I am assuming you're talking about the cost reductions that are showing up in photovoltaics and direct conversion to electricity. Certainly there has been a dramatic cost reduction, largely brought about by the marketplace, spurred on by the Chinese. Low-cost photovoltaic devices are available.
In the last five years we've seen a sixfold cost reduction, down to the point where systems are being installed at $1 a peak watt. For example, in Ontario, feed-in tariffs make it an incredibly lucrative proposition to install solar thermal.
No technical issues are related to the use of PV or solar thermal in Canada. We have a very good solar market. I'm very interested to hear the discussion about northern communities. There are plans to possibly replicate in Whitehorse the district heating system that exists near Calgary, a 56-site community.
One thing that's not appreciated is that the availability of solar energy on an annual basis is relatively constant across Canada, and our northern communities receive large amounts of solar energy. With Canada's lead in seasonal storage, we can store energy in the summer and use it during the winter, which is a wonderful opportunity for northern communities. The heat is stored in the ground and is tied to a district heating system, not unlike what is being used in many northern communities.