Consortium of 18 local distribution companies joins as a founding member of the Grid Modernization Centre to strengthen Ontario’s electricity system
The University of Toronto’s Grid Modernization Centre is pleased to announce that it is partnering with GridSmartCity, a consortium of 18 local distribution companies (LDCs) and 22 partner organizations. Through this partnership, the Centre and GridSmartCity will test emerging technologies, speed up the adoption of renewable energy and storage solutions, and create new approaches to grid modernization. The collaboration draws on the University of Toronto’s research expertise and the practical knowledge of utilities to develop solutions that strengthen the grid’s reliability, sustainability, and resilience – both in Ontario and across Canada.
Led by Climate Positive Energy and supported by Lawson Climate Institute, the Grid Modernization Centre’s unparalleled technical capabilities, combined with the critical mass of expertise across its ecosystem of stakeholders and staff, represents the first Canadian initiative of its kind.
As a founding member of the Grid Modernization Centre, the consortium will help shape the Centre’s work to prepare Ontario’s electricity grid for the challenges and opportunities ahead. GridSmartCitiy joins more than 50 partners already engaged with the Grid Modernization Centre, including: federal agencies, industry and original equipment manufacturers, utilities, regulators, small- and medium-sized enterprises, start-ups, and other industry associations. The Centre continues to work with these partners and stakeholders to help grow their technologies in several areas of exploration that align with technology roadmaps to accelerate the adoption of new technologies and solutions.
“Since 2009, GridSmartCity has fostered collaboration across the electricity sector, encouraging innovation while reflecting the needs of local communities,” says Art Skidmore, President of GridSmartCity. “Academic collaboration is a key area of emphasis, providing LDC partners with current research on the impacts of electric vehicle and EV chargers, smart grids and microgrids, energy storage systems, and community energy solutions. We look forward to joining University of Toronto’s Grid Modernization Centre as a Founding Partner to accelerate innovative solutions and efficiency improvements for the future.”
“Partnering with GridSmartCity presents the University of Toronto with a unique opportunity to align leading-edge research with the practical expertise of Ontario’s local distribution companies, to address challenges facing the sector” says Ali Hooshyar, Director of the Grid Modernization Centre. “This partnership will support the integration of renewable energy and storage, and build a smarter, more resilient electricity grid.”
“Our partnership with GridSmartCity represents a major step forward in Canada’s energy transition towards a net-zero future,” adds Shatha Qaqish-Clavering, Executive Director of Climate Positive Energy. “By combining world-class research with the reach and expertise of local utilities, we can create solutions that not only modernize Ontario’s electricity grid but also set a model for innovation and sustainability across the country.”
For more information on University of Toronto’s Grid Modernization Centre, visit: cpe.utoronto.ca/grid-modernization-centre.
Photo by Venrick Azcueta via Unsplash.