Canadian Solar has announced the opening of Canadian Solar Microgrid Testing Centre. The Centre will focus on micro-grid solution testing, and system solution design and smart grid assessment services.

The Canadian Solar Microgrid Testing Centre, partially funded by the Ontario Ministry of Energy, will be located in Guelph, Ontario. The Testing Centre has a team of highly qualified professionals, who will facilitate the development of both off-grid and grid-tied microgrid projects.

The Microgrid Testing Centre will work with its collaborators to provide shareable services for utilities, universities and colleges, communities, and companies that engage in the development of microgrid solutions.

"We thank the Ontario Ministry of Energy for sharing our vision and our effort in making Ontario the centre of renewable energy technology in North America. As of today, Canadian Solar has built up altogether approximately 500 MW of annual module capacity in Ontario, the largest module manufacturer in North America, creating over 700 direct jobs in less than four years.

"Meanwhile, we have created over thousands of indirect local jobs. The Canadian Solar Microgrid Testing Centre will serve as our newest addition to our Total Solutions strategy, and will help further strengthen our position in the emerging multi-billion dollar micro-grid and smart grid sector," said Dr. Shawn Qu, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Canadian Solar.

"The investment in the Canadian Solar by the Smart Grid Fund project supports our vision for developing leading-edge smart-grid projects that help create Ontario jobs and make Ontario a North American leader in emerging energy technologies," said Liz Sandals, Ontario Minster of Education and Member of the Provincial Parliament of Ontario representing Guelph.

"Building a smarter grid has long been a key part of our government's plan to modernize our energy infrastructure and provide clean, reliable affordable power to consumers. Projects supported through the Ontario's Smart Grid Fund support the vision that will bring to market the next generation of smart grid solutions," said Bob Chiarelli, Ontario Minister of Energy.

The new microgrid solution will give Ontario a strong competitive advantage in that segment of the smart grid industry that focuses on testing, develop and integrating high penetration renewable energy solutions into existing microgrid off-grid infrastructure.

First Nations, remote communities and mining projects in Northern Ontario will directly benefit from using the Testing Centre. In addition, the Testing Centre will serve an essential need in the smart microgrid application process, as Ontario Hydro requires all solutions to be lab tested before being testing in the field and then implemented into the microgrid.