$20 billion in renewable energy investments power Ontario Clean Technology Alliance at the Solar Power International tradeshow in Dallas, Texas

In the same month Forbes Magazine rated Canada as the world’s top country for business, executives from the Ontario Clean Technology Alliance are attending Solar Power International in Dallas to invite environmental technology companies from around the world to participate in the Province of Ontario’s clean technology revolution. Last year, Canada’s largest province installed 168 megawatts of solar photovoltaic capacity, surpassing New Jersey as the second leading North American jurisdiction for new solar projects during 2010.

This momentum has provoked a flurry of investment activity, as investors seize opportunities for expansion amidst Ontario's growing network of renewable energy generators and for manufacturers of renewable energy products and services. Ontario has attracted more than C$20 billion (US$19.5 billion) in renewable energy investment commitments since it launched its FIT program two years ago. The largest single commitment is a C$7 billion investment by South Korea's Samsung C&T Corp.

In addition to Toronto, Windsor and Tillsonburg, where Samsung will produce solar inverters, wind turbines and blades, last month the company announced it would manufacture solar modules in London, Ontario, creating 200 new green energy jobs in that city.

This summer, MEMC Electronic Materials Inc. and SunEdison, its solar energy subsidiary, along with manufacturing partner Flextronics announced expanded manufacturing capacity to deploy rooftop solar panels on municipal buildings in Newmarket, Ontario, with an expectation of generating 400 green energy jobs along with 1.17 megawatts (MW) of solar capacity.

Ontario offers North America’s most advanced green energy policies, targeted incentives and a generous Feed-in Tariff (FIT) Program to expansion-minded clean technology companies. Political uncertainty around the program has been erased after this month’s re-election of the Liberal Party for a third term. The opposition Progressive Conservative Party had threatened to abolish the FIT program. The day after the Liberal election victory, shares of Sustainable Energy Technologies, a manufacturer of solar inverters, jumped 11 percent on the TSX Venture Exchange. Solar panel technology maker Day4 Energy Inc. rose nearly 7 percent.

The Ontario Power Authority’s FIT Program is modeled after successful programs in Germany and France. It features North America’s first comprehensive, guaranteed pricing structure for renewable electricity production, offering stable prices under long-term contracts for solar photovoltaic, on-shore wind, biomass, biogas, landfill gas, and waterpower energy.

“Ontario’s stated goal is to become North America’s leading manufacturing center of excellence in solar energy production,” says Jennifer Patterson, Senior Business Development Consultant, Hamilton Economic Development. “With the help of innovative companies like Samsung and SunEdison, our province is another step closer to developing a more reliable, cleaner energy system.”

Ontario is home to 110 head offices of clean technology companies that are predominantly engaged in the development and marketing and/or use of their own proprietary technology to deliver products or services that reduce or eliminate negative environmental impacts. Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) projects that by 2015, these Ontario clean technology companies will generate revenues in excess of $1 billion. In addition there are more than 2,800 environmental industry companies in Ontario, generating approximately $7 billion in revenue and employing 65,000 people.

Ontario is also a North American leader in the adoption of green energy policies with its passing of the Green Energy Act in May 2009. Other targeted programs available to the alternative energy and clean technology sector include: Ontario Emerging Technologies Fund, Ontario Innovation Demonstration Fund, Ontario Power Authority Technology Development Fund, SDTC Sustainable Tech Fund, and SDTC’s NextGen Biofuels Fund. 

Ontario Clean Technology Alliance at Intersolar to attract investment to help meet David Suzuki 2025 solar forecast

Celebrating its 20^th year, Germany’s Intersolar tradeshow is the world’s largest gathering for the solar industry, with 75,000 visitors and 2,200 exhibitors. Executives from the Ontario Clean Technology Alliance are attending Intersolar 2011 in Munich this week to attract trade and investment to a Canadian province that the David Suzuki Foundation estimates could see consumer and industrial solar equipment investments by 2025 for 1,236 megawatts (MW) of solar systems, 800,000 solar domestic water heaters, 120,000 solar pool heaters, and passive solar heating in 420,000 new homes.

Regional members of the Ontario Clean Technology Alliance want to show solar energy companies from around the world that Ontario is the best place in North America to expand or relocate their businesses. Ontario offers targeted alternative energy and clean technology incentives, a deep talent pool, and strong and stable economy. Spurred by these advantages, here are some recent examples of solar industry progress in Ontario:

• In May 2011, Algatec Solar AG, Germany, announced a facility in Windsor-Essex, Ontario and an investment of CDN $10 million in the province. Algatec Solar Ontario will manufacture photovoltaic (PV) modules and employ 200 people by the second phase of its operation. Also in May in Windsor-Essex, United Solar, a subsidiary of U.S. company, Energy Conversion Devices Inc., announced an investment of US $12 million for a 7,000 square meter Ontario facility to manufacture thin-film solar laminates.

• Also in May 2011, German company, KACO new energy Inc., opened KACO Canada in London, Ontario. KACO Canada forecasts employing 100 people by the end of its first year, and the plant will produce as much as 0.7 GW of inverters.

• In January 2011, Kitchener, Ontario-based Canadian Solar Inc. announced that it was one of the module suppliers to SunEdison, which successfully interconnected a 70 MW PV power plant in Northeast Italy, now the largest capacity single-operating PV solar power plant in Europe.

• In Oct. 2010, Enbridge Inc. and First Solar, Inc. achieved commercial operation of the 80 MW Sarnia, Ontario Solar Project, one of the largest operating PV facilities in the world. It generates about 120,000 MWh per year of emissions-free power, enough to power about 12,800 homes.

• In August 2010, Canadian Solar Inc. announced the creation of one of the largest solar panel module manufacturing plants in North America in the neighbouring community of Guelph, Ontario. The new facility will be capable of manufacturing 200 MW of solar modules a year, while employing approximately 500 people.  

• In April 2010, the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) announced 651 MW of ground-mounted solar projects, 76 projects in total. In February 2011, another 35 solar projects, representing 257 MW, were added to this list.

“For the international solar industry, our most compelling attraction is the Ontario Power Authority’s feed-in tariff, or FIT Program. It features North America’s first comprehensive guaranteed pricing structure for renewable electricity production, offering stable prices under long-term contracts for solar photovoltaic, on-shore wind, biomass, biogas, landfill gas, and waterpower energy,” says Catharine Gerhard, Business Development Officer with Waterloo Region’s Canada’s Technology Triangle Inc., an Ontario Clean Technology Alliance member.

Ontario is a North American leader in the adoption of green energy policies with its passing of the Green Energy Act in May 2009. Other targeted programs available to the alternative energy and clean technology sector include: Ontario Emerging Technologies Fund, Ontario Innovation Demonstration Fund, Ontario Power Authority Technology Development Fund, SDTC Sustainable Tech Fund, and SDTC NextGen Biofuels Fund.

The Ontario Clean Technology Alliance offers excellent growth opportunities to clean technology companies, a low-risk business environment, and generous R&D tax credits that are the envy of other G-8 countries. Ontario economic incentives along with Canadian federal tax credits can cut the after-tax cost of every $100 spent in R&D to as low as $36.72.

Ontario Clean Technology Alliance at WINDPOWER 2011 to attract investment as Canada’s most populous province builds out 10,433 MW of wind energy capacity

Anaheim, CA – WINDPOWER 2011 – May 24, 2011 – Executives from the Ontario Clean Technology Alliance are attending WINDPOWER 2011 in Anaheim as the Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA) has declared that the province of Ontario is Canada's wind energy leader. Ontario, Canada’s most populous province with 13.2 million people, boasts 1,636 MW of current installed capacity, a further 2,125 MW based on signed contracts, and applications for an additional 6,672 MW of wind energy development, for a total of 10,433 MW.

Regional members of the Ontario Clean Technology Alliance want to show wind energy companies from around the world that Ontario is the best place in North America to expand or relocate their businesses. Ontario offers targeted alternative energy and clean technology incentives, a deep talent pool, and strong and stable economy.

CanWEA states that each 100 MW of wind energy development represents a minimum of 100 jobs, $2.5 million in private investment, and $300,000 in revenue to municipal governments in the form of taxes and an equal amount to rural landowners in the form of lease payments. Each 100 MW of wind energy also provides Ontarians with enough clean, affordable electricity to power about 3,000 homes.

“For the wind industry, our most compelling attraction is the Ontario Power Authority’s feed-in tariff, or FIT Program. It features North America’s first comprehensive guaranteed pricing structure for renewable electricity production, offering stable prices under long-term contracts for on-shore wind, solar photovoltaic, biomass, biogas, landfill gas, and waterpower energy,” says Rakesh Naidu, the Director for Business Attraction at the Windsor-Essex Economic Development Corporation, an Ontario Clean Technology Alliance member.

Ontario is a North American leader in the adoption of green energy policies with its passing of the Green Energy Act in May 2009. Other targeted programs available to the alternative energy and clean technology sector include: Ontario Emerging Technologies Fund, Ontario Innovation Demonstration Fund, Ontario Power Authority Technology Development Fund, SDTC Sustainable Tech Fund, and SDTC NextGen Biofuels Fund.

To ready the province for more energy production, the Ontario Government has announced a new $40 million Grid IQ™ Innovation Center, the first center of its kind for GE in Canada, to be located in Markham, Ontario. Grid IQ is GE’s companywide commitment to solving customers’ toughest challenges with more efficient, reliable and sustainable energy solutions. The 200,000 square foot center will develop and manufacture grid modernization technologies and will encompass a global testing and simulation laboratory. The building is expected to open in July 2012.

The Ontario Clean Technology Alliance offers excellent growth opportunities to clean technology companies, a low-risk business environment, and generous R&D tax credits that are the envy of other G-8 countries. Ontario economic incentives along with Canadian federal tax credits can cut the after-tax cost of every $100 spent in R&D to as low as $36.72. There are over 2,800 environmental industry companies in Ontario, generating approximately $7 billion in revenue and employing 65,000 people.

About the Ontario Clean Technology Alliance

Promoting increasing trade and investment in Ontario’s clean technology sector, the Ontario Clean Technology Alliance includes economic development organizations from Greater Toronto Area, Ottawa Region, City of Hamilton, Waterloo Region, Niagara Region, Windsor-Essex Region, City of London, Sarnia-Lambton, City of Guelph and the Municipality of Chatham-Kent.

Ontario Clean Technology Alliance attends EUEC 2011 to advance aggressive policy goals through increased trade on energy efficiency technologies

New Ontario $50 million Smart Grid initiative will launch in 2011 to enable research, capital and demonstration projects

Phoenix, AZ – EUEC2011 – Jan. 31, 2011 – Executives from the Ontario Clean Technology Alliance are attending 2011’s Energy, Utility & Environment Conference in Phoenix, AZ this week to invite environmental technology companies from around the world to participate in the Province of Ontario’s clean technology revolution. The Canadian province offers North America’s most advanced green energy policies, targeted incentives and a generous Feed-in Tariff (FIT) Program to expansion-minded clean technology companies.

The Ontario Power Authority’s FIT Program is modeled after successful programs in Germany and France. It features North America’s first comprehensive, guaranteed pricing structure for renewable electricity production, offering stable prices under long-term contracts for solar photovoltaic, on-shore wind, biomass, biogas, landfill gas, and waterpower energy.

In the Spring of 2011, Ontario will launch a $50 million Smart Grid initiative that will enable research, capital and demonstration projects. A Smart Grid will put in place modern grid infrastructure required to help homeowners monitor and control their energy usage through home automation and enable smart charging of electric vehicles. Ontario’s Smart Grid initiative is open for business to attract companies from around the world offering complimentary technologies.

“For the global clean technology industry, Ontario is a go-to investment jurisdiction,” says Jim Mairs, Senior Business Development Specialist/Assistant Manager for the City of Guelph. “Ontario’s Long-Term Energy Plan is on track to eliminate coal by 2014, the single largest climate change initiative in North America in that timeframe. In 2009 our greenhouse gas emissions from the electricity sector reached the lowest they have been in 45 years and more than 80% of our generation came from emissions-free sources like wind, water, solar, biogas and nuclear. But there’s more to do, and we’re open for business to help us get the job done.”

Ontario is home to 110 head offices of clean technology companies that are predominantly engaged in the development and marketing and/or use of their own proprietary technology to deliver products or services that reduce or eliminate negative environmental impacts. Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) projects that by 2015, these Ontario clean technology companies will generate revenues in excess of $1 billion. In addition there are more than 2,800 environmental industry companies in Ontario, generating approximately $7 billion in revenue and employing 65,000 people.

Ontario is a North American leader in the adoption of green energy policies with its passing of the Green Energy Act in May 2009. Other targeted programs available to the alternative energy and clean technology sector include: Ontario Emerging Technologies Fund, Ontario Innovation Demonstration Fund, Ontario Power Authority Technology Development Fund, SDTC Sustainable Tech Fund, and SDTC’s NextGen Biofuels Fund.

About the Ontario Clean Technology Alliance

The Ontario Clean Technology Alliance offers a highly educated workforce, excellent growth opportunities, a low-risk business environment, and generous R&D tax credits that are the envy of other countries. The Alliance is supported by the Greater Toronto Marketing Alliance (GTMA), Ottawa Centre for Research and Innovation (OCRI), the Hamilton Economic Development Office, Canada’s Technology Triangle (Waterloo Region), the Niagara Economic Development Corporation, the Windsor-Essex Economic Development Corporation, London Economic Development Corporation, Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership, City of Guelph Economic Development & Tourism Services, and the Municipality of Chatham-Kent.