Thumbs up -Chatham - and the 1000 farmers for solar ontario diversification

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Leading the way -in competitve solutions

 

Solar power to create 50 new jobs   By BOB BOUGHNER, THE DAILY NEWS

DIANA MARTIN photo@chathamdailynews.ca Andrew Steele, far right, a master electrician for Northwind listens to questions from Wayne D'Hondt, of Muirkirk, centre, on how the base will help balance the multi-directional solar panel being used in the Agris Solar co-operative following the stakeholders update meeting Monday.STANDALONE

 

An aggressive plan to place at least 1,000 ground-mounted solar units on farms in southwestern Ontario is right on target.

 

More than 700 farmers have signed up with Agris Solar Co-Op, a divison of Agris Farmers Co-Op, to purchase the $70,000 units. Officials of Agris Solar held an information meeting Monday to update farmers and municipal officials on its construction plans.

The organization has joined forces with Northwind Solutions of Oshawa to build the on-farm units.

Northwind president Greg Duke said more than 50 Chatham-Kent residents are about to be hired by his company.

 

He said the number of employees could easily increase as more orders are received. The hope, he said, is to construct units right across the province.Northwind has acquired a Chatham site at 744 Grand Ave. E. Jim Campbell, secretary of Agris Solar, said $20 million in equity and land commitments have been received from 1,000 farmers.

 

He said $55 million has been committed toward the project by the Farm Credit Corporation and Rabobank.

"This is an exciting day for FCC,'' said spokesman John Guertjens. "The FCC wants to be part of advancing the business of agriculture.''

Agris board chairman David Mallott of Muirkirk described Monday as an historic day for the co-operative.

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"Today is the day the rubber hits the road,'' he said.

He said more than $14 million in equity has been raised and more than 700 farmers are now committed to the program.

 

Mayor Randy Hope congratulated the co-operative on the fast and efficient manner in which it moved from the planning to the building stage.

The mayor expressed surprise that only 200 area residents applied for work with Northwind -"especially considering the large number of skilled workers in the area.''

The mayor called the project as a "positive step forward.''

Also involved in the project with the co-operative is Hatch Engineering and Sparks Solar.
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Brant Positive Action Group

 

The green energy hub challenge to creating jobs ?

 

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