Nuclear institute touts energy storage to reach net zero

At the Nuclear Innovation Institute in Port Elgin, energy storage is being touted as a “game-changer” in Ontario’s push towards a carbon free electricity grid.

“If we’re serious about tackling climate change related to our electricity grid, you have to be serious about increased levels of energy storage,” says Chad Richards, director at the Bruce Power Centre for New Nuclear and Net Zero Partnerships, at the Nuclear Innovation Institute (NII).

None of Ontario’s current electricity production can be effectively ramped up quickly to meet peak demands, other than natural gas.

And while Ontario’s electricity grid is already 90 per cent carbon free, to dramatically curtail the use of natural gas that’s backing up intermittent wind and solar energy, energy storage is being accelerated across the province.

There’s only 54 megawats (MW) of energy storage in Ontario today, but a massive proposed project near Meaford with a 1000 MW pumped hydro storage facility could change that.

“That project alone is a $4-billion project for the Tri-County Region,” says James Scongack, Bruce Power’s executive vice president of operational services and corporate affairs. “But is also part of Canada’s push towards net zero carbon emissions by 2050.”

“1,000 MW of electricity to be provided over an eight hour period. That’s powering one million homes for eight hours during those peak hours, all without a single gram of fossil fuels. So, it’s quite a massive opportunity,” says Richards.

Opponents worry about the massive amounts of water required to run the project and accompanying environmental impact.

But to reach net zero carbon emissions and a zero carbon Ontario electricity grid, projects like the one proposed in Meaford that would pump water from Georgian Bay by night and release it through power generating turbines during peak times, and the compressed air energy storage facility in Goderich, must become more common place, according to those at the NII.

“We can use the clean base load electricity that’s generated at Bruce Power to power something clean, like the proposed TC Energy pumped storage project near Meaford, to really provide Ontarians with that peaking ability to meet peak demand no matter the time of day,” says Richards.

With its access to a skilled labour force, vast geography, water and hydro corridors, Bruce, Grey and Huron counties are being touted as the “Clean Energy Frontier” by the NII.

“This region has established itself with lots of assets and now with this net zero future that foundation is enabling things like looking at fusion energy long term, looking at pumped hydro storage, and I believe this region is going to be the clean energy frontier of a net zero Canada,” says Scongack.