Solar power heats up with new Ontario projects

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080122.wrsolar22/BNStory/

Solar power heats up with new Ontario projects

A huge increase in contracts to supply the grid means the province may soon be home to some of the planet's biggest arrays

RICHARD BLACKWELL

January 22, 2008 at 9:21 AM EST

Ontario is on its way to becoming a major centre for solar power, and will soon see thousands of solar panels spread out over acres of land, feeding clean power into the power grid.

Year-end numbers show an explosion of interest in building solar generating systems, from individuals who want to put a few panels on their roof, to businesses investing in huge solar farms.

In 2007 the Ontario Power Authority signed 145 contracts for the future construction of more than 250 megawatts (MW) of solar power systems, far more than the agency initially projected. Each megawatt can power about 350 homes.

If all those who have promised to install panels follow through with their plans, Ontario will have some of the biggest solar farms on the planet, and an important "green" industry will be kick-started in the province.

...

[ConcernedCanuk]

1. I'm not sure how they calculate the MegaWatts.

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I know that 1,000 watts of panels won't even do one dwelling.

Figuring on an exceptional average of 10 hours sunshine a day(which is ridiculous but will make my point)

1,000 watts of panels or 1Kw of panels would produce 10Kw per day

Cut that in half, 5 hours a day, which is a more reasonable expectation, 1Kw of panels gets you 5Kw per day.

I've kept hydro records from numerous places - with wood heat, and being VERY frugal with hydro, shutting off the hot water heater most of the time - blocking insulating some windows - Compact Fluorescents - etc. I can get by with 10 - 15 Kw per day - so that would need 3,000 watts of panels, or 3K.(using the 5 hours sunshine a day thing)

With electric heat, but closing down most of the house for the winter, I managed to keep the hydro down to 10 in the summer and 30-35K in the winter.

So that would need 6,000 watts of panels (and one heckuva storage system)to keep me warm in winter.

I suspect most homeowners use much more Hydro than I do - lets say 50k per day

That would require 10,000 Watts or 10k of panels.(@ 5hrs sunshine a day)

So that brings me to my conundrum.

10K - or 10,000 Kw X 100 = 1,000,000 or 1MegaWatt

So that's only 100 homes, ?

I'm sure someone here can steer me straight.