The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, March 27, 2009 · 26 EARTH HOUR We're in. Are you? Solar energy is here to stay ­ how can it help you save? Solar energy has been in the news a great deal recently, with Provincial government announcements about the Green Energy Act and Federal government programs to support energy efficiency. Participating in Earth Hour is a good way to become more aware of the amount of energy we use and how the types of energy we use impact our environment. Investing in a solar energy system could be a good "next step" for some homeowners. Solar energy can provide a very clean supply of either heat or electrical energy. In Oakville right now there are hundreds of solar systems installed. They are on your neighbour's houses. Some have been there for over 25 years. These systems have been delivering solar energy reliably, saving their owners hundreds of dollars a year while displacing tonnes of greenhouse gases. Not only that, these solar systems pay for themselves in 1 to 5 years in energy savings ­ without government subsidies! What type of solar system are we speaking of? Solar pool heating systems. Solar pool heating systems are the most cost effective type of solar energy product. They have been available for over 30 years and there are hundreds of thousands of them installed in North America. In fact, in 2007, There are only a few of solar water heating systems in Oakville at this time. (There is one on the Oakville Trafalgar Hospital.) Solar electricity is a very popular idea, with many people dreaming of "getting off the (electrical) grid". These systems do work, but are very expensive for the amount of energy they deliver. A typical Oakville home would need a 7 to 9 Kilowatt solar electric system to create enough energy to generate the same amount of energy they use in a year. This system would cost between $80,000 to $150,000 depending upon whether or not batteries are used for storing electrical energy for cloudy days. There are very few solar electric systems in the area. Municipalities are now showing an interest in using solar energy for heating their pools. The City of Toronto has installed 8 pool heating systems in the past 2 years. Markham has one, Mississauga has one. There are government subsidies for municipalities to do this. Maybe if we talk to our councilors, we can get the town of Oakville to put solar on some of its 10 public swimming pools. Provided by Solar Ontaro of all the different types of solar systems installed (air heating, pool heating, hot water heating, solar electric) about 80% were for heating swimming pools. Solar pool heating systems help extend the operating season of a swimming pool and keep it warmer through the swimming season. The best quality and longest lasting solar pool heating products do not come in boxes from the discount stores. Good outdoor-pool solar heating collectors are made of high-quality plastics designed for decades of sun-catching. They are too stiff to fit into small boxes as they are typically 4' wide by 12' long. A good solar pool heating system typically costs $4,000 installed. Solar water heating is a popular concept, but is significantly more expensive than pool heating and the savings are much smaller. A good quality solar water heating system costs $8,000 to $10,000 installed and can save up to $150 a year in natural gas for a family of 4. Upper Oakville Shopping Centre Oakville's Original Lifestyle Shopping Centre Reducing our carbon footprint one hour at a time.