View source for Solar power in Canada

{{short description|Overview of solar power in Canada}}
{{Infobox country solar power|country=Canada|image=Canada GHI mid-size-map 220x127mm-300dpi v20191205.png|caption=Solar irradiation map of Canada|capacity=6|most_recent_year=2024|generation=8|most_recent_year_generation=2024|capacity_capita=157|most_recent_year_capita=2024|share=1%|most_recent_year_share=2024|rank=19th|most_recent_year_rank=2024}}
{{Electricity generation in Canada}}
Historically, the main applications of solar energy technologies in Canada have been non-electric [[active solar]] system applications for [[space heating]], water heating and drying crops and lumber. In 2001, there were more than 12,000 residential [[solar water heating]] systems and 300 commercial/ industrial solar hot water systems in use. These systems presently comprise a small fraction of Canada's energy use, but some government studies suggest they could make up as much as five percent of the country's energy needs by the year 2025.

[[Photovoltaic]] (PV) cells are increasingly used as standalone units, mostly as off-grid distributed electricity generation to power remote homes, telecommunications equipment, oil and pipeline monitoring stations and navigational devices. The Canadian PV market has grown quickly and Canadian companies make solar modules, controls, specialized water pumps, high-efficiency refrigerators and solar lighting systems.
Grid-connected solar PV systems have grown significantly in recent years and reached over 1.8 GW of cumulative installed capacity by the end of 2014.

==Solar potential==
Canada has plentiful [[solar energy]] resources thanks to its large area. Regions of high solar potential based on [[Solar irradiance|global horizontal irradiation]] being located in the [[British Columbia Interior]], southern [[Alberta]], southern [[Saskatchewan]], southern [[Manitoba]], [[Ontario]], southern [[Quebec]], [[New Brunswick]], southern [[Nova Scotia]], and western [[Prince Edward Island]]. The regions of highest solar potential are located in southern extremes of [[Southern Alberta|Alberta]], [[Saskatchewan]], and [[Ontario Peninsula|Ontario]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://globalsolaratlas.info/detail?c=51.835778,-95.800781,4&r=CAN|title=Global Solar Atlas|website=globalsolaratlas.info|access-date=2020-02-11}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://energyhub.org/solar-energy-maps-canada/|title=Canadian Solar Energy Resource Maps 2019|website=energyhub.org|access-date=22 January 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/18366|title=Photovoltaic and solar resource maps|website=www.nrcan.gc.ca|date=7 April 2016|access-date=18 April 2018}}</ref>

However, the country has a relatively low level of [[solar irradiance]] due to its high latitude. This, combined with cloud cover, results in a low 6% [[capacity factor]], compared to a 15% capacity factor in the [[United States]] for solar power generators.<ref>http://www.eia.gov/outlooks/ieo/pdf/0484(2016).pdf pg90</ref>
The northern territories have a smaller solar potential, and less direct sunlight, because of their even higher latitude. The National Energy Board predicts that solar electricity will grow to be 1.2% of the country's total energy production by 2040.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.neb-one.gc.ca/nrg/ntgrtd/ftr/2018/chptr3-eng.html|title = NEB – Chapter 3. Reference and High/Low Price Case Results|date = 17 September 2021}}</ref>

==By region==
{{further|List of photovoltaic power stations in Canada}}

===Ontario===
{{update section|date=June 2016}}
With the introduction of a [[Feed-in tariff]] (FIT) in 2009, Ontario became a global leader for solar energy projects. The program was the first of its kind in North America.{{citation needed|date=June 2016}} 
Thanks to the FIT program, Ontario was the home of what was temporarily the largest solar farm in the world (in October 2010) until surpassed by larger farms in China and India.  Located in Sarnia, Ontario, the 97 megawatt<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pvresources.com/PVPowerPlants/Top50.aspx|title=Large-scale photovoltaic power plants ranking 1 - 50|website=pvresources.com|access-date=18 April 2018|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160101115142/http://www.pvresources.com/PVPowerPlants/Top50.aspx|archive-date=1 January 2016}}</ref> [[Sarnia Photovoltaic Power Plant]] can power more than 12,000 homes.<ref>{{cite news 
 | url= https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/enbridge-completes-sarnia-solar-farm-1.911812
 | title= Enbridge completes Sarnia solar farm | work=CBC News | date=4 October 2010
}}</ref>
Ontario has several other large PV power plants, other than the Sarnia plant. The 23.4 MW [[Arnprior Solar Generating Station]] was built in 2009, and is expected to expand to 80 MW.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2010/01/edf-en-commissions-23-4-mw-arnprior-solar-plant|title=EDF Commissions 23.4-MW Arnprior Solar Plant|website=www.renewableenergyworld.com|access-date=18 April 2018}}</ref>
Additionally, a 68 megawatt solar farm can be found in [[Sault Ste. Marie Solar Park|Sault Ste. Marie]], and a new 100 megawatt solar farm was built in [[Kingston, Ontario]] in 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.samsungrenewableenergy.ca/our-projects/kingston/|title=Kingston|last=samsungrenewableenergy.ca|website=Samsung Renewable Energy|access-date=12 May 2021}}</ref>

The most recent concentrated solar thermal power and storage technologies were barred from the FIT. The reason offered was that the technologies are not proven in Ontario climate.{{citation needed|date=March 2016}}

The FIT program is intended for installations over 10&nbsp;kW, while the microFIT program is to encourage the development of micro-scale renewable energy projects, such as residential solar photovoltaic (PV) installations. The microFIT program provides a rate of $0.802/kWh for rooftop mounted solar panels.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://microfit.powerauthority.on.ca/Program-resources/FAQ/FAQ-General-information.php|title=microFIT News and Overview|website=microfit.powerauthority.on.ca|access-date=18 April 2018}}</ref>
On July 2, 2010 the microFIT's program rate (for ground-mounted systems only) was lowered to $0.642/kWh by the Ontario Power Authority (OPA).<ref>{{cite news 
 | url= https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/ontario/ontarios-rate-cut-for-solar-power-a-blow-to-green-energy/article1642110/
 | title= Ontario Power Authority Cuts Solar Rates| work=CBC News | date=16 July 2010
}}</ref>
This new rate means consumers investing in solar energy through the Ontario microFIT Program will experience a drop in profit margin from a 25% range to 10%.<ref>{{cite web 
 | url= http://ottawasolarpower.com/osp2010/fit2.htm
 | title= Ontario microFIT Program - Ottawa Solar Power| date=8 September 2011
}}</ref> On April 5, 2012 the rate was reduced to $0.549/kWh.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://microfit.powerauthority.on.ca/sites/default/files/news/FIT-mFITPriceScheduleV2.0.pdf|title=microFIT News and Overview|website=microfit.powerauthority.on.ca|access-date=18 April 2018}}</ref> The 2012 target is for 50 MW to be installed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://microfit.powerauthority.on.ca/program-overview|title=microFIT News and Overview|website=microfit.powerauthority.on.ca|access-date=18 April 2018}}</ref> As of August 7, 2012, 9,764 applications for the FIT have been submitted, totaling 8,504 MW. 1,757 applications have been submitted for the microFIT program, totaling 16 MW.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://fit.powerauthority.on.ca/sites/default/files/page/Bi_WeeklyReportAugust7-2012.pdf|title=FIT Overview|website=fit.powerauthority.on.ca|access-date=18 April 2018}}</ref> Ontario plans to end coal generation by 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.energy.gov.on.ca/en/ontarios-electricity-system/|title=Ministry of Energy » Ontario's Electricity System|website=www.energy.gov.on.ca|access-date=18 April 2018}}</ref>

Ontario is expected to reach 2,650 MW of solar PV by 2015.<ref>{{cite web
 |url=http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2011/03/ontarios-solar-pv-installations-may-surpass-california-in-2011
 |title=Ontario's //Solar PV Installations May Surpass California in 2011
 |author=Paul Gipe
 |date=23 March 2011
 |work=Renewable Energy World
}}</ref>
As of December 2016, Ontario's solar energy installations have the capability of generating 1,947 MW.<ref>{{cite web 
 |url=http://www.ieso.ca/en/learn/ontario-supply-mix/ontario-energy-capacity
 |title=Supply Overview - IESO
 |date=17 May 2017}}</ref>

==Statistics==
{{Image frame
|width = 360
|align=right
|pos=top
|content=<div style="margin: 15px 5px -40px -50px; font-size: 80%;">
{{ #invoke:Chart 
  | bar-chart
  | width = 400 
  | height = 360
  | group 1 =  7.2 : 8.8 : 10.0 : 11.8 : 13.9 : 16.8 : 20.5 : 25.8 : 32.7 : 94.57 : 281 : 558 : 766 : 1210 : 1843 : 2240 : 2600 : 2800 : 3040 : 4844 : 4914| colors = firebrick
  | group names =
  | units suffix = _MW
  | x legends = 2000 : : : : 2004 : : : : 2008 : : : : 2012 : : : : 2016 : : : : 2020
}}</div>
|caption = History of Canadian PV deployment in megawatts since 1996<ref>collected data from article [[growth of photovoltaics]]</ref>
}}

{| class=wikitable style="text-align:right"
|+PV capacity and generation in Canada by year<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.epia.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Publications/GMO_2013_-_Final_PDF.pdf|title=Global Market Outlook for Photovoltaics 2013-2017|website=epia.org|access-date=18 April 2018|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150219143551/http://www.epia.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Publications/GMO_2013_-_Final_PDF.pdf|archive-date=19 February 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iea-pvps.org/index.php?id=92&eID=dam_frontend_push&docID=2797|title=National Survey Report of PV Power Applications in Canada 2014|website=iea-pvps.org|access-date=18 April 2018}}</ref><ref>[https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/science-and-data/data-and-analysis/energy-data-and-analysis/energy-facts/renewable-energy-facts/20069 Renewable energy facts | Natural Resources Canada]</ref><ref name="resourceirena.irena.org">{{cite web|url=http://resourceirena.irena.org/gateway/dashboard/?topic=4&subTopic=18|title=Data and Statistics - IRENA REsource|website=resourceirena.irena.org|access-date=18 April 2018}}</ref><ref>[https://solarfeeds.com/canada-solar-power-statistics/ Solar Power Statistics in Canada 2019]</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://renewablesassociation.ca/forecast-the-future-is-bright-for-renewable-energy-in-canada/|title=Forecast: The future is bright for renewable energy in Canada|date=January 19, 2021|access-date=March 18, 2021}}</ref>
|-
!style="background:Yellow;"|Year!!style="background:Yellow;"|Σ Installed<br>(MWp)!!style="background:Yellow;"|Δ Installed<br>(MWp)!!style="background:Yellow;"|Generation<br>(GWh)
|-
|1992||0.96 || ||
|-
|1993||1.23 ||0.2 ||
|-
|1994||1.51 ||0.3 ||
|-
|1995||1.86 ||0.4 ||
|-
|1996||2.56 ||0.7 ||
|-
|1997||3.38 ||0.8 ||
|-
|1998||4.47 ||1.1 ||
|-
|1999||5.83 ||1.3 ||
|-
|2000||7.15 ||1.4||
|-
|2001||8.83 ||1.6 ||
|-
|2002||10.00 ||1.2 ||
|-
|2003||11.83 ||1.8 ||
|-
|2004||13.88 ||2.1 ||
|-
|2005||16.75 ||2.85 ||
|-
|2006||20.48 ||3.75 ||
|-
|2007||25.77 ||5.3 ||
|-
|2008||32.72 ||6.9 ||
|-
|2009||94.57 ||61.87 ||
|-
|2010||281.13 ||186.43 ||
|-
|2011||558.29 ||297 ||400
|-
|2012||765.97 ||268 ||
|-
|2013||1,210.48 ||444.51 ||
|-
|2014||1,843.08 ||632.60 ||
|-
|2015||2,240 ||397 ||
|-
|2016||2,600 ||360 ||
|-
|2017||2,800 ||200 ||
|-
|2018||3,040 ||240 ||
|-
|2019||4,844 ||1,804 ||
|-
|2020||4,914 ||70 ||
|}
----

== Agrivoltaics in Canada ==
Agrivoltaics is gaining attention in Canada as a promising way to combine solar energy production with agriculture. This method allows solar panels to be installed on farmland without stopping crop growth or livestock grazing. It offers a solution to land use conflicts by making dual use of the same space.

Recent research has shown that installing solar panels on just 1% of Canada's agricultural land could generate between a quarter and over a third of the country’s total electricity needs. Provinces like Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Ontario have especially high potential due to their large farmland areas and good sunlight levels. Agrivoltaics also supports Canada's goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase renewable energy use.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Jamil |first1=Uzair |last2=Bonnington |first2=Abigail |last3=Pearce |first3=Joshua M. |date=2023-02-10 |title=The Agrivoltaic Potential of Canada |journal=Sustainability |language=en |volume=15 |issue=4 |pages=3228 |doi=10.3390/su15043228 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2023Sust...15.3228J |issn=2071-1050}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Energy|Renewable energy|Canada}}
*[[Solar power by country]]
*[[Feed-in tariff#Canada|Feed-in tariff program in Canada]]
*[[Green Energy Act 2009]]
*[[Renewable energy in Canada]]
*[[Wind power in Canada]]
*[[Geothermal power in Canada]]
*[[Hydroelectricity in Canada]]
*[[List of renewable energy topics by country]]
*[[Global Solar Atlas]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==

* [http://www.neb-one.gc.ca/nrg/ntgrtd/mrkt/ftrrtcl/2018-12-06rsdntlslr-eng.html National Energy Board - Residential solar by province]
* [https://energyhub.org/solar-energy-maps-canada/ Solar irradiance maps]

{{Solar power by country}}{{Renewable energy by country}}

[[Category:Solar power in Canada| ]]