Ontario Microgrid Demonstration Project Launched By GE & PowerStream

In order to help show how renewables can innovatively help meet the growing demand for electricity, GE & PowerStream have launched a microgrid demonstration project in Ontario, Canada.

“The project will demonstrate how energy consumers and utilities may be able to generate and distribute their own energy using renewable energy resources to address the growing demand for safe, sustainable and reliable energy resources,” a news release about the project states.

The microgrid demonstration project includes wind power, solar power, a natural-gas generator, and energy storage devices (including GE’s Durathon Battery technology). It also uses GE’s Grid IQTM Microgrid Control System (MCS). The microgrid project will supply electricity to PowerStream’s head office, which uses electricity for lighting, air conditioning, refrigeration, and electric vehicle charging.

“Using the MCS, PowerStream can determine when it is most economical to use the resources powering its microgrid or when they need to revert to using power from the provincial power grid…. PowerStream’s microgrid demonstration project marks the next phase of the company’s efforts to support smart grid development at the provincial level and leverage innovative ‘smart’ technologies in Ontario’s electricity sector.”

Image: Grid IQTM Microgrid Control System via GE