Construction begins on massive solar farm


CSA Z463 Electrical Maintenance -

Our customized live online or in‑person group training can be delivered to your staff at your location.

  • Live Online
  • 6 hours Instructor-led
  • Group Training Available
Regular Price:
$249
Coupon Price:
$199
Reserve Your Seat Today
Construction is expected to start this spring near Sarnia, Ont., on North America's largest solar energy farm that should be partially operating and generating about 10 to 20 megawatts of electricity by the end of the year.

Peter Carrie, vice-president of OptiSolar Farms Canada which is based in Arthur, said in a recent interview that the Sarnia project will consist of six, 10-megawatt sub-projects.

All six are expected to be in operation by 2009-10, he added.

As well, the company has purchased land in nearby Petrolia, Ont., for a smaller, 10-megawatt venture, and another operation is in the planning stages for a site near Tilbury, Ont., east of Windsor.

Those two sites are not as far advanced, but when completed, all three are expected to generate about 100 megawatts of electricity, enough to power 15,000 homes.

According to the company's website, each sub-project contains thousands of solar panels, aimed to gather maximum sunlight and mounted in rows which are grouped in arrays. Each solar farm consists of many arrays spread over up to 102 hectares of land.

The solar farms make little noise aside from a hum near the transformers used for delivering the solar farm's electricity to the grid. The panels used by OptiSolar Farms rise about three metres above the ground.

Solar farms are most effective in the summer, when electricity demand peaks in Ontario to power air conditioning.

Related News

B.C. electricity demand hits an all-time high

BC Hydro Peak Electricity Demand reached a record 10,902 megawatts during a cold snap, driven…
View more

Rising Solar and Wind Curtailments in California

California Renewable Energy Curtailment highlights grid congestion, midday solar peaks, limited battery storage, and market…
View more

British Columbia Accelerates Clean Energy Shift

BC Hydro Grid Modernization accelerates clean energy and electrification, upgrading transmission lines, substations, and hydro…
View more

Is tidal energy the surge remote coastal communities need?

BC Tidal Energy Micro-Grids harness predictable tidal currents to replace diesel in remote Indigenous coastal…
View more

How waves could power a clean energy future

Wave Energy Converters can deliver marine power to the grid, with DOE-backed PacWave enabling offshore…
View more

The crisis in numbers: How COVID-19 has reshaped Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan COVID-19 economic impact: real-time data shows drops in electricity demand, oil well licensing, traffic…
View more

Sign Up for Electricity Forum’s Newsletter

Stay informed with our FREE Newsletter — get the latest news, breakthrough technologies, and expert insights, delivered straight to your inbox.

Electricity Today T&D Magazine Subscribe for FREE

Stay informed with the latest T&D policies and technologies.
  • Timely insights from industry experts
  • Practical solutions T&D engineers
  • Free access to every issue

Live Online & In-person Group Training

Advantages To Instructor-Led Training – Instructor-Led Course, Customized Training, Multiple Locations, Economical, CEU Credits, Course Discounts.

Request For Quotation

Whether you would prefer Live Online or In-Person instruction, our electrical training courses can be tailored to meet your company's specific requirements and delivered to your employees in one location or at various locations.