The Ontario government has set the stage to develop 10% of its future power needs through renewable energy sources. To date, the Ontario Power Authority has gone out for two RFP’s for larger scale developments and have formulated a Standard Offer Contract (SOC) to develop projects to sizes of 10 MW. These incentives have sparked wide interest from project developers from within and outside the province.

Most of the large scale alternative energy projects developed to date in Ontario have been implemented by large corporations who have the background as well as the “deep pockets” required to fund and absorb the risk of developing these new projects. Land resources required for the projects have been obtained either through lease arrangement or outright purchase.

The Norfolk county area is under a severe economic downturn as a result of legislation that has virtually wiped out a major agriculture industry as well as the poor financial health of most of the commodity based farming activities. Our farmers must develop a means to supplement their incomes either through alternative crops, or opportunities that can be developed through the use of their lands.

Because farmers own the lands, farmers should be able to position themselves to participate in the incentives being offered to develop renewable energy on their properties and to do better economically than merely receiving lease payments for the use of their lands from large conventional energy corporations.

Although large scale alternative energy projects tend to be feasible because of the economies of scale required, smaller rural energy projects are still marginal at best at the current incentives offered through SOC. High development charges need to be overcome including assessment and the high costs and bureaucratic nature of connecting to the grid a well as obtaining approvals and permits for development.

The community partnership model is viewed as an excellent vehicle to share the rewards as well as the risks of developing sustainable energy sources in the area to the benefit of all the residents of the community. In the partnership, each member provides what it is best positioned to provide to the project often at a lower overall cost because of shared resources that are already in place.

Projects involving local partnership and ownership can also provide significant community and economic benefits in the way of job opportunities and by simulating local investment. Viable family farms are the foundation to sustainable rural communities.