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Manitoba Hydro wants to see more PV systems, rolls out 2016 solar program

April 22, 2016 | By Renée Francoeur


April 22, 2016 – Manitoba Hydro is launching a new program designed to help the public “harness the power of the sun”. The Power Smart Solar Energy Program offers incentives and financial support for home and business owners to adopt solar power to allow them to generate their own electricity, and sell excess energy back to Manitoba Hydro.

“We want to be involved in these emerging technologies, which are improving and becoming more cost-effective,” said Kevin Shepherd, the utility’s president and CEO. “As the cost-effectiveness improves, these technologies become an increasingly viable option both for Manitoba Hydro and consumers… It’s another way of offering an additional choice of energy sources to our customers.”

In Winnipeg, a typical single roof-top solar PV module provides approximately 250W of power and takes up 1.5 square metres. According to Manitoba Hydro, this produces enough electricity to run the kitchen lights.

Installed with a bi-directional meter, a customer can use the electricity generated from their solar PV panels when they need it or sell it back to Manitoba Hydro when they don’t.

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Shepherd said the Solar Energy Program will provide solar PV installations an incentive of one dollar per watt installed, which will cover roughly 25% of the upfront capital cost of a new installation.

“Combined with the ability to finance in monthly installments on your Manitoba Hydro bill, this incentive will make investing in this energy option easy for our customers,” Shepherd said.


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