One of the most common myths about solar energy is that solar panels are only effective during the summer or in sunny weather. In reality, solar panels generate electricity from direct sunlight and reflected rays, not heat, making them useful year-round, even in countries like Canada.
This is surely why solar energy is one of the most popular renewable energy sources in the country, put in place to meet the ever increasing demand for clean electric power in Canada. In this article, we will explore the importance of solar energy in Canada through assessing the following points:
Solar Energy in Canada
- Significance of solar energy maps
- Places with the highest solar power potential in Canada
- Sunniest regions in Canada and solar energy projects
- Challenges faced by the solar energy industry
🗺️Making The Best of Solar Energy Maps Across Different Regions
If you are totally new to the solar energy landscape in Canada, you can gain some important insights by reviewing different solar energy maps across different provinces and territories in Canada.
First and foremost, you can identify which provinces or regions have the highest sunlight potential capacity to generate sunlight into clean electricity. This is where various developers in renewable energy corporations, or national organizations alongside investors can come in to conduct several surveys as to where to build large-scale solar farms. For instance, you can see from the map below that Calgary, Alberta has a high photovoltaic power potential.
Secondly, it enables homeowners and businesses to have a better estimation of solar panel installation number and direction needed for homeowners and businesses in a specific area to achieve optimum power efficiency according to annual sunlight hours. Additionally, you can know the best angle to install and adjust the solar panels in changing seasons regardless of whether you're located in a rural or urban area in Canada.
Thirdly, it offers a glimpse of economic benefits to those living in residential areas or those who are planning an investment in solar energy in terms of electricity output and return on investment. For example, homeowners and investors can predict energy savings after looking at how much their current region can generate electricity and check out the incentives of solar panel installations.
This federal initiative offers 10-year interest-free loans ranging from $5,000 to $40,000 to help finance solar panel installations for homeowners.
🇨🇦Top Canadian Provinces With Solar Energy Growth & Resources
Now, let's have a deeper dive into some of the provinces in Canada that have significant solar energy growth and resources. We'll be looking at places which share the following characteristics:
- High solar potential
- High solar installation capacity
- Supportive renewable energy policies
- Exciting upcoming projects
When we talk about regions with high solar potential, we are referring to places that receive a high amount of sunlight in the country in a year. These are the ideal locations in Canada for solar energy farms to generate the maximum electric power.
On the other hand, regions with high solar installation capacity refer to the present infrastructure and solar energy system itself.
Provinces with high solar potential
Provinces with high installation capacity
The reason why not all regions with high amounts of sunlight have high installation capacity boils down to the other two characteristics — supportive renewable energy policies which contribute to substantial investment for upcoming exciting projects.
For instance, the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) has developed a Feed-In Tariff (FIT) Program to encourage residents in the province to use different renewable sources such as wind energy, and of course solar photovoltaic while involved in electric generation projects in Ontario.
Another example is how the federal and provincial government of Alberta worked together through the Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program (SREPs) to support a series of clean electricity targeted systems.
📍Walking on Sunshine Power: The Sunniest Cities In Canada
After looking at the top provinces with high solar potential and installation capacity, it's time to highlight the individual cities which contribute to the development of solar power optimization and renewable energy capacity. Here's a table with the compilation of the sunniest cities in Canada according to their annual average sunlight hours.
| City, Provinces | Average Annual Sunlight Hours |
|---|---|
| Medicine Hat, Alberta | 2544 |
| Calgary, Alberta | 2396 |
| Winnipeg, Manitoba | 2353 |
| Edmonton, Alberta | 2345 |
| Regina, Saskatchewan | 2318 |
| Saskatoon, Saskatchewan | 2268 |
| Victoria, British Columbia | 2109 |
| Ottawa, Ontario | 2084 |
| Toronto, Ontario | 2066 |
| Thunder Bay, Ontario | 2121 |
From the table, you can see that Alberta is undeniably a key player in Canada's solar energy market. An exciting upcoming project in Medicine Hat this year is the Saamis Solar PV Park, a 325 MW solar power project expected to benefit approximately 90,000 households. Upon completion in 2027, it's set to be the largest urban solar park in North America.
In 2023, the provincial government of Manitoba also signed a memorandum with German solar technology provider and manufacturer, RCT Solutions to invest an enormous cost of $3 billion in the development of clean energy facilities including a solar panel manufacturing plant with an estimated annual production capacity of 10,000 megawatts when the panels are completely operational.
Additionally, SaskPower, a renowned clean energy company in Saskatchewan announced plans to develop 2,100 megawatt (MW) utility-scale solar power projects. Each of their 100 MW solar facility is expected to power an average of 25,000 Saskatchewan homes.
The valuable insights gained through consistent reviews of solar maps in every province alongside supportive renewable energy policies from federal and provincial governments in Canada play crucial roles in making the best of the solar potential of these cities.
In due time, increased adoption of solar technology in residential, businesses, and across industries like agriculture and manufacturing will develop the solar energy system for the best clean electricity generation in every province progressively —contributing to Canada's renewable energy landscape.
🏗️Engaging Solar Energy Projects & Their Contributions
A key contribution of solar energy projects in Canada is the integration of clean electricity to meet the increased demands of the EV industry. Some ways include the installation of solar canopies for effective charging for the car battery when you're on the road or a domestic solar system for residential areas. It's important to note that the price of each solar panel differs according to per-watt pricing and systems' size for different ranges of consumption.
This initiative was also echoed by the car industry when Audi Canada introduced the first-ever solar Canopy electric vehicle charging station of their car network in Oakville, Ontario. The way the charging station works is through the utilization of bi-facial solar panels that capture light reflecting off cars under the canopy to sustain the electrification needs of the consumers.
The next notable example features WESCO Canada, the largest electrical distributor in the country where they were commissioned to design and install a turnkey solar canopy and electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure during the pandemic. Do you know that this project now generates approximately 53,566 kilowatts per hour of electrical power to the power grid every year?
Besides enhancing energy security by making good use of solar as an inexhaustible source, these projects also lead to many environmental and economic benefits. More job opportunities are created with the advancement of photovoltaic technology such as the engineering sector, manufacturing sector, research and development and many more. Businesses can also save excess electricity costs when they know how to integrate solar power into their original operations.
Information provided by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)
⚡The Path Forward For Solar Energy Adoption In The Country
Obviously, the solar energy industry in Canada is not slowing down any time at the moment. The Canadian government has been very supportive of maximizing the latest technology and offering tax rebates to encourage more integration of renewable energy resources to achieve a net-zero electricity grid by 2035. For example, there has been ongoing research and simulations done on agrivoltaics by implementing voltaic cells in farms to help farmers in Canada achieve a higher yield production with the production of clean electricity.
Of course, the question of manpower and expertise remains pivotal to the sustainability of any renewable energy industry. There needs to be more public awareness of the significance of solar power and how it acts as a future-proof and meaningful career that everybody can be a part of. One way to go about this is through early exposure to the renewable energy industry in schools for young children. This would encourage them to view this field as a promising pathway to pursue their higher learning education in the future.
At Superprof, you can learn anything and everything about solar energy with the help of an experienced tutor regardless of your learning level. Whether you are an engineering or environmental science student, you can have the best learning experience, be it through face-to-face lessons or online lessons. Just head to the Superprof Canada homepage to start browsing the tutors' profiles and full details before booking your first lesson.
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes. Your route to unlock the power of solar energy is only a few clicks away. All the best!
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