The University of Toronto (U of T), Ontario-based ARISE Technologies and the Portlands Energy Centre (PEC), Toronto, have partnered to create Canada's largest solar research facility.
According to the companies and U of T, the facility will be located on the PEC site on Toronto's waterfront. It is an ideal location because it has access to transmission lines and is close to the university, which allows students and staff to conduct research on renewable energy systems and technologies at the site.
Under the terms of the agreement, PEC will provide the land, worth about $2.4 million, and ARISE will design and install the system. The solar park will create between 500 kW and 1 MW of energy, and will be able to power up to 1,000 homes, the companies say. ARISE plans to issue a community-based share offering late this year that will allow residents to participate in the project, which is scheduled to be complete late 2008 or early 2009.
