Category: Blog

The wind energy industry is demonstrating its long-standing commitment to supporting local communities in Ontario during COVID-19

Over the past several weeks, it’s been heartening to hear about acts of kindness and support from friends and strangers for those in need during this time of uncertainty in our own communities and beyond. It’s clear that even though we’re staying apart, people are coming together, collaborating and presenting solutions.

Every day, I hear of new examples of companies stepping up in local communities to help in the fight against COVID-19. The wind energy industry is no exception and there are many innovative and collaborative efforts worth noting. Wind energy companies with operations in Ontario have been involved in supporting efforts to retool facilities to begin making personal protective equipment (PPE) and wind farm operators have donated available PPE to local hospitals. Several member companies of the Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA) have kicked off initiatives supporting local food banks, seniors and mental health programs to ensure their communities are supported and protected. Many have contributed to efforts for hand sanitization, food security, and PPE in developing countries as well.

The wind industry was quick to coordinate and share information and best practices to ensure it continues to safely operate essential facilities to keep the lights on. This has led to new protocols for distancing while completing operations and maintenance and virtual site visits are becoming more widely used. As an essential service, we’ve been on regular calls with government, system operators and other industry partners to ensure the health and safety of communities and employees.

Seeing global news stories of temporary improvements in air quality and reduced greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the pandemic, have only highlighted the importance of climate action. That’s why our team is still hard at work (albeit from home) on supporting in-progress renewable energy projects throughout Canada, and pressing ahead with our Vision for a non-emitting grid by 2050. Additionally, we’re monitoring impacts to the Canadian wind energy industry and to global supply chains.

CanWEA has also been collaborating with clean energy leaders to bring forward economic stimulus ideas to government for now, and in a post-pandemic world. In fact, we were a signatory to an open letter presenting a workable plan to Ottawa to get Canadians working in the near-term, while creating a diversified, low-carbon economy. We continue to meet with government officials to bring ideas to the table.

These are certainly unprecedented times, but ideas, innovation and collaboration have and will continue to make a difference. Stay safe and healthy.

March 24, 2020

In the global transition to affordable, reliable, flexible and sustainable energy systems, Canada is playing an important role — and stakeholders across the country are embracing the change.

A recent report from the Generation Energy Council — a national group of experts, industry professionals and government leaders — articulates a vision that includes more investment in clean electricity, slashing energy waste and using more renewable fuels.

To learn more about how Canada is leading the charge, we caught up with Tom Levy, a senior wind engineer and head of wind energy research and development for Natural Resources Canada at the CanmetENERGY lab in Ottawa.

Electricity Transformation Canada: What are your thoughts about the progress we’ve made in transforming Canada’s electricity system? Are you encouraged?

Tom Levy: In the early days, we were trying to understand the tools that we would need at the system level to get to five or 10 per cent penetration [of renewable energy] within the energy mix. Now we’re talking about, “What does 100 per cent look like?” Now that systems have proven reliable at five and 10 per cent penetration, we can think bigger. The tools that were identified to support system reliability at these low levels are in use, and generally speaking, they work – this is now allowing us to think big – and 100 per cent is thinking big.

Canada has made progress. System operators and the industry have collectively advanced our understanding of how to operate power systems with reasonably high levels of renewables.

And there are a few examples in Canada that we can point to that have been able to successfully do so.

The question we are asking at CanmetENERGY-Ottawa is what’s next? How do we develop the tools that are needed to move us to 100 per cent? How do the grid codes need to evolve? How can we more effectively utilize inverter-based resources to support system reliability? What new tools will be needed?

ETC: What are your thoughts about the viability of hybrid projects that leverage wind, solar and energy storage?

TL: Based on our research, it is our understanding that multi-technology solutions will be necessary. It is unlikely that any single technology will achieve our carbon reduction goals.

So certainly, the interplay between wind, solar, storage and hydro — and interconnection and flexible and aggregated demand — are all expected to be part of that picture of what the future power system looks like.

Read full interview on ETC’s official website: https://electricitytransformation.ca/blog/hybrid-projects-have-huge-potential-a-conversation-with-tom-levy/