Canada continues to move in the right environmental direction by lowering the costs of Solar Panels in most provinces to promote solar-based electricity! The people are happy about this as evident in the increasing switch overs to solar power. In specific, two examples from the provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan follow below:
Solar Power in Manitoba
Many Canadians dream about having lower Hydro bills, but could anyone imagine having a hydro bill that was only $1.83? Well, they can now and one example is Heather Bisho. A local Manitoban, Bishop recently switched over to the green side by installing solar panels in her 40 year old southern home. This not only helps the planet but it also helps her as she no longer has to pay for Hydro. The only reason she even paid the $1.83 is because of taxes!
Bishop’s home was built in a way to allow self-heating but she still relied on Hydro. She knew that she wanted her house to eventually be dependent on solar power only. So, it was just a matter of waiting for the right time and the right price. So, when Manitoba launched the Power Smart Solar Energy Program (PSSEP) last April to provide Manitobans with affordable solar power, Bishop knew it was time!
Thus, with the help of the program which provides solar photovoltaic installations at $1 per watt installed, she was able to install 64 solar panels in her backyard.
The cost for the panels is about $40,000 so it is costly at first, however, Bishop believes it to be a good investment that will pay for itself in the future.
Solar Power in Saskatchewan
One province over lies the village of Green Lake in northern Saskatchewan where real progress is occurring. This little village is finally living up to its name and going green by switching over to solar power for energy. The residents of the village are of Métis origin so they appreciate solar power as it is connecting them back to the earth.
The mayor of the village, Ric Richardson, explains how there are about 2 to 4 power outages that happen during the month. So this makes it the main reason why the village is switching over to solar panels as hydro is no longer reliable for them. Especially in the long winter days when proper heating is essential. Many residents of the village have gotten sick due to insufficient heat in their homes during the winter and they do not want a repeat of that.
Therefore, the residents have raised up funds over the years and gotten help from the government to ensure this project goes through. We live in very exciting and environmentally friendly times!
Do you use solar panels in your house? What are your thoughts on solar panels and solar energy? Leave us a comment below, we’d love to hear your thought!
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