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Ottawa and Toronto, Canada (April 7, 2016) – The Canadian Solar Industries Association (CanSIA) and Hannover Fairs (Canada), Inc. have announced CanSIA’s annual Solar Ontario conference program. Solar Ontario 2016 will be held on May 16 & 17 at the Fallsview Casino Resort/Hilton in Niagara Falls, Canada.
This year’s program focuses on a wide range of topics of interest to the solar energy community in Ontario, Canada’s leading jurisdiction for the deployment of solar technology. Industry leaders, government and utility officials will explore the latest trends and policies affecting Ontario’s solar energy growth and renewable energy policies.
“Ontario is home to more than 99 percent of Canada’s total install solar capacity, which is fast approaching 3 GW,” said John Gorman, President and CEO of CanSIA. “Solar Energy is a vital segment of the Ontario economy with solar installations in Ontario creating more than 12,000 jobs. This year, Ontario will procure another 500 MW of solar electricity generation capacity. Delegates to Solar Ontario 2016 will gain insights into these procurement programs and how other factors such as the province’s upcoming climate change policies, long term energy planning process and Canada’s new federal government will accelerate renewable energy through new policy initiatives.”
Half-Day Workshop Examines Behind-the-Meter Policy and Implementation
On May 16, Solar Ontario 2016 will host a half-day workshop to examine the critical policy design and implementation issues for solar companies participating in the future behind-the-meter generation market (with and without storage) to determine what factors will ultimately affect the scale and pace of development of this market sector.
Jim MacDougall, President of Compass Renewable Energy Consulting Inc., will facilitate three interactive sections on customer, utilities and solar business model considerations. This workshop is fitting for industry professionals that intend to participate in any manner in the net-metering based business.
Conference Will Focus On The Long-Term Energy Plan (LTEP) For Solar In Ontario
On May 17, John Gorman will open the conference with a long-term outlook for solar energy in Ontario. The Honorable Bob Chiarelli, Ontario Minister of Energy, has been invited to join Bruce Campbell, President & CEO of the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), in the keynote address. Key issues currently being contemplated in Ontario’s electricity sector will be discussed, as well as insights and perspectives on the LTEP for solar in Ontario.
Next up on May 17, Rodney Northey, a Partner at Gowlings, will moderate a panel focused on the regional planning process, ongoing plans and identified needs, as well as how solar can position itself to provide solutions. The panel of experts will cover current regional growth plans and how coordination between the regional and municipal planning process is required to address expansion and climate change goals. Panel members include: Bob Chow, Director of Transmission Integration at IESO, Graham Seaman, Director of Sustainability for the City of Markham, and Neetika Sathe, Vice President of Corporate Development at Powerstream.
Jonathan Cheszes, Director at Compass Renewable Energy Consulting Inc., will moderate a session covering the results and successes of the 2016 LRP I procurement of 140 MW of solar contracts. The session also will address what best practices and lessons learned will be applied to the next 140 MW round of solar procurement under the LRP II in 2017.
In the afternoon, Adam Butterfield, Manager Renewable Generation Procurement at IESO, will provide updates on Ontario’s microFIT and FIT programs. A panel of industry experts will close out the conference with a discussion of the potential for new revenue streams for solar electricity generators including capacity markets, ancillary benefits and environmental attributes and specific challenges that are being faced in the creation of a “made in Ontario” approach.
“Solar Ontario 2016 is the premiere conference for industry participants to network and to form business partnerships while staying in front of the latest trends and policies affecting solar energy in Ontario,” said Larry Turner, President of Hannover Fairs (Canada), Inc., the Deutsche Messe subsidiary and organizer of Solar Ontario, Solar West and Solar Canada in partnership with CanSIA.
To register to attend Solar Ontario 2016, visit the conference registration web site at http://solarontarioconference.ca/register/.
About CanSIA
The Canadian Solar Industries Association is a national trade association that represents the solar energy industry throughout Canada. Since 1992, CanSIA has worked to develop a strong, efficient, ethical and professional Canadian solar energy industry with capacity to provide innovative solar energy solutions and to play a major role in the global transition to a sustainable, clean-energy future.
About Hannover Fairs (Canada), Inc.
Hannover Fairs (Canada), Inc. develops events in Canada and manages marketing programs at Deutsche Messe events in Hannover, Germany and the United States, as well as in such key emerging markets as China, India and Turkey. Working closely with its clients, Hannover Fairs helps them maintain their competitive position on and off the event floor. The company’s programs reflect the global scope of Deutsche Messe’s activities and include such world-renowned B-to-B trade fairs as CeBIT (information and communications technology), DOMOTEX (floor coverings), HANNOVER MESSE (industrial technology), and LIGNA HANNOVER (forestry and wood industries).
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