With electricity demand expected to increase 166% in the Ottawa area (compared to the 75% average across Ontario) Ottawa's grid is in dire need of reinforcement, and batteries provide the cheapest and quickest solution to ensuring power quality and reliability in our area. Investigating the implications of electrified loads on electric grid expansion, reliability, resilience, and costs in addition to researching the mitigation of these impacts Project location: CanmetENERGY Ottawa, Ottawa, ON. Timeline: 5 years (2023 to 2028) Program: Funded by the Program of Energy. communities and the province. Risks can be address d by following best practices. BESS is a way to maintain grid reliability while also enabling Ottawa and Ontario to meet their economic, enviro ctive way to meet peak demand. When Ontario's electricity grid needs more power (like on the hottest days of the year), the IESO turns to on-demand resources, like energy. In 2025, the City of Ottawa established official plan and zoning provisions for battery energy storage uses in accordance with new Official Plan policy. BESS is an emerging technology using batteries and associated equipment to store excess energy from the electrical grid, which can then discharge. This paper examines the role of demand side initiatives in electricity and thermal energy, including demand response, conservation and time of use pricing, with a particular focus on electrical and thermal energy storage. Electricity production has lower GHG emissions in Ontario than in many other.
