February 4, 2009 (Toronto) -- The Ontario Smart Grid Forum today issued its report “Enabling Tomorrow’s Electricity System,” calling for a co-ordinated effort to increase reliability, develop economic opportunities and promote environmental sustainability through smart grid technologies.
“Now, more than ever, the move to create a smarter, more integrated electricity grid is an absolute necessity for Ontario,” said IESO President and CEO Paul Murphy. “We need a more flexible and resilient power system to support the rapid growth of renewable generation and conservation in the province.”
The report represents the work of 10 leaders from within Ontario’s electricity industry who looked at the various aspects of smart grid technologies and how they should be deployed and integrated in the province.
“Emerging technologies and the need to connect clean and renewable generation are challenging transmission and distribution companies to recalibrate and establish more flexible and smart electricity grids,” said Wayne Smith, Hydro One Vice President of Grid Operations. “A smarter grid can further facilitate investment in renewable sources of power generation like solar, wind and biomass – key to this Province’s goal to increase the amount of renewables in our system and decrease our reliance on carbon-based fuels.”
Smart grids refer to the integration of advanced information and communications technologies to manage an increasingly complex and diverse provincial electrical system. They can accommodate a wide range of activities – from consumers charging up their electric cars to wind turbines and solar panels producing energy within city boundaries.
"Smart Grid opens up new and exciting opportunities to work with our customers. We will be able to provide innovative services to deliver electricity that is reliable, efficient, and secure,” said Anthony Haines, President, Toronto Hydro Electric. “Through new technologies such as solar panels and plug-in hybrid vehicles, we can work towards a more environmentally sustainable city. We're not only building a smarter grid - we're building a brighter future."
Smart grids also improve electrical system performance by reducing the impact of faults and making better use of existing infrastructure. By helping to reduce peaks in demand through conservation, smart grids can also work to delay additional infrastructure investments.
“Local distribution companies are becoming focused on rethinking, redesigning and reinforcing their grids with intelligence,” said the Burlington Hydro Electric leadership team.
The report calls on the provincial government to facilitate the development of Ontario’s smart grid through legislation and regulation to clarify roles, set standards and promote investment. This approach is needed to provide a framework for the development of a co-ordinated and cost-effective smart grid.
Other recommendations include:
• Developing requirements for and the sufficient monitoring of distribution-connected generation, energy storage and responsive load. In addition, the authority necessary to direct the operation of these facilities needs to be determined, as do the conditions under which their operation could be directed and any compensation that would be provided.
• Establishing a task force to develop a comprehensive plan for enabling the broad-based deployment of plug-in vehicles in the province.
• Creating a framework for smart grid research, including proposed funding mechanisms, to promote innovation and create green jobs.
“While the term ‘smart grid’ may sound lofty, it is all about creating a more efficient and reliable electricity grid, and giving customers more control. Smart grid technology will give customers access to continuous information about price and consumption, and the ability to pre-set appliances to respond to changes in price,” said Norm Fraser, Hydro Ottawa Chief Operating Officer. “Eventually we will all wonder how we ever lived without it.”
“We have a clear opportunity to leverage investments in smart grid technology to promote innovation and create green jobs,” said David McFadden, Chair of the Ontario Centres of Excellence. “Research and development in smart grid technologies coupled with a commitment to a highly skilled workforce can provide our province with a competitive edge.”
A copy of the Ontario Smart Grid Forum report is available at www.ieso.ca/smartgridreport. A backgrounder about the benefits of the smart grid technologies is also available at www.ieso.ca/smartgridreport/backgrounder
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For more information:
Alexandra Campbell
IESO, (416) 506-2806
For more information, please contact:
Jennifer Smith
Director, Corporate Relations
Burlington Hydro Inc.
jsmith@burlingtonhydro.com
905-332-2340
Gary Holloway
Manager, Corporate Communications
Burlington Hydro Inc.
gholloway@burlingtonhydro.com
905-638-4226
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