PowerStream Solar and City of Barrie Powering Up Rooftops

BARRIE, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - June 20, 2012) - PowerStream Solar's partnership with the City of Barrie in producing clean, renewable energy was officially recognized Wednesday with a ceremonial connection of the rooftop solar generation system at the Holly Community Centre, one of three PowerStream Solar systems to go online in June on buildings owned by the municipality.

In addition to the Holly Community Centre installation, a 250 kilowatt (kW) system that generates more than 321 megawatt hours (MWh) per year, the ceremony also showcased the installations at the East Bayfield Community Centre (75 kW system producing more than 98 MWh per year) and the City of Barrie Parking Garage (100 kW system generating more than 114 MWh per year). Combined, the systems at the three locations include a total of 2,004 photovoltaic (PV) modules that can produce enough electricity to power approximately 57 homes.

These projects represent three of 18 completed systems installed on buildings owned, either directly or indirectly, by the City of Barrie. Fourteen of the completed projects are on Barrie Municipal Non- Profit Housing Corporation buildings. The other installation on PowerStream's North Operations Centre is owned, in part, by the City of Barrie as one of the company's three municipal shareholders.

Two other systems, one at Allandale Community Centre (250 kW) and the other at Barrie's Operations Centre (250 kW), are planned to be completed by the end of 2012 and will bring the City of Barrie's total solar generation to 1.375 MW.

Participating in the event's official proceedings were Jeff Lehman, Mayor of Barrie and also a Director on PowerStream's Board, PowerStream's President and CEO Brian Bentz, and Markham's Mayor Frank Scarpitti. Also in attendance were representatives from two of PowerStream Solar's key suppliers, Home Energy Solutions and Advanced Green Technologies.

"The City of Barrie, working in cooperation with PowerStream Solar and its suppliers, is committed to protecting the environment through the development and use of clean sources of energy," explained Mayor Lehman. "As a municipal leader in sustainability and conservation we need to make better and more creative use of our assets, including our building rooftops, to achieve our environmental objectives."

"PowerStream has made a strong commitment to renewable generation," added Mayor Scarpitti, who also serves as PowerStream's Board Chair. "Our PowerStream Solar division leases under-utilized rooftops to help local governments and businesses generate new revenues, while we generate energy from renewable sources. In these deals, everyone wins - PowerStream provides additional value to our three municipal shareholders, cuts non-renewable fuel use and reduces overall greenhouse gases across the 11 communities we serve."

PowerStream Solar's business model offers commercial, industrial and institutional building owners the opportunity to lease their under-utilized rooftops for large-scale solar generation installations to connect to the electricity grid. Participating building owners earn incremental revenue from an annual guaranteed income through lease arrangements. They are also able to demonstrate to their customers, communities and other key stakeholders their commitment to being business leaders in contributing to environmental sustainability.

About PowerStream Solar

PowerStream Solar is a division of PowerStream Inc., the second largest municipally-owned electricity distribution company in Ontario, providing service to approximately 340,000 customers residing or owning a business in communities located immediately north of Toronto and in Central Ontario. The communities served include Alliston, Aurora, Barrie, Beeton, Bradford West Gwillimbury, Markham, Penetanguishene, Richmond Hill, Thornton, Tottenham and Vaughan. PowerStream is an incorporated entity, jointly owned by the City of Barrie, the City of Vaughan and the Town of Markham.

About the City of Barrie

Barrie is an exciting, caring and progressive community that 135,000 people call home. Situated 90 kilometres north of the Greater Toronto Area on beautiful Kempenfelt Bay, Barrie offers an excellent life style and multitude of recreational opportunities.