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SOLAR SWITCH: THE SUN WAS SHINING TODAY -- AS KINGSTON BLAZED A NEW TRAIL IN CAPTURING SOLAR ENERGY.

May 08, 2009

HERE'S NEWSWATCH'S STU HAY.

IT'S BELIEVED TO BE THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN KINGSTON.

.... USING SOLAR PANELS TO GENERATE ELECTRICITY ON A COMMERCIAL BUILDING.

60 SOLAR PANELS ARE MOUNTED ON THE ROOF OF THE NEW SHOPPERS DRUG MART IN THE CITY'S WEST END .

GENERATING 10 KILOWATTS OF ELECTRICITY, OR ENOUGH TO POWER 4 AVERAGE HOUSEHOLDS.

THE BUILDING AND THE SOLAR PANELS ARE OWNED BY DEVELOPER PETER SPLINTER.

THE BEGINNING OF WHAT'S HOPED TO BE A LONG TERM PARTNERSHIP.

PETER SPLINTER

"WE HAVE 19 BUILDINGS, WE HAVE HANDED THE PLANS OVER TO UPPER CANADA AND WE HAVE NEGOTIATED WITH THEM TO DO A COMPLETE RETROFIT ON THOSE BUILDINGS."

AND SOON, THAT KIND OF OPPORTUNITY WILL BE OFFERED TO THE AVERAGE HOME OWNER.

THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENTS NEW "GREEN ACT" COMES INTO EFFECT THIS JULY.

JOHN GERRETSEN

"WHAT IT WILL ALLOW PEOPLE TO DO IS GET ACCESS TO THE GRID.

WETHER IT'S SOLAR PANELS OR A WIND TURBINE, THEY NOW HAVE THE RIGHT TO GET INTO THE GRID."

AND MAKE SOME MONEY.

THE AVERAGE PAYBACK PERIOD FOR A SMALL RESIDENTIAL SOLAR OPERATION IS ABOUT 10 YEARS.

AFTER THAT, IT'S ALL PROFIT.

AND IT'S EXPECTED THE PANELS WILL LAST FOR MINIMUM OF 20 TO 25 YEARS.

TURNING THESE EMPTY ROOF TOPS INTO OPPORTUNITY.

DON YOUNG

"ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY QUITE FRANKLY.

AS WELL AS ENVIRONMENTAL OPPORTUNITY.

LETS MAKE THIS THE CITY THAT WE WANT OUT KIDS AND GRAND KIDS TO GROW UP IN."

AND BY TAKING THE LEAD IN THE GREEN SHIFT, KINGSTON COULD VERY WELL SET ITSELF UP TO BE A CENTRE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY JOBS.

IT'S A NEW INDUSTRY AND ONE THAT COULD PROVE TO BE QUITE LUCRATIVE.

TED HSU

"BUSINESSES AND WORKERS WILL COME TO KINGSTON BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT THIS IS A CENTRE FOR WORK IS SUSTAINABLE ENERGY.

SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO BRAND KINGSTON AS A CENTRE FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY."

JUST LIKE SATELLITE DISHES, SOLAR PANELS ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME COMMONPLACE ON HOMES AND BUSINESSES.

HARNESSING THE SUN'S ENERGY... AND THE PROFITS IT CAN CREATE.

STU HAY CKWS NEWSWATCH KINGSTON.

THE SUN WAS SHINING TODAY -- AS KINGSTON BLAZED A NEW TRAIL IN CAPTURING SOLAR ENERGY.

ONTARIO'S ENVIRONMENT MINISTER JOINED WITH OTHER DIGNITARIES ON THE ROOF OF A DRUG STORE -- TO UNVEIL THE REGION'S FIRST LARGE-SCALE COMMERCIAL SOLAR OPERATION.

AND THEY'RE PREDICTING HOMEOWNERS WILL EVENTUALLY CATCH THE RAYS, AS WELL.

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