A Green Image For Your Business Can Now Be Profitable—And Good For The Planet!
By: Tim Brien -  SNAP MAGAZINE, GUELPH, SEPT 2009

Up until now, in order to project an image of responsibility when it came to protecting the environment, businesses have had to embark on expensive projects which didn’t necessarily show an immediate return. Until now.

The Green Energy Act is provincial legislation passed in February. It was specifically designed to enable businesses to earn a reasonable rate of return when they invest in renewable energy systems. Renewable energy systems are those which produce electricity to be sold back to the electrical distribution and transmission grid, in most cases on lines under the jurisdiction of local electrical utility companies.

Under a new program called the Feed-In-Tariff (FIT), a 20 year contract with the local utility will pay businesses for all electricity produced using solar photovoltaic (PV) panels and wind turbines. The electricity can either be used on site by your business, or it can be fed into the grid to be used elsewhere. Either way, your business gets paid. Income from FIT is significant enough to enable the investment to pay for itself in a few short years, and then turn a profit.

Do you want to improve your bottom line? Do you want your clients to know that you have reduced your carbon footprint? Every day, the sun rises and sends its energy to Earth. A business with a flat roof or with land surrounding its premises is a prime candidate for solar panels. Since FIT pays enough to provide a 10% return on solar PV, the more panels you install, the more passive income you can generate. Any electricity generated from solar or other renewable energy systems is electricity that doesn’t come from coal or natural gas power plants. Your customers will appreciate this every time they step outside and take a breath.

Take a close look at the FIT program, and talk to your accounting professional about how to write off an investment in renewable energy—especially if you own commercial or industrial roof space, which is ideal for installing solar PV. You will be pleasantly surprised to know that you can have your cake and eat it too when it comes to being green and making money at it. You’ll also be creating jobs in Ontario which strengthens our entire community.

For more information on this topic, check out the following websites:

http://www.powerauthority.on.ca/FIT/  (Ontario Power Authority Feed-In-Tariff Program)
http://www.greenenergyact.ca/  (Green Energy Act Alliance)


Tim Brien is an energy consultant and licensed electrician based in Guelph. His company, EcoAge Technologies, specializes in PV and wind energy, and provides free, no obligation information seminars which are designed to help you, the home or business owner profit from the coming revolution in renewable energy.