A craze for solar energy |Radio- Canada.ca

According to the president of Énergie Solaire Québec, Patrick Goulet, this enthusiasm is felt throughout the province. Solar has been booming. By touring the installers, we can see it. Besides, I just spoke to someone from Rivière-du-Loup and he told me that he had never been so busy. And it's not the first. In the Montreal area, it's the same thing, he said.

The co-owner of Couture auto electric, in Alma, Frédéric Lavoie, also notices this quest for autonomy throughout Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean. Sales of his company are three to four times higher than they were five years ago, so a transactional platform only for products related to solar energy has just been created.

People seek to be self-sufficient and seek to create their little piece of paradise. It allows you to dream and tell yourself that you will have access to any territory and be completely independent.

Two Jeannois in search of autonomy

Jeannois François Carrier and Frédéric Girard have both opted for the installation of solar panels to achieve their goal. They do represent a trend seen since the start of the pandemic, as solar power grew in popularity in the region.

Frédéric Girard dreamed of transforming his chalet, located in Saint-Nazaire, into a house and experiencing energy autonomy in the forest.

Every time we left here, we said to ourselves that it was boring and that we would like to live here longer. It was in 2014 that we came to settle here year-round, he says.

However, in the context of teleworking, Frédéric Girard does not manage to be completely autonomous. In particular, he would like to reduce the use of his generator, which he must currently use for two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening.

Frédéric Girard chose a few years ago to leave Montreal to return to his native region. He realized his dream of living in the forest thanks to his solar panel system.

Photo: Radio-Canada / Laurie Gobeil

I installed a propane system. It is forced air, so it consumes more energy. Because of that, in winter, I miss it a little more. If I changed to more efficient batteries, I would reduce my dependence on my generator a little, he explains.

Almatois François Carrier had sworn to himself to have his completely autonomous recreational vehicle to discover the four corners of America.

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I am a nature lover. It was official to me that I didn't want to go to a 45ft camper. I wanted something that consumes little. And I knew that, often, I would go to places where there was no service, electricity and so on. I wanted to be completely independent.

Almatois François Carrier worked for two months to fit out the interior of his vehicle.

Photo: Radio-Canada / Laurie Gobeil

The outdoor enthusiast was planning to make this project a reality when he retired, but an event forced him to reconsider his priorities.

I left the funeral of a friend I worked with, and I said to myself that the projects, we must live them day by day, says the one who immediately ordered his vehicle . Two months were needed to fit out the interior. François Carrier plans to visit many cycling destinations with his spouse.

This recreational vehicle runs entirely on solar energy.

Photo: Radio-Canada / Laurie Gobeil

I can leave for months and months. As long as I'm driving the vehicle, where there's sunshine, I don't need another source of energy, he rejoices.

Reasons to turn to solar energy

Apart from the quest for autonomy, consumers turn to this form of energy to have a silent system, a low impact on the environment and even because of an awareness of their consumption.

In Quebec, we are lucky to have electricity, but that may have the disadvantage of making us a little less sensitive to that aspect [consumption]. With solar energy, one, we realize that we consume a little more than we think. And we realize the importance of reducing our consumption rather than trying to produce more, mentioned Frédéric Lavoie.

Connected to smart devices, the systems make it possible to communicate in real time the energy production produced by the panels.

I've seen people even become obsessive about their panel production consumption. There, it is there that they optimize their home and that they reflect on each daily gesture, supports Patrick Goulet.

The cost of an installation varies according to the type of needs. According to Frédéric Lavoie, you can go from a budget of $2,000 to operate a hunting camp to $50,000 for a residence that would be completely autonomous. However, he mentions that the majority of people have sets of between $10,000 and $20,000 for a four-person secondary residence.