Canada’s Oshawa Power to implement flexibility aggregation platform

Ontario municipal utility Oshawa Power is to pilot the role of aggregated DERs in improving grid reliability and reducing emissions.

Oshawa Power, which distributes power to the city of Oshawa in southern Ontario, is partnering with energy solutions provider Peak Power to develop the platform, drawing on the latter’s AI-powered energy management software.

The goal is to pool a range of assets, including energy storage, electric vehicles and solar installations, to demonstrate their cost effectiveness in providing local support to the grid.

The project, funded by Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) and supported by the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) Innovation Sandbox, is sited at the Ontario Tech University in Oshawa.

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“As a progressive utility at the forefront of the clean energy transition, we’re constantly looking for ways to modernise our grid and prepare our customers for the net zero future” says Ivano Labricciosa, President and CEO of Oshawa Power.

“Peak Power’s cleantech expertise and the support of IESO will help us learn more about the best ways that DERs can support the needs of our grid.”

Peak Power’s tool for Oshawa Power will function in a similar manner to the company’s Synergy software, which has been deployed at various energy storage and EV projects across North America.

The partnership between Peak Power and Oshawa Power is the latest project between the companies funded in part by the IESO’s Grid Innovation Fund.

Last November, Peak Power and Oshawa Power were awarded funding to support vehicle-to-grid technology and real-time energy prediction.

“Distributed energy is key to our clean energy future, which is why we’re excited to once again team up with Oshawa Power and IESO to show the benefits of aggregated DERs,” says Derek Lim Soo, CEO of Peak Power.

“The pilot at Ontario Tech will serve as an example of how increasingly popular but distinct DER assets can reliably power a grid.”