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

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

Transcript: I'm Steve Dick, President of Guelph Solar, and it used to be that you really needed the grid to bring power to your home. However, the grid isn't always available to provide hydro to certain properties. Now, we're able to power this small community, including a number of homes, using solar energy without relying on the grid. There’s a certain independence in that.

Anton Lammers, designer and engineer with Guelph Solar, explains that we’re completing a solar installation up in the Muskokas. It’s about 50 acres of land, where 12 buildings are being constructed. We’ve set up a 33-kilowatt solar array that is 100% off-grid. To make this work, we had to implement a three-phase system to increase the voltage and ensure the stability of the energy network, which is critical because all the buildings need a reliable power supply.

The solar array is unique. We built it into the landscape to maintain the natural aesthetics of the land, as requested by the architects and landscape designers. The array is also optimized to match the equinoxes—on December 21st, the sunrise hits one angle of the panels, while the other angle is optimized for sunset. The semicircular layout allows the east-facing panels to benefit from tree clearing to the west and vice versa, minimizing the number of trees that needed to be cut down.

The batteries we're using for this project are lithium-ion, which are now ubiquitous for off-grid and backup power systems. These batteries can be depleted to 10-20% depth of discharge and recharged to 100% very quickly with minimal wear. They're warrantied for 3,000 cycles, making them a far superior technology.

In Ontario, it’s nearly impossible to live 100% off-grid without some sort of backup. We highly recommend having a generator on site, especially for those really cold, wintry days when solar production is lower. The generator is there to give the batteries a small boost. Additionally, the panels are installed at an angle that allows snow to slide off within minutes of landing, so they stay clear and functional.

To ensure this system operates smoothly, we’ve raised the panels five to seven feet off the ground, allowing space for snow to be cleared. The solar array field will also feature native grass species, shrubs, and bushes. By raising the panels, we prevent shadows from affecting the solar output.

This project is part of the low-carbon economy that Guelph Solar is proud to support. We can deliver solutions using advanced battery, solar, and electronic technology, along with the internet, so people can live out in nature, enjoy Ontario’s beauty, and do so sustainably.