Ottawa dedicates Canada’s largest solar PV project

The Arnprior Solar Project, a 23.4 MWdc (megawatt direct current) solar photovoltaic (PV) site, was was formally dedicated at a ceremony held on the western side of Ottawa. The Honourable George Smitherman, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure and Deputy Premier of Ontario, was joined by Tristan Grimbert, the president and CEO of EDF EN Canada, the Canadian arm of the French renewable-energy firm, EDFEnergies Nouvelles. The company has invested more than CAD$100 million in the project as part of the province’s Renewable Energy Standard Offer Program (RESOP).

The Minister and Grimbert each installed a solar panel during the dedication ceremony, adding to the 312,000 panels that will be erected at the site. About 150 people in the community have been employed at the Arnprior Solar Project since design, engineering and construction commenced in early 2009. Power generated from the project will meet the peak demands of about 7,000 Ontario homes when it is placed in-service later in 2009.

The project is the largest solar PV site in Canada, and will more than double grid-connected solar PV capacity in the country. The electricity produced will provide local electricity service via connections to the Hydro One distribution grid. The installation is located on a 80-hectare farm in West Carleton, just west of Ottawa and will have as many as 300,000 photovoltaic panels when completed.
www.edf-energies-nouvelles.com