May 3 2011
A contract to supply 9.3 MW, corresponding to approximately 30,000 photovoltaic modules made from 60 or 72 mono-crystalline silicon cells, has just been signed between Agris Solar Co- operative Inc. and Silfab Ontario Inc., a subsidiary of vertically-integrated solar provider Silfab SpA (Italy).
The a Canadian company has just inaugurated its new PV module manufacturing facility in Mississauga, Ontario. The production line has already started its production and will reach 90 MW annual capacity by the middle of the year and 180 MW by 2012.
The Silfab supply will initiate this month, giving Agris Solar the first tranche of the new line, and will continue until April next year, allowing Agris Solar to realize its program of microFIT photovoltaic installations with a maximum of 10 kW each, distributed throughout Ontario.
Agris Solar began construction of the first 10 kW microFIT systems in early February and will continue to build throughout the coming year with the goal to have over 1000 microFIT installations completed throughout rural Ontario.
The total 9.3 MW corresponds to an estimated clean energy production of 10.6 million kW/h a year and to 150 million tonnes of avoided CO2 emissions over the lifetime of the plants. In accordance with the local incentive program requirements, the modules chosen by Agris Solar and produced by Silfab are the SLA 235- 250 and SLA 285- 300, respectively composed of 60 and 72 mono- crystalline high efficiency silicon cells and with power up to 300Wp.
These maximum performance modules, which are extremely reliable and durable, are guaranteed to have a prolonged life at the highest levels of energy efficiency.
"With Agris Solar" - says President and CEO of Silfab Ontario Inc and Silfab SpA, Franco Traverso - " we have found a partner of great quality, that considers photovoltaics from not only an economic perspective, but also from an environmental and social viewpoint. We are therefore particularly proud to be contributing actively with Agris Solar to the implementation of many projects throughout the Ontario that will spread the value of solar energy, letting the reliability and validity of the photovoltaic solution be made known not only in MW solar farms but also in small plants."
“Early in our process we identified the need to work with a quality manufacturer and a top management team” - commented Andrew Clark General Manager of AGRIS Solar and CEO of Spark Solar - “our members and lender required a manufacturer with the track record, experience and quality of product that would provide performance for the twenty years of our contracts with the OPA (Ontario Power Authority) and beyond, we believe, we have found that with Silfab.”