The Director of the The Nuclear Innovation Institute said the Bruce Grey and Huron region is already becoming an energy storage leader, which could lead to thousands of new jobs.
Chad Richards said they found that the ability to store baseload clean energy generated by low-carbon sources like nuclear provides the assurance of clean, reliable electricity on demand. He said thanks in a large part to Bruce Power, the province’s grid is already 90% carbon free. He says the region is positioned to create new energy storage capacity by leveraging the investments being made to extend the life of the reactors at Bruce Power with the flexibility that TC Energy’s proposed pumped storage project in Meaford would provide.
“Baseload power we have from nuclear plants, which is emissions free elect can be used to power emission free ways of storing electricity, and then delivery that electricity back to the grid, all without producing carbon emissions,” he added.
Richards said the compressed air storage facility in Goderich is another example of a local energy storage project.
“So this can be anything from using compressed air. Run a compressor, pump that and keep it in a place where it can be released back up to the surface, and drive the generator to deliver it back to the grid. Or it can be something as simple as a big battery,” he explained.
He said energy storage can help replace needed power to back up intermittent sources like wind or solar, instead of the gas plants.
“It’s a replacement source of electricity ready to go in case the wind stops blowing, or the sun stops shining. And what we see as a role for energy storage is to just take the place of those gas fired generators and be the source of energy that’s on call and meet that demand,” he continued.
He added, “a recent report by Bloomberg that outline that by 2030 the world will need 20 x the energy storage capacity that we had at the end of 2020.”
He said the new report from the institute called Store of Value puts an option in front of people to have this open conversation about the benefits of energy storage and what increased levels of this type of capacity can do for the grid and for meeting the needs of an increasingly electrified world.
He added large-scale energy storage in combination with clean electricity from Bruce Power presents a $4-billion opportunity for Bruce, Grey and Huron counties, and could attract thousands of jobs.
The report found energy storage helps maximize the value of Ontario’s surplus electricity, creating ratepayer benefits. More than 20% of all supply from wind and solar resources was curtailed in 2020. Rather than shut down or lower output from these sources when supply outpaces demand, longer-term storage would hold energy until electricity can either be exported at an advantageous price or used to avoid carbon emissions from natural gas plants.
It pointed out new energy storage projects would continue to bolster the Clean Energy Frontier region of Bruce, Grey and Huron as a clean energy leader and optimize the regional assets already producing and storing electricity for the province. Home to Bruce Power, this area provides Ontario with more than 30% of its electricity in the form of emissions-free nuclear power.
“The Clean Energy Frontier region of Bruce, Grey and Huron is already a leader in clean energy production and storage. From the clean nuclear power produced at the Bruce site, to NRStor and Hyrdostor’s compressed air energy storage facility near Goderich, our region has an outstanding track record for clean energy innovation. This report makes it clear that we have even more reason to be excited for future opportunities,” said the Hon. Lisa Thompson, MPP for Huron-Bruce.
“Bruce Power also expressed its support for the report’s findings, as they align with both the nuclear generation from the site and also with 2021’s launch of Bruce Power Net Zero. Both support complementary technologies to nuclear power that will enable a net-zero future. “Bruce Power’s nuclear output is a backbone of Ontario’s clean electricity grid, providing the province with stable, reliable, emissions-free baseload electricity,” said James Scongack, Chief Development Officer and Executive Vice-President Operational Services.
“NII’s report makes clear that pairing clean baseload electricity—such as that produced at Bruce Power—with proven energy storage solutions and infrastructure like pumped storage and battery technologies, provides a once-in-a-generation opportunity to both tackle climate change and attract a $4-billion opportunity and thousands of jobs to the region,” added Scongack.
“As we meet the challenge of providing clean, safe, and reliable electricity to all Ontarians as demand increases, we’ll need to look closely at all options on the table,” said Bill Walker, MPP for Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound. “Made-in-Ontario solutions that provide good value to ratepayers and leverage our existing assets, like our province’s nuclear sector and the associated sustainability of producing life-saving isotopes, will be ever-important in the coming years.”
