EDF EN Canada Begins Construction On Three PV Projects In Ontario

EDF EN Canada, an EDF Energies Nouvelles Company engaged in renewable energy development, has begun the construction on three solar PV projects totaling 36MW.

The Elmsley Solar Project, which comprises two 12MW sites utilizing Suntech panels, is located near Lombardy in the Township of Rideau Lakes while a place near the town of St Isidore in the Municipality of the Nation will be home to the 12MW St Isidore Project consisting of First Solar panels.

The company has developed all three sites under the Government of Ontario’s Renewable Energy Standard Offer Program (RESOP), which encourages renewable energy production to help replace coal-fired generation.

The company expects these three projects to generate enough clean electricity to power nearly 10,500 homes and employ approximately 350 people during the design, engineering and construction process.

The projects are expected to deliver local electricity service by the end of 2010, via connections to the Hydro One distribution grid.

Jon Kieran, director of solar development at EDF EN Canada, said: “We are pleased to launch the construction phase of these valuable projects. These projects follow on the success of the Arnprior Solar Project in Ottawa, which went into service in 2009.

“When all five RESOP sites are completed we will have contributed about 60MW of solar energy to the distribution grid.”