Set aside $100 / yr for
inverter replacement
 Account management fee
(Hydro)
– $8 per month expected
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Site Assessment and Quotes
Each supplier should provide you with the
following information:
– The maximum and minimum size system for suitable
for your home
– Any modifications needed to your roof
– A guarantee that the solar PV system meets all
MicroFIT program requirements
– The cost of different size systems including
equipment, installation, taxes, connection fees,
permits, and warrantees
– How many kWh per year each system will generate in
an average year and the income you can earn
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Apply for a
Conditional MicroFIT Contract
Register with the Ontario Power Authority (OPA)
– Register on-line and obtain a My MicroFIT Home
Page.
Work with Supplier to Prepare Drawings and
Other System Details
– Information needed for a conditional MicroFIT
contract, building permit, electrical permit, and
connection agreement.
Apply for a Conditional MicroFIT Contract Offer
from the OPA
– Submit an on-line application.
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Apply for a
Connection Agreement
Apply for a Micro Embedded Connection
Agreement from Hydro covering:
– Technical requirements (including disconnection
devices, maintenance)
– Liabilities (e.g., responsibilities for damages)
– Compensation and billing (relating to payments for
electricity generation)
– Termination and assignment of the agreement.
Hydro will provide details about how your project
will be connected and the costs involved.
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Apply for
Building and Electrical Permits
 Flush mounting solar panels
on a roof requires rafter
spacing and unsupported
spans in the roof to be
adequate.
 A City building inspector will
asses this based on the
drawings provided by your
solar system supplier.
 The cost of a permit will be in
the order of $250.
 Your supplier will arrange for
electrical permits and
inspections.
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Arrange Insurance and Financing
Add the value of your solar
system to your house
insurance and ensure that
your liability coverage is
adequate.
Arrange financing with your
supplier, financial institution or
through a fundraising program
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Install your system
Your supplier will
install your system
and normally arrange
for all inspections.
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Connect Your System
 Provide Hydro with:
– A letter of authorization to
connect from the Electrical
Safety Authority
– Payment for the connection
fee
– A signed Micro-Embedded
Connection Agreement
 Hydro will then install a
meter and connect you to
the grid.
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Finalize your MicroFIT Contract
The OPA will send you a notice of
MicroFIT contract offer that you accept
through your “My MicroFIT home page”.
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Let the Clean $ Roll in
Payments will be made to you by Hydro
for all the electricity produced by your
MicroFIT project.
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Summary
Over 110 faith communities have already installed
or are planning to install solar
 Solar power is a good investment
– Return is better than GIC or bond with less tax
 Solar power is low risk
– 20 year contract with OPA
– Sun hours consistent year over year
– No moving parts, low maintenance
 Solar power is good for the environment
– No greenhouse gases, no transmission losses
 Solar power is good for Ontario’s economy
– Your investment helps create local jobs
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Making Your Final Decision
- a Check List
Acceptable rate of return
Financing OK
Roof up to scratch
Willing to sell system
and contract with house
if you move
Decide on system size,
location
Decide on supplier
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Solar Case Study # 1 – Neighborhood
Unitarian Universalist Congregation
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Installation Type: Solar PV
Capacity: 22.80 kW
Technical Specs: 114 – Canadian Solar –
200 watts114 – Enphase 200 – microinvertors
Orientation: South facing roof mounted fixed
Installed Cost: $220,000
Installer: Intervolt Electric Lmt.
Financing Mechanism:
Half of the installation was financed by an
interest free loan from the City of Toronto.
NUUC also issued 110 debentures for
$1000 each at 5% interest paid annually
(privately held). The remaining amount was
financed by private donations.
Estimated Annual Revenue: 15,000
Expected Payoff Period: 14 years
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Solar Case Study # 2 – Richards Memorial
United Church
Location: London, Ontario
Installation Type: Solar PV
Capacity: 10 kW
Technical Specs: 50 – Schuco 230
PSO4 modules1 Solectria
Renewable/PV1 10KW
Orientation: South facing roof mounted
fixed
Installed Cost: $87,000
Installer: Direct Current Renewable
Energy Lmt.
Financing Mechanism:
A 4% interest loan from the United
Church Council of Middlesex
Presbytery.
Estimated Annual Revenue: $11,000
Expected Payoff Period: 8-9 years
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Solar Case Study # 3 – Hillcrest Mennonite
Church
Location: New Hamburg, Ontario
Installation Type: Solar PVCapacity: 9.87 kW
Technical Specs: 42 – Conergy P235PA2 –
Aurora Power One PVI 6000
Orientation: Dual axis tracker – ground
mounted
Installed Cost: $80,000
Installer: Fritz Construction Services
Financing Mechanism:
Fifty per cent of the $80,000 initial
investment was funded through the
Mennonite Savings and Credit Union and
50 per cent was funded through 10-year
debentures sold in $1,000 increments to
members of the
Estimated Annual Revenue: $13,500
Expected Payoff Period: 7-8 years
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FAQs
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
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How do I know if it is right for me?
How much does it cost?
What is the payback?
Is there maintenance required? Do I have to climb on my roof or
know how the system works?
 What about snow? Do they work in the winter?
 What are the installation requirements? Will a Solar system affect
my insurance?
 How do I know what size of a system to get?
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How do I know if it’s right for me?
 Need to check:
–
southern exposure
–
shading
–
slope
–
plumbing connections (SHW only)
–
space for a second water tank, if needed (SHW only)
 Complete the solar faith assessment tool developed by Faith & the
Common Good (for faith buildings)
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How much does it cost?
 Depends if it is for a home (congregation member) or the faith
building
 Hot Water System: approximate cost is $7,000 to $14,000 for a
system, but can be greater if hot water use is great
 Faith building costs varies greatly depending on type and size of
system (your hot water demand)
 Approximate cost for a PV system is $2500-$4500 per kilowatt
installed (depending on the system)
 Co-generation systems exist which combine PV and SHW
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What is the payback?
 Can save up to 55% to 70% on annual hot water costs
with a SHW system
 Can earn money with the FIT program
 Estimated ROI (Return on Investment) depends on
– System cost
– Current and increased energy prices
– Energy output
– Financing and incentives
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Maintenance
 Is there maintenance required? Do I have to
climb on my roof or know how the system
works?
 Systems are low maintenance
 No special knowledge required
 Fluids need to be checked/changed every few years
for glycol-filled SHW systems
 Most maintenance & inspections are done by
installer – you need to make arrangements
Verify what the installer offers
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What size of system do I get?
Typical systems vary depending on
– Consumption patterns
– Roof space (how many panels can you FIT!)
– Investment capital and financing
Need to compare priorities for PV (to
generate income with FIT) and solar
thermal (to reduce hot water costs)
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What to look for in an installer
CanSIA member
Offer warranty, guaranteed service and
maintenance plan
Good references
Experienced installer
Experienced plumber on staff
Federally approved systems
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Next Steps
 1. Determine if solar is right for your home or
faith building (self-assessment tool)
 2. Prioritize type of solar project and obtain
quotes, permits, permissions
 3. Arrange financing and FIT application
 4. Implement and showcase!
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Questions?