1. Island Community Solar Co-op
Brought to you by
Energy Solutions for Vancouver Island

2. More than 60 Years of Improvement
The first silicon solar cell was built by Bell Laboratories in 1954
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3. More For Less
Solar panels now cost less than half of what they did in 2008
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4. Solar Costs Have Dropped
Since 1977, solar costs have dropped by 99%
The current Nanaimo price of solar panels is approximately $0.80 Cdn per watt
Including installation and all required equipment, on Southern Vancouver Island the current cost of a grid-tied solar power system is roughly $3.00 to $4.00 Cdn per watt
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5. Solar Power Measurement
Solar is measured by the
kilowatt-hour: 1 kilowatt = 1000 watts
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6. Local Power
Vancouver Island isn’t power-independent. Roughly 70% of our power comes from the mainland.
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7. BC Hydro Rates are expected to rise at least 2.4% to 2.6% annually
BC Hydro Rates Rising
BC Hydro Rates are expected to rise at least 2.4% to 2.6% annually
From 2006 to 2015, BC Hydro rates rose 4.33% annually on average
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10. Solar Can Be Competitive
In sunny areas of the US, Australia, India and Africa, solar costs are already competitive with fossil fuels
Energy contracts for solar in these areas are coming in at USD $0.05/kWh or less.
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11. Worldwide…
In 2013, China installed 12 GW of solar panels The USA installed 4.4 GW
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12. And In the UK…
More than 500,000 UK households had solar panels on their roofs in 2014
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13. Solar Is Flexible Solar energy comes in all sizes
Personal chargers that fit in your pocket
Dollar store solar yard lights
Portable panels for recreation use
Home solar installations
Solar power plants covering many square kilometres
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14. Coming Soon On Cars
Ford has already created a concept car that has solar panels built in to its roof
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15. World’s Most Abundant Energy Source
Solar energy is the world’s most abundant and renewable energy source
Enough solar energy hits the planet in an hour to replace every other energy source used in the world over an entire year.
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16. BC Solar Energy Yield
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17. Solar Energy Is Clean
Solar energy is one of the cleanest sources of energy
No noise pollution, either!
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18. BC Hydro and Solar
If you own a home in BC, your energy is charged on a 2-tier system depending on consumption
Adding a small solar power system can greatly reduce your use of the more expensive tier of power.
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19. Solar In Space!
Space missions (and TV and communications satellites) use solar power
It’s low-maintenance
It’s reliable and predictable
An installation has a long lifespan
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20. You Need The Right Location
Solar energy requires an unshaded area for installation. Nearby trees and other structures can make a site unsuitable.
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21. “Free” Energy…
The Earth receives roughly 1,366 watts of solar radiation per square meter
We just need efficient ways of “catching” it!
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22. Solar In Nanaimo
In the Nanaimo area, the average annual energy available is 1,100 kWh/kWp (NRCan)
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23. The US Is Ahead
In the USA, the largest solar power plant covers 1000 acres in the Mojave Desert in California, generating 354 megawatts
The US supports solar power with significant tax incentives. Canada does not offer equivalent programs yet
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24. Easy Maintenance
Operational and maintenance costs are very low once solar panels are installed
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25. You Don’t Need Batteries
A home solar system in BC doesn’t require batteries. It can be “grid-tied” to BC Hydro’s power grid and contribute its excess energy there.
Yes, your power meter can run backwards!
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26. Blackout Immune?
Solar power systems with battery storage are immune to blackouts, but they are more expensive to install than grid-tied systems
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27. PV History
The first PV (photovoltaic) system was installed on a New York City rooftop in 1884
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28. Solar Power Efficiency
The power generated by solar systems depends on five factors:
System design
Location
Time of day
Time of year
Weather conditions
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29. Location Is Everything
Solar power in BC is affordable IF you have a good location
Site assessments are often free – contact us at ESVI.ca for referrals
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30. Huge Price Drops
60% of the solar panels in the US were built in the last three years, as prices dropped and incentives were put in place
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31. Clouds and Solar
Solar panels still produce energy on a cloudy day, but it is reduced
Some models produce at 10% to 25% of their full capacity under cloudy conditions
In the Nanaimo area, your system will produce much more energy in the summer than in the winter
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32. Germany Wins! Germany wins top marks in solar
They are the world’s top solar panel producer
They produce 31% of the world’s renewable energy
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33. Huge Cost Reduction
In the US, the cost per watt of solar panels dropped from USD $76.67 in 1977 to under a dollar today
Prices vary according to quantity purchased, quality and warranty
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35. Sunlight, Not Heat
Solar panels don’t work better in a hotter climate – it’s the sunlight, not the heat which is converted to energy
In fact, too much heat can reduce solar panel efficiency
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36. Brazil Supports Solar
The Brazil 2016 Olympic Games will feature a 100 metre tall Solar Tower
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37. Solar Is Environmentally Sound
75 million barrels of oil and 35 million tons of carbon dioxide are saved annually by existing solar power system owners
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38. Long Life
Today’s solar panels have a warrantied lifespan of at least years
Many can last 30 years or more
Solar panels manufactured 50 years ago are still operating today
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39. Getting Better
Most solar panels convert about 15% of the sun’s energy into power, but the output is increasing as technology evolves
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40. Colorado Initiative
Colorado is attempting to make solar-powered homes a standard
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41. Solar Employment
Employment in the Solar industry increased 20% PER YEAR for three years from 2013 to 2015 (US figures)
The Solar Foundation reports a 50% jobs increase from 2010 to 2013
As of 2015, there were over 208,859 people employed in solar power in the US
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42. 2/3 Of All PV Worldwide
Two-Thirds of all solar installations worldwide have been installed since 2011
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43. China Pushes Clean Solar
China is intending to install 70 gigawatts of solar power by 2017
Solar power is an important component in improving air quality standards in China
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44. Solar panels can pay back the energy costs of their carbon footprint within 4-7 years, unlike coal, oil or natural gas
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45. Good Investment
Warren Buffet, among many others, invests in solar energy
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46. ROI On Solar
In the first 20 years of a solar installation, the average New Yorker will save USD $31,166
Since most systems will last 30 years today, the return is even higher
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47. Island Community Solar Co-op
Our Solar Co-op will:
Provide education about solar in our local communities
Offer investment opportunities in solar (through self-directed RRSPs and other)
Give supporters a chance to volunteer and learn on solar installations
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48. Want A Copy?
Please sign up for updates and we’ll you these slides!
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