Ontario promotes storage technologies: The Energy Storage Working Group

Recently, the Energy Storage Working Group hosted their first two consultation sessions at MaRS.

As a member of this group, we discussed strategies to develop recommendations that would aid to recognize the value and to advance the adoption of energy storage in Ontario.

Initially funded by the Toronto Atmospheric Fund, the Energy Storage Working Group is an initiative of the Summerhill Impact, the Ontario Sustainable Energy Association (OSEA), and the Centennial Energy Institute.

The goal is to collaboratively identify policy, regulatory and program recommendations that will enable the rapid deployment of distributed sustainable generation in Toronto and throughout the rest of the province of Ontario.

The first sessions were held on December 9, 2010 and January 21, 2011, and focused primarily on electrical storage and thermal storage. Attendees hailed from various sectors:

• Local distribution companies: Toronto Hydro, Enbridge, and Burlington Hydro
• Government representatives: Ministry of Energy, Ontario Power Authority, City of Toronto and the City of Hamilton, Independent Electricity System Operator, Environmental Commissioner of Ontario’s Office,
  Storage Technology manufacturers: Ice Energy, S&C Electric, EPS Energy, Glenbarra Energy
• Universities and colleges: York University, University of Guelph, Queen’s University and Centennial College.
• Non-profit organizations: Ontario Sustainable Energy Association, MaRS Discovery District, Canadian District Energy Association, Canadian Electricity Association, Electricity Distributors Association, Toronto Atmospheric Fund, Ontario Centres of Excellence, Ontario Federation of Agriculture, Sumerhill Impact, Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC), and Toronto Region Conservation Authority
• Other stakeholders:, Emerging Energy Options Inc., Hök Architects

We identified a key issue: Ontario lacks a champion of energy storage. In fact, energy storage could have many advantageous roles in Ontario:

• Supporting renewable energy integration in local electrical and thermal grid infrastructure
• Relieving pressure for new transmission upgrades and overall cost
• Addressing voltage issues
• Accommodating future demand from electric vehicles
• Reducing Ontario’s dependence on fossil fuels in generation as well as in space heating and other heating needs

We also set some priorities:

• Foster collective action
• Increase the public understanding of energy storage and its benefits among stakeholders
• Identify best practices and standards
• Develop collaborative policy, regulatory and program recommendations

As a member of the Energy Storage Group, MaRS talked to event attendees about the barriers that entrepreneurs face in the development of their technologies.

• Testing systems trials on the grid
• Limited financing
• Customers’ and entrepreneurs’ need to identify and understand the problems and economic benefits of energy storage,
• Proper market classification

The next steps and action plan will be discussed in a new meeting with the leadership group members this month.

How to get involved in the Energy Storage Working Group

There is a fee to become a member of the storage group. Members will participate throughout all stages of the research and consultation, will be credited with their participation and support and will enable the storage group to develop various reports, resources and communication strategies to address a lack of information on storage in Ontario. The key findings, recommendations and resources resulting from these efforts would be of direct value to energy storage technology manufacturers, government organizations, renewable energy, combined heat and power and district energy companies as well as utilities.

For more information about the Energy Storage Working Group visit: http://energy-storage.ca/

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