Feed in Tariff programs as a concept remain simple. It is a means to conduct energy business in contract with your local Power Provider. So as a home owner, small business owner, a farmer who decides to use his land to create a wind farm or an independent energy company, you can enter into a long-term contract to sell your power to the local Utility Authority. The FIT incentive encourages investors and developers to launch out.
Ontario's humble FIT program started in 2006 and has since developed into today's comprehensive and well constructed policy that serves to support the development of renewable energy in Ontario. The program has two branches to accommodate a variety of approaches to renewable energy business development. They are:
FIT program - For projects that potentially generate over 10 kilowatts of energy and that include the use of biomass, bio-gas, landfill gas, on-shore wind off-shore wind, solar photovoltaic and water-power.
microFIT program - Projects producing under 10 kilowatts of energy open to home owners, small business owners or farmers. A guaranteed fixed price is in place for contracts with a duration of at least 20 years. Energy sources included under microFIT are solar photovoltaic, wind, water power and bioenergy.
Community and Aboriginal Projects
A parallel goal of the FIT Program is to encourage the development of community-based and Aboriginal renewable energy projects. This will be accomplished through the reduction of security payments and additional price incentives.
Within the FIT program community means:
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one or more individuals resident in Ontario
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a registered charity with its head office in Ontario
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a not-for-profit Organization with its head office in Ontario
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a "co-operative corporation", as defined in the Co-operative Corporations Act (Ontario), all of whose members are resident in Ontario.
The Ontario Power Authority website is a well-organized resource and registration platform for those interested in learning more and registering with either branch of the program. You'll find information on pricing, contract management, program rules and regulations, specific information relevant to the different energy applications, news and key documents available in pdf format for download.
For the environment and climate change this program supports integral and relevant goals that join and strengthen other global efforts to shift away from harmful energy practices that generate GHG climate warming pollution. Integral being, how the production of energy affects the environment, the economy, the biosphere's ability to sustain life and our ability to have quality of life. Ontario as a province, has set a goal to phase out coal fired electricity production by 2014. This initiative alone is the largest climate change mitigation project in North America. Canada and the Ontario Power Authority are now leading in sustainable energy development in this part of the world, and without fanfare have made the rubber meet the road, which essentially is the only place it counts. Energy change is what has to happen and to be certain change is happening in Canada.
Feed in Tariff policies are presently used in other parts of the world including South Africa, Germany and Australia. Programs differ in other countries and may only qualify solar and wind resources for example. Our next article will cover FIT programs in greater detail and look at Net Metering and other ideas being used around the world in support of sustainable, renewable and clean energy development.
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