Environmental groups cheer Ontario’s addition of battery storage to electricity grid

Environmental groups are cheering an Ontario government announcement that three battery storage projects will add enough capacity to the electricity system to power 640,000 homes.

The Independent Electricity System Operator had been looking to secure more capacity as electricity needs are set to soar over the next several decades, and environmental advocates had worried the province would do that through natural gas.

Instead, the government announced today that the IESO has procured 640 megawatts of new capacity through large battery projects, which are able to inject power into the system during periods of peak demand.

The competitive and open procurement secured the new capacity at relatively low prices, which environmental groups say shows that battery storage is a lower-cost solution that can replace natural gas for long-term reliability of the grid.

Groups including Environmental Defence, Clean Energy Canada and the Pembina Institute say it shows the switch to clean energy is not just about climate policies, but is also market driven.

By Allison Jones