// COMPANY DOSSIER
Solar Nova Scotia
Volunteer, non-profit solar industry association for Nova Scotia. It unites the solar sector through networking and educational events, member promotion, training, research, and advocacy for solar-friendly regulation.
📍 Nova Scotia, CanadaEst. 1980✓ 100% first-party verified
// CLIPS FROM Solar Nova Scotia
“They wanted to implement this system access charge but it wasn't very well thought out at all”
“As the solar energy contractor we are kind of the last thing that you should be doing for your home”
“There's a real importance to like find your tribe kind of thing”
“Early days I was like a bit of a cowboy, not having dependents I could take risks”
“I had this idea of like okay I'm take this old cargo van and turn it into a camper”
“Those first three years are really tough right and like you're carrying a vision forward”
“They're all coming in at like 21 22% efficient these days”
“We do relate it a little bit to the heat pump contractors”
“There's a tax credit it's called the clean technology investment tax credit”
// LESSONS FROM Solar Nova Scotia
Position solar as the final sustainability step after a tight building envelope, not a substitute for insulation and good windows.
Early in a new technology market, you must sell the category itself, not just your company; client education is the first job.
Adoption tips when efficiency, trust, and cost mature together; watch the heat-pump curve as a template for where solar is headed.
Standing-seam metal roofs are ideal because clamps fasten to the seams with zero penetrations; have a solution ready for every roof type.
Sell on lifecycle economics: solar's 25-year warranties and no moving parts beat alternatives like wind turbines warrantied for only three years.
In a politically charged market, a single regulatory change can wipe out your business; treat policy risk as core operating risk.
// SELECTED PROJECTS
2022 Net-Metering System Access Charge advocacy campaign
CompletedIndustry-association opponent; Chair David Brushett was the named solar-industry voice against the charge
NS Power proposed an $8/kW/month system access charge to begin Feb 1, 2023; the Province moved to halt it on Feb 2, 2022 (Premier Tim Houston notified the NSUARB). CBC (Jan 28, 2022) names 'David Brushett of Solar Nova Scotia' as the solar-industry voice opposing it: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/solar-industry-says-proposed-nova-scotia-power-charge-will-devastate-sector-1.6331442 . The charge was withdrawn (see solarns.ca history). 'Led the campaign' is the show's promotional framing — SNS was a prominent opponent/intervenor alongside others (CanREA, the Province); see unverified_notes.
Atlantic Canada Solar Summit
In progressHost / organizer
Per SNS's own history, it hosted the first annual Atlantic Canada Solar Summit in December 2022 and the 2nd in December 2023. The summit is ongoing: solarsummit.ca lists the next edition for Dec 1-2, 2026 at the Halifax Convention Centre (freshness-checked). 2024 edition reportedly drew ~400 delegates (per event listings).
// KEY PEOPLE
// NOTABLE
Solar Nova Scotia was founded in 1980 and incorporated on October 14, 1980 as 'The Solar Energy Society of Nova Scotia' to foster alternative energy technologies in the province.
SOURCE ▸By early 2022 Nova Scotia had more than 4,000 solar homes, and the solar industry contributed roughly $30 million in private-sector investment to the provincial economy in the prior year (Government of Nova Scotia).
SOURCE ▸Solar Nova Scotia hired its first full-time employee in 2019 to develop and deploy its 'Discover Solar' education program.
SOURCE ▸