Chatham-Kent council is being asked to throw its support behind three battery storage projects that are in development in the municipality, as well as a natural gas cogeneration project.
The Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) is securing capacity by selecting electricity generation and storage projects in the province. To move forward in the selection process, the four companies will need a letter of support from Chatham-Kent. Council will discuss these projects during a meeting tonight.
The three companies that are looking to develop battery storage projects in Chatham-Kent include; Wheat Energy Storage, Boralex, Kruger Energy and Innergex. They are all planned to be near the Highway 401 corridor.
Cedarline Greenhouses, located southeast of Dresden, is looking at building a natural gas cogeneration unit near its present greenhouse.
The battery storage projects will draw and store electricity off-peak when power demand is low and return it when demand increases.
If the projects move ahead and become operational, Chatham-Kent will benefit from additional property taxes as well as the energy storage projects contributing to a community benefit fund.
If the IESO selects one or all of these projects during its request for proposal in the spring, the companies will have a number of hurdles in the months ahead, including such things as undertaking environmental studies, zoning by-law amendments and developing emergency plans with the municipality.
Southwestern Ontario has a number of companies scouting the area to help meet the region’s fast-growing electricity needs.
Neighbouring St. Clair Township is a possible home for three large battery storage projects, while there are a number of proposals for energy storage systems in the Windsor-Essex region.
Last week the provincial and federal governments announced that the largest battery storage project in the country will be built in Six Nations of the Grand River and will be operational by 2025.
