Solar electricity for your high rise?

At Tower Power Toronto’s Jan. 13 evening meeting, Dennis Bartels presented his ”solar electricity 101”—all you need to know about adding photovoltaic panels to the roof of your multi-unit building. He described the system components, the costs and revenues from such systems, the legal details, and how to convince your condo or coop board of the worthiness of installing these systems.

The meeting took place at the Windward Co-operative at 34 Little Norway Crescent at Bathurst and Queen’s Quay. Windward residents are now enjoying the solar water heating system that was installed this fall.

Bartels is the secretary of Next Generation Energy Alternatives, a Torontobased non-profit organization which promotes the deployment of photovoltaic (PV) systems on large urban buildings. Clean power from these “PV” systems can now be sold to the electricity grid under Ontario’s new feed-in tariff programme at 80 cents/kilowatt, which is roughly 6 1/2 times what most Toronto residents pay for the electricity they use in their homes and apartments.

For information, e-mail tim@greenteacher.com or phone (416) 960-1244.