Newmarket, Ontario: Ameresco, Inc. announced the completion September 24 of a comprehensive energy storage project in Newmarket, a short drive north of Toronto, on behalf of Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator.
The project began in 2015 when Ameresco secured two Energy Storage Facility Agreements from the IESO to design, build, own and operate 2 MW, four-hour “Battery Solid” energy storage systems. These recently completed systems provide 16 MWh in overall energy storage capacity. The two solid-state lithium-ion battery energy storage systems connect to the local Newmarket-Tay Power Distribution Ltd. grid at a capacity of 4 MW. Both systems absorb power during periods of excess energy supply and deliver it back to the grid when energy demand is high.
Ameresco Canada President Bob McCullough (centre) is joined by Newmarket Mayor John Taylor (right) and Paul Ferguson, President of Newmarket-Tay Power Distribution on Sept. 24 for the grand opening of the Newmarket battery energy storage facility on Twinney Drive. Supplied photo/Ameresco Canada
“The investment that IESO has made in its grid infrastructure is worthy of celebration,” said Bob McCullough, President of Ameresco Canada Inc. “Battery storage is central to the better utilization of all assets within the electricity system, better value to ratepayers, and reduction of our carbon footprint. Taking this action now will demonstrate how energy storage facilities deployed at the distribution level can facilitate more cost-effective designs of both Transmission and Distribution infrastructure while providing greater power reliability to local areas, regardless of peak energy demands.”
This project also demonstrates the value of future ancillary services, which would allow IESO to charge or discharge instantly to provide frequency regulation, voltage control and spinning reserve services to the grid.