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    Ameresco, Atura Power joining for 1GWh-Battery Storage in Canada

    June 8, 2023
    The Independent Electricity System Operator expects that overall energy storage capacity in Ontario will quintuple and grow to at least 1,217 MW in its market by 2026
    Image credit Ameresco
    Ameresco 64821bcc8f4ec

    Ontario's Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) has selected the Napanee BESS joint venture to build a 250-MW/1,000-MWh battery energy storage project within the Canadian province. 

    The Napanee BESS JV partnership is made up of U.S.-based developer Ameresco and Atura Power, a subsidiary of Ontario Power Generation. The 20-year capacity agreement includes a minority ownership interest by Ameresco, which also is providing engineering and construction expertise under a separate contract.

     “In partnership with Atura Power, we are honored that our JV has been selected by the IESO for this battery energy storage system installation, one of the largest in Canadian history,” Lou Maltezos, executive vice president of Ameresco, said in a statement. “This project is designed to significantly bolster the province’s energy security and reliability, ushering Canada into a greener, more sustainable age.”

    The IESO expects that overall energy storage capacity in Ontario will quintuple and grow to at least 1,217 MW in its market by 2026.

    Ontario Power Generation created Atura Power to run the company’s fleet of four combined cycle gas turbine power plants. Atura is also investing in alternative energy projects such as green hydrogen and utility-scale battery storage.

    The joint venture partners claim that this Napanee award by the IESO is among the largest BESS projects in Canada’s energy transition so far.

    Last month, Northland Power closed on funding for its planned Oneida Energy Storage Project in Ontario. The company is developing the 250 MW/1,000 MWh project in partnership with Aecon Group, NRStor, and Six Nations of the Grand River Development Corporation.

    Ameresco, which is headquartered in Massachusetts, has developed several battery energy storage projects, including working with IESO to design and build two BESS on Newmarket-Tay Power Distribution Ltd's distribution grid (pictured above). 

    About the Author

    Rod Walton, EnergyTech Managing Editor | Senior Editor

    For EnergyTech editorial inquiries, please contact Managing Editor Rod Walton at [email protected].

    Rod Walton has spent 15 years covering the energy industry as a newspaper and trade journalist. He formerly was energy writer and business editor at the Tulsa World. Later, he spent six years covering the electricity power sector for Pennwell and Clarion Events. He joined Endeavor and EnergyTech in November 2021.

    Walton earned his Bachelors degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma. His career stops include the Moore American, Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise, Wagoner Tribune and Tulsa World. 

    EnergyTech is focused on the mission critical and large-scale energy users and their sustainability and resiliency goals. These include the commercial and industrial sectors, as well as the military, universities, data centers and microgrids. The C&I sectors together account for close to 30 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S.

    He was named Managing Editor for Microgrid Knowledge and EnergyTech starting July 1, 2023

    Many large-scale energy users such as Fortune 500 companies, and mission-critical users such as military bases, universities, healthcare facilities, public safety and data centers, shifting their energy priorities to reach net-zero carbon goals within the coming decades. These include plans for renewable energy power purchase agreements, but also on-site resiliency projects such as microgrids, combined heat and power, rooftop solar, energy storage, digitalization and building efficiency upgrades.

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