Evidence of meeting #49 for Natural Resources in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was renewable.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Miriam Tuerk  Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Clear Blue Technologies Inc.
Michael Carter  Business Development Manager, Canadian Solar Solutions Inc.
Gordon Fraser  President and Chief Executive Officer, Responsible Energy Inc.

5:15 p.m.

Conservative

John Barlow Conservative Foothills, AB

No. I'm sorry. That's just a comment.

You also mentioned the costs of solar coming down from $6 to 35¢. I'm looking at a graph here that our library put together as an analysis for this study. Solar is still significantly higher than any other energy source at about 50¢ per kilowatt hour, compared to hydro at 13.5¢, gas at 11¢, and even wind, at 13.5¢.

In your estimation, when do you see solar technology being at the point where it's affordable, dependable, and no longer reliant on government subsidies to survive as an industry? I think all of us around this table would be more than willing to support this kind of technology if it were affordable, reliable, and not reliant on government subsidies. How far away from that do you think we are?

5:20 p.m.

Business Development Manager, Canadian Solar Solutions Inc.

Michael Carter

Well, I—

5:20 p.m.

Conservative

John Barlow Conservative Foothills, AB

I know it's a tough question.

5:20 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal James Maloney

Yes, and in 30 seconds or less too.

5:20 p.m.

Business Development Manager, Canadian Solar Solutions Inc.

Michael Carter

My understanding is that those are Ontario numbers.

5:20 p.m.

Conservative

John Barlow Conservative Foothills, AB

Yes.

5:20 p.m.

Business Development Manager, Canadian Solar Solutions Inc.

Michael Carter

Those figures reflect the contracted numbers going back to 2008 and then going forward, and thus incorporate the 80¢ rates.

Again, as I mentioned, the last LRP program, which is now slightly antiquated, was bid at 15¢ for solar. We're projecting forward—I can't get into the exact details of where we're at—to certainly be in the competitive range with wind, and continuing to decline. When we're making comparisons, we need to recognize that net metering was and still is a reality in Ontario that is offsetting the actual at-load demand. So we are there when you can cut out the associated distribution and transmission costs, the distributed generation components—

5:20 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal James Maloney

I'm going to have to interrupt and stop you there, unfortunately.

We are going to adjourn abruptly here because we have to go back to the House and vote again.

Thank you very much, both of you, for attending today. Your evidence will be very helpful.

The meeting is adjourned.