OTTAWA, ON — Kingston’s SPARQ Systems Inc. is helping to advance smart-grid power capability into Ontario’s electrical grid, thanks to support from the Ontario Ministry of Energy and in collaboration with Hydro Ottawa, Quadra Power, Queen’s University and Ottawa Community Housing (OCH).
A 160-kW rooftop solar panel installation at 32 townhomes in Ottawa Community Housing’s Regina Lanes neighbourhood is equipped with SPARQ’s highly adaptable smart-grid microinverters, which convert the power collected by the panels into usable energy that is fed back to the grid, managed by Hydro Ottawa.
“This technology allows for the variations in the grid,” says Dr. Praveen Jain, President and CEO of SPARQ Systems. “It will adapt to grid conditions as the live load on the grid goes on and off. Our inverters can absorb or create the reactive power needed or occurring on the grid.”
Funded with the help of Ontario green energy programs, the 1,050-square-metre array is expected to produce more than 200,000 kW of power annually – enough to power 12 homes — and generate more than $40K in revenues every year through Ontario’s Feed-In Tariff program. The installation, equivalent in size to five tennis courts, is one of the largest solar arrays on social housing in Ontario.
“We are delighted that our innovative solar microinverter technology is playing a role in bringing sustainable green energy to the Regina Lane community,” says Dr. Jain. “This solar installation will help SPARQ, with support from Hydro Ottawa, demonstrate the effects of grid-interactive smart inverters in supporting a smart grid. We’re proud to be a part of this forward-looking collaboration with Hydro Ottawa and Ottawa Community Housing.”
“Ontario’s Smart Grid Fund has enabled us to develop this leading-edge technology,” adds Pankaj Jain, Director of Program Management at SPARQ. “The future is all about the intelligent grid, and this project demonstrates how smart inverters and community collaboration can play a role in achieving this vision.”
“We are also grateful to the Ministry of Energy, which supports innovation by funding late-stage startups such as SPARQ,” Mr. Jain adds. “Their support enables us to be a globally competitive company.” The company is located in Queen’s University’s Innovation Park.
The Regina Lanes installation began operation last week.
CONTACT
Pankaj Jain
Director, Project Management
SPARQ Systems
613-867-9843