On a recent sunny Friday in Burnaby, Christopher Ogochukwu caught the top rung of a ladder with one hand. He steadied the solar panel teetering on his shoulder, and in one fluid motion, vaulted it toward the roof.
But according to the owners of several B.C. solar companies, those hopes could be short-lived if permitting requirements — already leading to months of delays — aren’t streamlined or removed. Population growth, drought and the simultaneous electrification of industry, housing and transportation are forecast to raise pressures on B.C.’s grid. In response, BC Hydro has put out a call for new power generation, with industrial wind, solar and even tidal electricity projects anticipated to play a bigger role going forward.
The utility says it also plans to expand the solar rebate program to provide up to $150,000 to apartment buildings, schools, small businesses, social housing and Indigenous communities. There are some bright spots. While in the past, someone on B.C.’s coast might have balked at the idea of putting solar panels on a rooftop that sees scarce sunlight for many months, today’s solar technology undercuts those concerns.
Throughout the year, lower utility bills under BC Hydro’s self-generation program are designed to offset repayments on the federal loan, while locking customers into a contract that protects them against energy inflation, Bowker said. Depending on where a home is built, solar panels also risk damage from wind, wildfires or hail, added Rob de Pruis, the Insurance Bureau of Canada’s national director of consumer and industry relations.
“In the U.K., I could take a deposit today, and get the job done tomorrow,” said Lloyd. “Here, I have to wait for six months for a permit from the City of Vancouver.” The Regional District of Nanaimo also sees average permitting times of three to six weeks, said Colyn Strong, founder and president of Victoria-based Shift, which operates across the country. Each jurisdiction treats solar energy differently, creating a lack of consistency for companies, he said.
But for many smaller operations, providing financing for months on end is untenable. Lloyd says he’s now contemplating giving it another year or two in Vancouver before moving back to the Caribbean.
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