For the purposes of this project, the Solar Energy Industry will be defined as the manufacture, sales, installation and service of both Photovoltaic Power (PV) Systems and Solar Thermal Energy Systems (PV systems convert sunlight directly into electricity for general purposes while Solar Thermal Energy Systems use sunlight to affect the temperature of water and air).
INDUSTRY OPPORTUNITIES
Below is a list that ranks the elements of the supply chain with respect to the number of active or interested firms in the element. This list is a ranking of the fields where the most likely collaborations are to occur.
- Small Scale (Commercial and Residential) PV and Solar Thermal Energy System Design, Installation, Sales and Service.
- Controllers, Hot water Tanks, Polymers, Solar Concentrators and Power Electronics.
- Solar Cells, Modules and Balance of Systems Components (Inverters, Batteries, Charge Controllers).
- Solar Module Frames, Collectors, Mounting and Racking Systems.
- Solar Panel Recycling.
- Large scale solar farm development, construction and power generation.
Gaps
- Manufacture of PV and Solar Thermal Energy Systems
- Engineering and Interconnection Design
- Environmental Compliance
Supply Chain mapping has identified elements that are either underserved, or not served, by SMEs in the GPA. It may be possible for GPA SMEs to fill these gaps independently, collaborate with other GPA firms, or collaborate with firms outside the GPA to fill these gaps. This list is not in rank order.
GPA Companies Active or Interested in the Solar Energy Industry
| Company Name | Supply Chain Segment(s) | Website |
|---|---|---|
| C&T Tool and Machine Inc. (a.k.a. Otonabee Machine) | 3.3 | http://www.cttoolandmachine.ca/ |
| Canadian Instrumentation Services Group Ltd. | 3.1, 3.2 | http://www.cisg.net/ |
| Copperhill Alternative Energy | 2.0 | http://www.copperhillsolar.ca/ |
| Eco Alternative Energy | 2.0 | http://www.ecoaltenergy.com/index.html |
| Flying Colours | 2.0 | http://www.flyingcolourscorp.com/ |
| Kirkland Engineering Ltd. | 3.0 | http://www.kirklandeng.com/ |
| R&J Machine | 3.1 | http://www.rjmachine.ca/ |
| Real Energy Alternatives | 2.0 | http://www.realenergyalternatives.ca/ |
| Recapture Metals | 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 | http://www.recapturemetals.com/ |
| SGS Environmental Services | 3.4 | http://www.sgslakefield.com/ |
| SunRise Power | 2.0 | http://www.sunrisepower.ca/ |
| Trent Metals | 3.2, 3.3 | http://www.trentmetals.com/ |
| The Inventor’s Group | 3.2 | http://www.theinventorsgroup.com/ |
| RB Manufacturing | 3.3 | N/A |
| Ashburnham Metals Ltd. | 3.1 | http://www.ashburnhammetals.ca/ |
| Bridgenorth Molds | 3.1 | http://www.bnmolds.com/ |
| Bryston Limited | 3.1, 3.2 | http://bryston.com/ |
| Cambium Environmental | 1.5 | http://www.cambium-env.com/ |
| Gilead Power Corporation | 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 | http://www.gileadpower.com/ |
| H & J Precision Industries | 3.1 | N/A |
| Liftlock Fiberglass Fabrication | 3.1 | N/A |
| McShane Engineering | 1.2 | http://www.mcshane-eng.com/ |
| Merit Precision Moulding | 3.1, 3.2 | http://www.meritprecision.com/index.php |
| NEFAB Inc. | 3.3 | http://www.nefab.ca/ |
| Ritz Plastics | 3.1 | N/A |
| Techni-Lite Systems | 3.1 | http://www.techni-lite.com/ |
| Wakeford Automatics Ltd. | 3.2 | N/A |
Note: Non-grey areas represent “Active” companies; Grey areas represent “Interested” companies.
