Housing Corporation hopes to profit from solar panels

The Greater Sudbury Housing Corporation is hoping the energy created by its solar panels will be sold back to the province.

Panels have been installed on four buildings around Sudbury and the money saved will go towards low income housing projects.

The housing corporation will use the money to pay its own hydro costs.

"Well to put it in perspective, it makes these four buildings probably revenue neutral for electric costs," said Richard Munn, manager of technical services.

"These buildings will be generating enough revenue to pay for all their electricity costs."

The city of Sudbury hopes this jump into solar power will generate about $100,000.

Munn said the city did not have to buy the panels, but the federal and provincial governments paid for them under a grant. 

Munn added that he isn’t sure when the city will see the benefits because the Hydro One system doesn’t have enough room to move any more electricity, but he’s been told that problem should be cleared up this summer.