Bob Burtt / the Record
Waterloo Region Feb 10, 2006

The sun is going to shine on  Waterloo Region as the area emerges as an important centre for solar energy in Canada, Rob McMonagle says.

McMonagle, executive director of the Canadian Solar Industries Association, was in Waterloo yesterday as part of a mission to alert provincial politicians to solar energy's potential.

Waterloo Region is one of Canada's most important centres for solar energy, McMonagle said.

"Having Spheral Solar Power in Cambridge, Arise Technologies in Kitchener and world-class research carried on at the University of Waterloo makes this area important, McMonagle said in an interview.

"Waterloo Region has the heaviest concentration of solar companies and the region has a really good advantage over other areas in the country because you have some of the key players located here.

"You have the university and some of the key researchers not only in Canada but around the world," he said.

Spheral Solar has developed a unique product that will be shipped around the world and Arise Technologies has some really innovative products, he said.

Kitchener Centre MPP John Milloy, who helped organize yesterday's event, said solar energy and related local research is a bit of secret around Ontario.

The province will soon be making important decisions about where the province's energy comes from in the future, he said.

And when those decisions are made, solar should play an important role, Milloy said, adding that solar energy could bring new jobs and wealth to the region.

McMonagle said the future of solar around the world is certain, but Canada remains a long way behind Europe, Japan and many countries.

Meetings such as the one yesterday with provincial politicians and officials will help put Ontario and Canada on the right road, he said.

McMonagle said Ontario has made a commitment to implement a system that would allow small energy producers to sell energy to the province for substantially more than the going rate.

Under the system, a farmer, for instance, could install solar panels on a roof and sell some of the electricity to the province.

Ontario would be the first place in Canada to implement such a system, McMonagle said.  Solar energy advocates have long said this kind of incentive is needed to give solar energy a kickstart in Canada.

bburtt@therecord.com