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Guelph Solar Blog

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Steps for Residential Installation VIDEO (June 2022)

June 10, 2022 — Guelph Solar President, Steve Dyck, and Operations Manager, Mitch Bull, explain to homeowners the steps of a net metering residential installation. As part of the installation service, Guelph Solar is responsible for obtaining the building permit, structural reinforcements (if needed), pre-approval with the utility provider, connectivity to the home's internet router and setting up the online monitoring account. Homeowners can...

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Honouring Black History Month in the solar industry

February 24, 2022 — Want to tune into a solar conversation that honours and celebrates Black History Month? This podcast episode explores Practical Insights on Celebrating Black History Month by examining dimensions of mental health from the lens of a solar entrepreneur. The Association for the Study of African American Life and History theme of this year's Black History Month is centered around Black health...

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Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint at Home

February 22, 2022 — Using solar panels to harness energy from the sun to generate your home's electricity is a great way to lower your carbon footprint. Check out this article on REDFIN to see other eco-friendly living solutions.

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The New Global Energy Economy - just in time for the holidays

December 8, 2021 — (Guelph Solar team is helping to build a carbon-free economy one installation at a time. Photo credit: Mark Hamilton) "Sometimes we need a spark of light and hope as the dark days of winter descend. Here is a path we are on together – for those who like podcasts check the link below." Steve Dyck, President, Guelph Solar. By...

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Seamless Aesthetics

November 3, 2021 — by Mark Hamilton. Guelph Solar has designed and installed the right clean energy solution for the owners of a beautiful home near Elora, Ontario, with a major focus on visual integration between the array and the house. Forty premium LONGi panels at 360 watts each are now delivering 15 kW of solar power to the home. The full black LONGi...

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Aaniin Community Centre, Markham ON.

July 22, 2021 — By Shelby Krochuk. The Ainiin Community Centre, pronounced (ah-nee), meaning “hello” or “welcome” in Ojibway, is a stunning building located in the City of Markham, Ontario. This community center is a great hub for Markham’s residents and visitors, as it contains: a gymnasium, full indoor walking/running track, a gym with plenty of equipment, a large swimming pool, a library, teaching...

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Greener Homes Grants and Residential Solar

July 21, 2021 — by Mark Hamilton. The Canadian government is taking steps toward building back better and at the same time encouraging homeowners to take action against climate change. Greener Homes Grants are available for homeowners to make energy efficient retrofits, including the installation of residential solar power. Steve Dyck, President of Guelph Solar commented, “It’s a really exciting time to be...

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Hilltop Berm PV and Hot Water Solar System (Aug 2020)

May 6, 2021 — by Mark Hamilton (photos by Anton Lamers and Mark Hamilton) At a scenic hilltop residence within an hour of Toronto, Guelph Solar has completed an elaborate custom-designed PV and hot water solar system that is remarkable in design and size. The client’s initial goal was to stop burning natural gas for heating the pool. He wanted to reduce costs and...

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Tesla Powerwalls and PV Solar Installation VIDEO (Nov 2018)

April 22, 2021 — President Steve Dyck chats with a Guelph Solar client in Oakville, Ontario during the installation of three Tesla Powerwalls, including a Powerwall unboxing. Designed, engineered and installed by Guelph Solar, the residential system has 27 kW of PV solar panels, two inverters and three Tesla Powerwalls. Steve Dyck calls it “incredibly elegant technology.” Each Powerwall is 13.5 kWh and the...

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Integrated Solar with Tesla Powerwall VIDEO (July 2020)

April 9, 2021 — Guelph Solar putting the sun to work in Oakville, Ontario at the site of Canada's largest installation of Tesla Powerwalls. This is not your typical residential system. There's 31 kW of solar on the roof feeding into 12 Tesla Powerwalls for a whopping 162 kWh of back up power. A project profile looking at Guelph Solar's goals: maximizing the solar...

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University of Toronto Laneway Housing Project VIDEO (Oct 2020)

April 9, 2021 — This project is the winner of a 2021 Canadian Green Building Award given by SABMag. Guelph Solar putting the sun to work at an innovative laneway housing project at the University of Toronto. The idea of the solar design for this project is to get it net positive - producing more than what the building needs. The building relies on...

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Aaniin Community Centre, Markham VIDEO (Dec 2020)

March 31, 2021 — The Aaniin Community Centre in Markham, Ontario was designed and constructed to accommodate this industrial-scale solar power installation; including its south facing orientation and flat, sloped roof. There are over 1,000 panels at a 10% angle, optimizing energy output in summer and winter.

Going Green

Top 5 Reasons to Switch to Solar Power

March 31, 2021 — The Spring 2021 issue of Invidiata Homes and Lifestyle magazine has an article on Guelph Solar that we would love to bring to your attention. Invidiata is the #1 ranking real estate company in the Oakville area for many a year. They publish an affiliated magazine, known and read throughout Ontario, that has exclusive content on the latest trends in home, design,...

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Oxford County, Woodstock, Ontario LTC Home VIDEO (Jan 2021)

March 18, 2021 — Guelph Solar is putting the sun to work at the Woodingford Lodge long term care centre in the city of Woodstock, Oxford County, Ontario, Canada.

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Muskokas Off-Grid Project VIDEO (long version 4:09) (Feb 2021)

March 18, 2021 — Guelph Solar designed, engineered and installed a 33 kW solar system that is 100% off-grid.

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Muskokas Off-Grid Project VIDEO (short version 2:01) (Feb 2021)

March 12, 2021 — Guelph Solar designed, engineered and installed a 33 kW solar system that is 100% off-grid.

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Guelph Solar's Premium Solar Roof VIDEO

December 18, 2020 — President Steve Dyck's conversation with Guelph Solar clients about their new premium solar roof in Guelph, Ontario. Guelph Solar installed panels on this home 7 years ago and it was time to re-roof. The homeowners explain the decision to replace the shingles on some slopes and to install metal roofing on the slopes where the solar panels are mounted (premium...

Steve Dyck (Dec 2020)

New Guelph Solar Ground Mount VIDEO

December 9, 2020 — Impromptu chat with Steve Dyck, President of Guelph Solar and customer Jason about an impressive (and big) new ground mount installation near Guelph, Ontario. Jason's goal was to take his electric bill down to as close to zero as possible, and that's exactly what this system is doing. It's a 22 kW solar ground-mount installation, with 10 kWs going via...

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FAQ: Does Guelph Solar install in the winter? VIDEO

December 9, 2020 — A short video about what happens at Guelph Solar after the snow flies.

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mySolarEdge App and Portal

November 27, 2020 — by Mark Hamilton. Early versions of PV solar installations were designed like strings of old-fashioned Christmas tree lights. If one bulb didn’t work, or one panel, the whole thing would stop working. PV systems have advanced light years since then, in a big way thanks to power optimizers. A power optimizer is a small electronic unit that’s mounted on the...

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Solar Frozen Treat Cart VIDEO

September 29, 2020 — Guelph Solar’s Steve Dyck talks with Laza’s Melku Gebrekristos to show how solar power is being used to enhance a popular micro business in Guelph, Ontario. Laza's frozen treat cart is like a landmark at Royal City Park in Guelph. Laza's frozen treats are a summertime favourite for families and visitors. The cart's solar installation is a great example of...

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Guelph Solar Electrical Contractor

July 17, 2020 — by Mark Hamilton (photo of Peter Hansen - Electrical Apprentice) Guelph Solar, founded in 2009, is a leader in the field of photovoltaic (PV) solar system design, engineering, and installation. Guelph Solar has now expanded its services to include general electrical contracting for residential, commercial, industrial, and agricultural projects – including new services, upgrades, remodels, and renovations. Steve Dyck, President...

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Burlington, Ontario's Climate Action Plan

July 17, 2020 — by Mark Hamilton (photo of Spencer Smith Park in Burlington, ON by Andrew Lynes) Not even a pandemic can stop Burlington, Ontario’s ambition of transforming itself into a net carbon neutral community by 2050. On April 20, 2020, in the midst of the nation-wide lock down, Burlington City Council approved a sweeping Climate Action Plan. The Plan lays out...

Pool Solar Panel Service

Pool Heater Solar Panel Service

May 28, 2020 — Pool Solar Panel Service Our Solar Pool Heating technicians are highly qualified to fix any solar pool heating system. Whether it's panels, pipes, the controller, or sensors, we can take care of it all for you. Contact us today if you have any Maintenance issues.

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Live Solar Generation Monitoring Site - St. Andrews Church, Guelph, ON

April 13, 2020 — Check out the production here! In the summer of 2016, Guelph Solar installed solar panels on the roof of St. Andrews Church in Guelph, ON, Canada. We always provide an estimate of how much electricity a system will generate as part of our detailed proposal that we offer customers. You can see how well our estimates for St. Andrews Church...

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Off-Grid Independence - Power your Paradise

October 24, 2019 — Live completely off-grid with a solar-powered cottage. Living off-grid is very dependant on how the user plans for their home or cottage. 3 season systems in Ontario can be fully solar powered without further considerations. 4 season systems require redundant power supply such as wind or a generator to make up for the shorter days with full snow coverage. Active...

Premium solar roof solution

Solar and Roofing made beautiful and long lasting

August 1, 2019 — Looking for a beautiful Solar install? Need a new roof? A Solar Premium Roof allows for the most integrated, attractive solar panel installation possible and it comes with a 40 year warranty! Guelph Solar works with experienced roofers so we can not only offer you the best solar system installation but we can now offer you the best roofing solutions. ...

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Privacy Policy

April 15, 2019 — Guelph Solar ("us", "we", or "our") operates the www.guelphsolar.net website (the "Service"). This page informs you of our policies regarding the collection, use, and disclosure of personal data when you use our Service and the choices you have associated with that data. Our Privacy Policy for Guelph Solar is created with the help of the Free Privacy Policy Generator. We...

Welcome Burlington Solar

February 1, 2019 — It's Time to Let the Sun Power your Home and Business! Situated between Lake Ontario and the beautiful Niagara Escarpment, Burlington is a great place to call home! With a multitude of parks and trails, including Canada's oldest footpath, the Bruce Trail, Burlington residents have a wonderful opportunity to explore green space within their community.

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Create a Condo Microgrid with Solar and Submetering

January 31, 2019 — When building a new condo or townhome complex consider combining solar with submetering to create a microgrid from the start. Solar plus electrification lowers net costs and is the ideal cost reducing, carbon reducing, future-ready option. Hydro rates are expected to increase. Buildings that produce their own clean power will enjoy locked in solar generated power rates over 25 plus...

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Guelph Solar's Premium Solar Roof - A roof that pays for itself!

January 21, 2019 — In 2018 Guelph Solar introduced the Premium Solar Roof as a solution to homeowners looking to replace their roof. By putting solar panels on a long-lasting metal roof along with low profile racking you are able to enjoy an aesthetically pleasing high-efficiency solar system that lasts as long as your roof will! The Premium Metal roof is installed under the...

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Snow Removal

January 15, 2019 — Occasionally it happens that snow gets in the way of your panels making power. Often when it snows, it is cloudy and the days are short anyways, so snow on panels does not matter. That said, there are times when it will be sunny for several days and clearing snow from panels makes sense and $$. How does clearing snow...

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How Solar Works (National Geographic)

October 10, 2018 — What a great video!

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How do I know that my roof will be leak free after installation?

September 5, 2018 — We take the steps to ensure that your roof is not compromised to leaks during our installation process for both asphalt shingle and metal roofing. ShingleInstallation on an asphalt shingle roof requires us to use our custom flashing kits for each bolt used to mount your solar panels. The aluminum flashing kit is slid under your existing shingles where our penetrations...

Dairy Operation Case Study

August 26, 2018 — Water heating for dairy farms Dairy farms use plenty of hot water to wash milking lines and milk storage tanks. The larger the operation, the more hot water is needed. Up to 40% of the energy used in dairy barns goes into heating water, so any measure that reduces water heating requirements has a direct impact on the bottom line. Solar...

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What quality control steps are taken to ensure that all work is completed to the highest standards?

August 2, 2018 — All roof penetrations (both solar PV and pool heating systems) are individually inspected for proper seal and water-tightness. Please see this blog for information on how proper roof seal and water-tightness are achieved. PV Systems: - Rails are inspected upon completion of leveling stage to ensure level surface for paneling - Wire management is inspected to ensure proper installation and...

CED Solar Coop

July 14, 2018 — Make your RRSP investments Solar investments Guelph Solar is working with CED Co-op to construct commercial solar projects in which you can invest. If you are interested, please have a look at their website and sign up to become a member. Email your membership forms to info@guelphsolar.net. Membership only costs $10. Once you are a member, you can choose...

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Squirrel and Pigeon Guard- Protect your Investment

June 14, 2018 — One of the most attractive features of solar panels is that they are friendly to Mother Nature. However, sometimes Mother Nature does not return the favour. Solar PV arrays are vulnerable to damage by animals. Squirrels can cause damage by gnawing on wires. Pigeons or other birds can make a mess by building nests among the wires. Guelph Solar can help protect...

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MicroFit Tax Information

December 29, 2017 — Resources for Clients with MicroFIT Here is some helpful info for clients who have installed a MicroFIT system. You can always feel free to contact us for more information as well! Taxes 1. First Year In your first year with a solar installation, you will receive a package from the CRA with information on filing for your first solar tax...