Dear Mr. Weir,…

   Dear Mr. Weir,

  Prowind is a developer, owner and operator of renewable energy electric generation projects.  We have been active in various Ontario renewable energy procurements, and are now active in the net metering space.

  In general, we applaud the government’s new approach opening up the market to new models for renewable energy, while at the same time reducing the direct incentives that the Province’s electricity consumers must bear.

  The evolution towards third-party net metering will allow participation in renewable energy by those who cannot easily afford the costs up front and should help allow more people who would like to participate to do so.

  We were certainly pleased that last July’s changes to the net metering regulations lifted the 500 kW size restriction, which allows industrial consumers to participate in net metering as well. However, many industrial consumers have only now started to understand the options that this provides for them, and we expect this sector to become much more involved in the net metering program this year.

  We recommend that a distinction is made for regulatory purposes between a homeowner putting solar on the roof of their house, and a sophisticated industrial consumer.  Protections that are prudent to protect the homeowner may unduly constrain the industrial customer to financial arrangements that don’t provide the best value to them.  We believe that parties that are not restrained in acquiring other goods and services to their own best advantage should be assumed competent to purchase electricity as well.

  Prowind is also looking forward to the introduction of virtual net metering to the Ontario market. We understand that this represents something very new in the Province, and that the Province might feel that starting in a limited way is a responsible approach.  In this case, our recommendation is that a pilot program should allow a demonstration project to reflect what the market will look like.  A demonstration project that doesn’t allow for new capacity to be built for it, or doesn’t allow the length of agreement required to invest in new capacity will not reflect the future market in a meaningful way.

  Thank you for this opportunity to provide our input into these exciting new parts of the Ontario renewable energy and electricity markets.

[Original Comment ID: 212046]