In the early phases of the microFIT program, the owners approached us about incorporating a solar array into their plans for an addition on a converted one-room school house in rural Peterborough County. From the beginning, the project was not without its challenges. We needed to squeeze a 10kW system onto a steep, steel roof of modest dimensions, before the scheduled family reunion, and do it all without disturbing the beautiful gardens surrounding the house.

After navigating the turbulent beginnings of the microFIT program, the clients finally received their contract in the spring. By utilizing recent technological improvements in PV module technology (the new modules boasted higher efficiency and increased generation), we were able to squeeze a 9.66kW system onto a relatively small roof. To access the steep, second-storey roof without disturbing the surrounding gardens, we used an articulated aerial boom. With two days to spare before the family re-union weekend, the system was connected and commissioned and the gardens looked wonderful.