A Bird's Eye View - 2020 FIT Program Solar Construction

In 2020, during the pandemic, Compass helped to manage the construction of 4 separate 600 kW projects under Ontario's Feed-In-Tariff (FIT) program. For these projects, we utilized bi-facial modules (that can absorb sun from both sides of the panel) and Single Axis Trackers (trackers that rotate to follow the sun across a single axis) to maximize production and profit.

Like most solar construction, each project had various civil challenges that had to be addressed. The team had to navigate these challenges and were able to complete construction during the pandemic. Thankfully, projects were built on time, and and on budget.

Watch the video to see some gorgeous aerial shots of these projects and get a bird's eye view of solar across Ontario. Video footage was provided by GP Joule, and shot using a DJI Drone.

Thinking of Building Your Own Solar System?

Compass can help at any step of the process, including construction management. But before starting your journey with Solar, you need to see if the numbers make sense for you. A simple system design or feasibility analysis can help you determine if the economics of a solar system makes sense.

There are a number of factors unique to you or your business that affect economics:

• Current power consumption/energy costs - am I using enough power to justify the capital cost of a solar system?
• Building location - Is there a location on my property that is optimal for building a system e.g. an open roof or area unobstructed by trees and other buildings, that is south facing, has the proper azimuth angle etc.
• System design - What’s the proper size of my system so I’m generating enough energy (or making sure I don’t generate too much and waste money). Is it worth it for me to install trackers?

An optimal design will be best for your bottom line in the long run, and you can rest easy knowing how long you can expect your system to pay for itself.

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It's our goal to advance the role of clean energy in North America by providing expert and nuanced advice to decision makers and offering a range of engineering services. Because renewable Energy is a long-term investment, we want to ensure you have all the information and resources you need to make informed decisions that drive the success of your project.