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The Oxford Community Solar One LP Announces the Achievement of Commercial Operation on its First Completed Community-Owned Solar Project

Tuesday, November 21, 2017 1:01 PM | Anonymous member

photos courtesy of Prowind Canada 

The Oxford Community Energy Cooperative (“OCEC”), Prowind Inc. (“Prowind”) and Arntjen Solar North America (“Arntjen Solar”) are pleased to announce the achievement of commercial operation on their first community-owned solar project located in the City of Woodstock. This project is the first of four owned by the Oxford Community Solar One LP (the “LP”), which is a Limited Partnership comprised of the Oxford County Renewable Energy Partners Inc., OCEC, Prowind, and Arntjen Solar, that generate electricity under the Independent Electricity Systems Operator’s (“IESO”) Feed-in-Tariff Program.

The first project to be completed is the AccuWright project, a 250 kW rooftop installation that began construction in August 2017. Commercial operation of this project was achieved on November 7th, 2017. All four solar projects are located in Woodstock, ON and will have a total installed capacity of 1.2 MW. They are expected to generate enough electricity to provide power to approximately 300 homes in Oxford County. Three of the four projects are located on rooftops while the fourth is ground-mounted. A fifth contract was recently awarded to the LP under the FIT 5 program for a 500 kW rooftop solar project also located in Woodstock, bringing the total installed capacity of the five projects to 1.7 MW.

“It is important to develop these projects within partnerships, one of the largest partners being the community themselves,” the outgoing President of OCEC, Rob Thompson shares. “It is partnerships with experienced and eager organizations that will bring Oxford County closer to achieving their goal of 100% renewable energy by 2050. We will continue to develop these projects and bring opportunities to the communities to continue making a better energy future for tomorrow.” 

The completion of this first project and attainment of commercial operation is a milestone achievement for the LP. This is a demonstrative effort in community partnership and locally-owned renewable power generation. OCEC, a 51% owner in these projects, is raising equity through investments to fund their contribution. Residents of Oxford County and the surrounding area now hold ownership in these projects through share and bond subscriptions.

“Reaching commercial operation on the first of the Oxford Community Solar One LP projects is a true achievement for all of the partners involved in these projects” says Rochelle Rumney, Director of Project Planning at Prowind. “Oxford County is becoming a leader in the implementation of renewable energy technologies and we at Prowind are proud to contribute to this exciting movement of adopting community-owned clean energy.”

To commemorate this achievement there will be a ribbon cutting and “switch flipping” ceremony at the AccuWright location, which can be found at 35 Longworth Lane, Woodstock, ON. The AccuWright project will officially be energized at that time. This event is a free event for all interested individuals; there will also be brief words thanking the partners as well as light refreshments. For those interested in investing in these projects there are still bonds available for purchase and members of OCEC will be available to answer any questions regarding the project and potential investments. The event will be from 12:00 – 1:00 PM on Saturday, November 25, 2017, with the ribbon cutting to be held at 12:15pm.

Members of OCEC can purchase bonds in these projects and receive a competitive return on their investment. OCEC’s objective is to work in partnerships to bring renewable generation projects to Oxford County and surrounding areas. Their model allows local community members to benefit economically from projects and participate in the green energy movement that is building infrastructure to sustain future generations. Those interested in investing in these solar projects must be a member of OCEC. To join please fill out the membership application online (www.oxford-cec.ca) or contact Miranda Fuller (miranda@oxford-cec.ca) for more information.

About the Oxford Community Energy Co-operative: The Oxford Community Energy Co-operative Inc. is a renewable energy co-op based in Oxford County with its office located in Woodstock, Ontario. OCEC was developed to bring renewable energy investment opportunities to the residents of Oxford County. The local community currently owns 49% of the Gunn’s Hill Wind Farm project and OCEC has recently opened this solar investment opportunity to its members. OCEC present membership is over 200 and they are striving to bring locally produced energy to the local community.

For more information, please visit www.oxford-cec.ca

Media Contact Information

Miranda Fuller, Executive Director

Oxford Community Energy Co-op

miranda@oxford-cec.ca

Phone: 519-852-8609

About Prowind Inc.: Prowind Inc. is a renewable energy developer and operator located in Ontario, Canada. Prowind provides the development, financing, permitting, design, and operation of renewable energy projects using wind, solar, and biomass technologies throughout the Americas. We strive to provide financial security and environmental sustainability through the development of locally-owned clean energy projects in partnership with community groups, indigenous communities, and industrial operations. Prowind Inc. (Americas) is closely tied to Prowind GmbH (Germany).

For more information, please visit www.prowind.com

Media Contact Information

Heather Shilton, Manager of Marketing & Communications

Prowind Inc.

905-528-1747

hshilton@prowind.com

About Arntjen Solar North America Inc.: Arntjen Solar North-America and Arntjen Clean Energy Solutions are part of the Arntjen Group Germany which was founded in 1978. Since connecting the first dual-axis tracker in 2008 Arntjen Solar supplied over 5,000 Solar-Trackers and installed multiple large roof top Solar-Systems throughout Ontario. Arntjen Clean Energy Solutions focuses on Clean Energy, ElectroMobilty and Conservation by delivering high-quality energy solutions to help our customers find new and better ways to minimize the dependency on fossil fuels. Arntjen Clean Energy Solutions is committed to building long-term relationships based on integrity, performance, value, and client satisfaction to support the communities we live in. We are proud to be a partner on these community solar projects in Oxford County. 

For more information, please visit www.arntjensolar.com/about-arntjen-solar-na/

Media Contact Information

Christine Waterman, Administrative & Marketing Assistant
Arntjen Solar North America Inc.

christine.waterman.na@arntjensolar.com

Phone: 519-913-2346


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