Getting easier to be green
Mississauga will get a bit greener in the next few years after renewable energy projects at 19 city businesses were approved by Queen's Park.
Mississauga East-Cooksville MPP Peter Fonseca, whose riding is home to seven of the projects, made the announcement on April 9 at Davis Design, a graphic design company on The Queensway E. that will soon begin using solar power.
Toronto-based Potentia Solar Energy is designing and operating the solar panels for 20 businesses across Ontario, including the seven in Mississauga East-Cooksville. The city's 12 other participants are using other solar companies. The businesses themselves will pick up the tab for the solar panels.
“This is a great day for a greener Mississauga,” said Fonseca. “We are here to build an energy system that will free the next generation’s economy.” The Mississauga projects are among 184 announced by Ontario's Liberal government under the Green Energy Act's Feed-in Tariff program, a plan to adopt green energy sources. “Here in Mississauga, we will be outfitting the rooftops of the buildings with solar panels,” said Fonseca. “All of this will be like providing energy for 13,000 homes as well as taking 1,300 cars off the road, reducing emission gases.” The other projects across Ontario are a mix of ground-mounted solar, onshore wind and water power endeavours, among others. The new power, while cleaner, is also more costly.
Ontario Energy Minister Brad Duguid estimated that the contracts awarded under the Province's green energy legislation will add about $5 per month to the average homeowner's power bill by 2012, when the new projects are completed. “We have to work for it (green energy); we may have to pay a little bit more for it, but so what,” said Mayor Hazel McCallion, who was on hand for the announcement. “If we really want to protect the environment, then we have to get involved, very actively, as well as picking up a bit of the tab for it, but that’s the future and the future depends on our involvement.” Davis Design president Ron Davis said his company is excited to be one of the first users of the new energy. “As tenants of the building, we wanted to see this happen,” he said.
Ontario's Green Energy Act is part of the government's Open Ontario Plan, which supports the Province’s commitment to eliminate dirty coal-fired generation by the end of 2014 and create up to 50,000 “green-collar” jobs. “This is green-energy jobs that Mississauga is producing,” said Fonseca. “We want to be the world leader in green energy and with this act, we are staying ahead of the pack.”
Source: http://www.mississauga.com/
