Windsor Star Opinion Letter: SW Ontario winning struggle to meet energy demand

(view the original article at the Windsor Star)

By Justin Rangooni
Executive Director, Energy Storage Canada

For years, southwestern Ontario’s political and business leaders — particularly in Windsor and Essex County — have been calling for action to meet growing energy demand that poses a serious challenge for the grid.

Companies have worried about making investments due to supply issues, while demand in southwestern Ontario is growing so much that last year, Ontario’s electricity regulator forecasted it would double by 2027.

We’ve heard debates over transmission lines and plants with concerns about blackouts and brownouts.

There’s now a win to celebrate, with more to come.

When Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) announced in May seven new energy storage projects in the province, it marked the largest energy storage procurement ever in Canada, adding 739 megawatts (MW) of capacity to the current 228 MW of storage currently on the grid.

While we were expecting this news, and for southwestern Ontario to be a prime area for these projects, we didn’t know when they would be completed, nor where exactly selected projects would be placed.

We are not disappointed with the results.

The IESO tapped five projects for southwestern Ontario, including four in Essex County — three projects in Windsor and one in Lakeshore account for roughly 100 MWs. In Haldimand County, a single battery storage facility will have a maximum capacity of 300 MW.

These locations have been identified to help meet the challenges we will face to keep the lights on. And we all recognize how high the stakes are right now.

It’s Ontarians knowing that during peak times they won’t be out of power. It’s businesses knowing their investments will be supported by supply. And it’s governments knowing which projects can meet our climate goals.

Places like Windsor are ready to meet those goals.

There’s no doubt Canada is on an express path to decarbonization. Just take a look at the auto industry, where all new vehicles manufactured and sold in the country will be required to be zero-emission by 2035.

This requires significant grid upgrades. While renewable energy sources are necessary for decarbonization, we can’t control when the wind will blow or the sun will shine.

Energy storage maximizes those and other clean energy options, makes them more reliable sources for power generation and down the line has the ability to replace older and more carbon-intensive infrastructure.

It’s not only about sustainability and business assurance, but affordability for ratepayers. A 2020 report commissioned by Energy Storage Canada found that 1,000 MW of energy storage could provide as much as $2.7 billion in savings for consumers.

Once these projects are operational, we will have hit that 1,000-megawatt mark, putting Ontario on the right path to meet the province’s ongoing procurement of 2,500 MW of energy storage to support the growing demand for electrification and the pressure that puts on the grid.

Much more needs to be done to support the grid through energy storage and beyond.

We may not be nearly where we should be when it comes to energy storage, but we’re on the right path with more projects expected to be announced this summer.

We would not be here if it wasn’t for the ongoing calls for action from Windsor and Essex County’s leaders.

We thank them for a win we can all celebrate.