Industry Insight
As a Homeowner, What Are You Doing to Contribute to the Global Energy Transition?
The world is shifting to low-carbon power. Here is what IRENA's cost findings mean, and how Ontario homeowners can take part with rooftop solar.
The world is shifting to low-carbon power. Here is what IRENA's cost findings mean, and how Ontario homeowners can take part with rooftop solar.
Back in 2020, a report from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) described the falling cost of renewables as a turning point in the global move to low-carbon energy. It is worth revisiting, because the question it raised still applies to every Ontario homeowner: what are you doing to take part in the energy transition?
At the time, IRENA argued that renewables had become cheap enough relative to fossil fuel generation that governments could use them as the backbone of a green economic recovery after the pandemic. Several points from that coverage stood out:
IRENA's director-general described the moment as an important turning point in the energy transition. These were 2020 figures and projections, so treat them as a snapshot of the discussion at that time. For current data, see IRENA and the International Energy Agency.
Big shifts in energy are driven by utilities and governments, but they are also built one rooftop at a time. Ontario already has one of the cleaner electricity grids in North America, and homes that generate their own power reduce the amount they draw from the grid at peak times. That is good for your bill and good for system reliability.
A rooftop system lets you produce clean electricity on site. Our residential solar service covers design, permitting, installation and connection. Not sure your house qualifies? Start with our guide on whether your house is suitable for solar.
Under Ontario's net metering approach, extra power your system exports can earn credits against future bills, which helps cover months when production is lower. Read how it works in our net metering guide.
Programs and rules change. Because some federal and provincial programs from 2020 have since closed or changed, check our incentives page for what is available today.
Contact Terawatt Solar to talk through your options. We provide a free site assessment and will show you what a system could do for your home and your long-term energy costs. Visit our contact page or call (877) 648-3323.
It is the shift from fossil fuels toward lower-carbon sources like solar, wind and hydro, driven by falling costs, policy and climate goals.
Each rooftop system reduces demand on the grid and lowers a household's carbon footprint. Across a province, thousands of homes add up.
