Smart, Proactive, Enabled, Energy Distribution; Intelligent, Efficiently, Responsive (SPEEDIER) project

Lead Proponent

Bracebridge Generation Ltd.

Project Background

The objective of Project SPEEDIER was to create a Smart, Proactive, Enabled, Energy Distribution -Intelligently, Efficiently and Responsive grid in the Town of Parry Sound, Ontario. SPEEDIER addresses the issue of reducing load on a constrained transmission system and offers a unique opportunity where a rural municipality of 6,000 residents is pledging to be net zero in partnership with the local utility. This project modernizes the Town of Parry Sound’s grid and facilitates the shift towards a net-zero smart community by leveraging existing initiatives and integrating more renewable energy, distributed energy resources (DER), and intelligence in the form of a microgrid with seamless islanding capabilities and providing the utility control over the DERs and visibility to the entire grid.

The microgrid’s main components are a grid-scale battery rated at 1.25 MW/2.5MWh, and a 500 kW AC solar installation, providing storage and renewable generation respectively. The integrated DERs include three level-2 Electric Vehicle chargers and one level-3 Electric Vehicle DC fast charger, a fleet of 10 residential batteries (50KW/130KWh total) and 50 hot water tank controllers. These diverse DERs are integrated using a Distributed Energy Resource Management System (DERMS) and the microgrid electricity generation and consumption is balanced by a Microgrid Energy Management System (MEMS).

Results

Project SPEEDIER successfully demonstrated all the initial project goals. Solar and energy storage penetration was increased in the Town of Parry Sound and loading on locally constrained transmission station was reduced. The utility gained visibility and control of the DERs. EV chargers saw increased use during the course of the project, and smart residential demand management was demonstrated. The project developed a solution that could provide virtual net metering to offset asset cost. Most importantly, the project proved that a microgrid with DER control can positively impact a community and its local utility. The seamless aspect of the microgrid is an important benefit to customers and the overall system reliability.

Benefits to Canada

The immediate benefits to stakeholders and ratepayers are that the SPEEDIER project supports the proper functioning of the electrical grid by helping to reduce congestion issues, thereby deferring costly upgrades by increasing utilization of existing assets, while enhancing power quality and reliability. With regards to broader benefits to Canadians, SPEEDIER provided training of Highly Qualified Personnel (HQP) and local job creation in an innovative and transformative field, allowing stakeholders to build capacity and innovate with new business and technical models. The project contributed to technical advancement and understanding, creating valuable public-private partnerships, and leading to numerous knowledge dissemination activities. The system provides a valuable case study in net-zero energy development, which can lead to significant energy and emissions reductions since, at peak times, DERs usually produce fewer GHG emissions than the existing grid infrastructure, while in parallel creating an environment where electric vehicles and distributed generation assets can participate in supporting electrification of the grid. SPEEDIER provides a replicable example of how to improve the underlying energy system topology and optimally integrate diverse and distributed energy resources, Finally, the successful demonstration proves scaling this project would have a tangible effect on load, and this increased flexible capacity enables the local economy to continue to grow and develop, which benefits the regional economy and competitiveness of local industry.

Next Steps

The SPEEDIER team are in conversation with LDCs and provincial and federal governments regarding the future of projects like this and how they can be scaled and adapted to new scenarios. This project was undertaken within 1 of 6 municipalities that are shareholders of Lakeland Holding. Some communities seek increased reliability, while others are looking for economic return on offsetting load. This project is designed to be scalable to the other service territories, and all of the other municipalities have shown interest in replicating the project within their communities.