About 200 people attended the fair, organized by the Halton Environmental Network. The event was part of a series of meetings for the Halton Residential Solar Project (HRSP), a project which is facilitating the installation of solar systems on homes throughout Halton.

The Solar Fair included vendors of solar electricity (PV) systems, solar thermal (hot water) systems, and also home energy advisors. Grants for homeowners are currently available from NRCan’s ecoENERGY program, for solar thermal retrofits done in conjunction with a qualified home energy audit.

Guest speaker Ken Traynor, coordinator of the West Toronto Initiative for Solar Energy (WISE), emphasized the value of investing in solar energy technology at this point in time. “With rising energy prices and solar vendors introducing some enticing long-term funding options, the technology is becoming accessible to the average homeowner,” said Traynor. In the WISE project, solar systems were installed at 86 homes in Toronto in 2007 – reportedly operating very successfully, even during last year’s snowy winter.

“It’s great to see so many people interested in doing something about climate change,” said Lisa Seiler, Project Coordinator for the HRSP. “Solar systems help homeowners reduce their use of nonrenewable energy sources. We’re here to help people take those concrete steps to change their energy source and hopefully reduce their energy use.”

Funding for the event was provided by Environment Canada’s EcoAction Community Funding Program.

The Halton Residential Solar Project continues to the end of 2009.

For more information, visit http://halton.ourpower.ca , or call 905-827-5989.