Ontario Is North America's Hot Spot For Solar Energy

The Ontario Solar Thermal Heating Incentive matches rebates provided by the federal ecoENERGY for Renewable Heat program. Each program provides up to 25 per cent of the cost of purchasing and installing a solar hot water or solar air heating system, to a maximum of $80,000. Gerry Phillips, Ontario's new Energy Minister has announced an agreement with the federal government which will help the Province implement this four-year, $14.4 million rebate program in conjunction with Natural Resources Canada to encourage businesses, institutions and industry across Ontario to install solar heating systems. "We are delighted to have this important agreement in place," said Ontario Energy Minister Gerry Phillips. "These solar installations will help achieve important reductions in the use of fossil fuel-based energy for space and water heating. That is why we are supporting this important rebate program so significantly." The long-term benefits of solar energy are immense. In Canada's commercial and institutional sectors, up to 10 per cent of energy use is for water heating and over 50 per cent is for space heating. This program will support the installation of solar systems that offset both of these loads. For space heating, savings from solar systems can approach 50 per cent of building heating loads. Other key McGuinty government solar energy initiatives include: - Setting a target of installing 100,000 solar roofs across the province - Establishing the Ontario Home Energy Retrofit Program provides up to $5,000 for home energy retrofits, including $500 rebated on the installation of solar domestic water systems - Extending the provincial sales tax (PST) rebate on qualifying solar (and other renewable energy) equipment to January 1, 2010 - Funding "Go Solar" - a one stop information shop for Ontarians interested in installing solar energy systems to heat water or generate electricity - www.gosolarontario.com http://ogov.newswire.ca/ontario/GPOE/2007/11/20/c2477.html?lmatch=&lang=_e.html [Proofreader’s note: this article was edited for spelling and typos on November 21, 2007]

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