A consortium of German and Canadian companies – NARVA, s-power and Proterra Solar – has begun work on what the companies say is the largest solar cooling project in Canada.
The project was awarded under the Deutsche Energie-Agentur GmbH (dena) Solar Roofs Program for Foreign Market Development 2009/10. It is currently being constructed at Oxford Gardens, a retirement village in Woodstock, Ontario, and includes the installation of 162 solar collectors.
The project will cover approximately 40% of the building's air conditioning load during the summer months, according to Bill VanHaeren, co-owner of the Oxford Gardens retirement home. The installation is also expected to make a significant contribution to domestic hot-water heating, pool heating and space heating needs.
The pilot project is initiated by dena and the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology. The initiatives are designed to offer comprehensive support for German solar energy companies working in promising export markets.
SOURCE: dena
