Ontario Ministerial Directive, Rate Design and Carbon Pricing Updates
Press Releases
Ministerial Directive – Announcements on microFIT and FIT Program Enhancements
On April 7, a Ministerial Directive from the Honourable Bob Chiarelli was posted to the IESO website detailing microFIT and FIT Program Enhancements. The program enhancements demonstrate the Government of Ontario’s continued commitment to the advancement of solar in Ontario’s electricity supply-mix. The Ministerial Directive may be viewed here. CanSIA is currently reviewing the Ministerial Directive in detail.
New Rate Design Policy – Positive Move for future Solar Net-Metering
On April 2, 2015, the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) issued a new rate design policy that will change the way local distributors bill their residential customers. Distribution charges, currently a blend of fixed and variable (per kilowatt-hour) rates will be an entirely fixed monthly service charge by 2019. Fair billing, grid innovation and enabling customer uptake of new technologies are among the OEB’s objectives for this change. Customers will also benefit with a better understanding of the service they receive and the right bill signals will assist them with conservation decisions. The intent of this new policy is remove any dis-incentivizes to connect distributed generation or storage technologies or to promote conservation and demand-side management. For reference, please find attached CanSIA’s submission in support of this policy, the OEB’s policy backgrounder and a presentation from Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory at Solar Canada 2014 on aspects of the US experience (Full details on the policy may be viewed on the OEB website). CanSIA will continue to monitor this issue and will update Members on issues as they develop.
Ontario Climate Change Action Plan and Strategy Consultation
On March 28, CanSIA made a submission to the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change in response to their Climate Change Discussion Paper. CanSIA is currently continuing this dialogue with the appropriate government staff and in April, CanSIA President John Gorman will be participating in a series of roundtables on carbon-pricing in Quebec City. Watch this space for further details. For reference, a presentation to the Ontario PV Caucus on the consultation and CanSIA’s final submission are attached.
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