Solar Power Plant Expansion Makes Facility the Largest in North America

by Clinton on December 10, 2009

Sarnia Ontario Solar Expansion

Ontario, Canada, is to be home to the biggest photovoltaic solar power plant in North America, thanks to plans to increase capacity of the Sarnia Solar Project to 80 MW, an increase of 60 MW.

In a joint venture to quadruple in size the Sarnia Solar Plant, Enbridge Inc. and First Solar Inc. expect to start the expansion in 2010 at a cost of approximately $300 million. Using the same thin-film photovoltaic technology that is already in use in solar systems in the U.S. and in Europe, the addition to the Sarnia site will see clean energy provided via 973,000m2 of solar panels, making the facility the largest on the continent.

Once the project is completed, it will be purchased by the Ontario Power Authority, with a 20-year sale agreement. Patrick Daniel of Enbridge states, “With this investment, we will have interests in more than 470 megawatts of green power capacity from our five wind energy projects, expanded solar facilities, four waste-heat-recovery facilities and the world’s first commercial application of hybrid-fuel cell technology.”

The Sarnia plant will provide 12,800 homes with power, eliminating 39,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. Clearly, production of clean energy is expanding by leaps and bounds.

{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }

Justin McMillin January 5, 2010 at 12:09 pm

I looked through your site and really enjoyed it. It seems as if we have similar goals in what we’re trying to accomplish. I wish you luck with your endeavors!

If you ever want to contribute to my site, or vice versa let me know. I would be happy to help and boost our viewership. : ) after all we need people to read in order to educate!

Take care!

Reply

Clinton January 5, 2010 at 12:10 pm

Hey Justin,

That sounds great. I’ll contact you with more details.

Reply

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