In a surprise announcement September 25, Ontario Energy Minister Glenn Thibeault said that the government of Ontario would be changing provincial rules to remove obstacles that have discouraged electricity storage. Energy storage advocates have often argued that their service is unfairly disadvantaged in having to pay wholesale and retail charges whenever energy is withdrawn and re-injected into the grid.
The minister said, “our Government will amend regulations to better value energy storage and allow it to compete on a level playing field with other technologies in our supply mix. We recognize that, depending on time of day, storage resources can act as both generation and load. The current regulatory framework that sees energy storage resources penalized when they draw surplus electricity from the grid will end. The uplift and global adjustment charges that price electricity storage technologies out of the market will be amended with a view towards levelling the playing field and recognizing the full value from these innovative and multi-service resources.”
A date to have the new rules in effect was not stated.