IESO Announces $6.8 million Investment to Explore Innovative Projects to Conserve Energy in Ontario for Communities and Businesses

EIN 37 CS IESO logo 400

February 2, 2022

With electricity consumption projected to rise, Ontario’s communities and businesses are developing innovative energy management solutions that help make the electricity system more efficient, affordable and sustainable. On February 2nd the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) and its partners announced an investment of $6.8 million to explore innovative approaches to help consumers conserve and manage energy.

“Innovative projects such as those funded through our Grid Innovation Fund offer real promise for the future of Ontario’s electricity sector,” says Lesley Gallinger, IESO’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “By continuing to tap into the skills of Ontario’s talented innovators, we see a real opportunity for these projects to help consumers reduce energy costs, support economic growth and help ratepayers find value.”

Through the Grid Innovation Fund, the IESO supports pilot projects that explore new ways to enhance sustainability and energy efficiency through the use of artificial intelligence, equipment upgrades and new processes. These projects can be found in various sectors across the province and include:

  • Testing the use of hydrogen peroxide, reducing the need for energy-intensive aeration at Greenway Wastewater Testing Facility in London, Ontario, led by the University of Western Ontario.
  • A Toronto 2030 District project that entails working with the city’s real estate industry and community organizations to identify viable pathways to a GHG-emissions-free building sector. This includes creating a vision document to inform decision-making by real estate owners, energy management program marketing, and electricity sector planning for the decarbonization of the economy.
  • Updating Natural Resources Canada’s RETScreen Expert software – used by energy managers in residential, commercial and industrial buildings – to allow modelling of deep retrofits that can result in up to 80 per cent electricity cost savings. In addition, the software will provide demand response and load reduction analysis capabilities.
  • A Pollution Probe and QUEST Community Energy Planning project in Burlington that will help communities meet their energy goals by developing an implementation approach that integrates stakeholder and utility engagement, identifies best practices, and provides a draft work plan.
  • Demonstration of an industrial Energy Management Information System using artificial intelligence at an Ontario mining facility to better understand, and more efficiently manage, all facets of the mine’s electricity consumption and peak demand. The project will quantify energy savings resulting from the Energy Management System.
  • Upgrades to a wastewater treatment plant in the Region of Waterloo that will explore how an energy-efficient membrane technology can replace traditional equipment to provide significant energy savings.

“The Grid Innovation Fund is helping Ontario use energy more efficiently and supporting innovation locally,” said Todd Smith, Minister of Energy. “I commend the IESO for providing funding for these exciting projects that will test and demonstrate innovative new ways to manage energy consumption and reduce costs for families and businesses.”

Since its inception in 2005, the IESO’s Grid Innovation Fund has supported more than 260 projects, taking innovative ideas from partners and turning them into knowledge that enables the enhanced reliability, sustainability and resilience of the provincial electricity system.

Conservation and energy management projects have already shown value to Ontario ratepayers by reducing overall demand for electricity. These programs also help consumers better manage their electricity costs and support business competitiveness.

In addition to the Grid Innovation Fund, the IESO’s Save on Energy programs provide a range of incentives to businesses and residents to help manage energy use and reduce bills. From 2011 to 2021, more than 270,000 Save on Energy program participants have saved 17 TWh of electricity, equivalent to powering more than two million homes for a year.

As demand for electricity is projected to grow over the next decade, energy efficiency will continue to play an important role in cost-effectively meeting system needs, driving cost-competitiveness, and promoting customer-driven solutions. 

Related Articles


Latest Articles

  • Guide to the Canadian Electrical Code, Part 1[i], 26th Edition – A Road Map: Section 28 – Motors and Generators

    Guide to the Canadian Electrical Code, Part 1[i], 26th Edition – A Road Map: Section 28 – Motors and Generators

    Rule 28-000 – Scope states that Section 28is a supplementary or amendatory section of the code and provides additional and specific requirements for the installation, wiring methods, conductors, protection, and control of all motors and generators. Read More…

  • Statement by ECAO Executive Director, Graeme Aitken on Tariffs

    Statement by ECAO Executive Director, Graeme Aitken on Tariffs

    February 7, 2025 ECAO posted the following statement from Executive Director, Graeme Aitken on their website regarding potential U.S. Tariffs: For almost 80 years, the Electrical Contractors’ Association of Ontario (ECAO) has served and represented the interests of Ontario’s industry-leading, unionized electrical contractors. Over those many decades, ECAO has stepped up during times of challenge… Read More…

  • Rigid PVC Conduit vs. ENT in High-Rise and Multi-Use Applications

    Rigid PVC Conduit vs. ENT in High-Rise and Multi-Use Applications

    February 7, 2025 By Phil Crangi Choosing the right high-rise construction conduit can significantly impact project efficiency and costs. While rigid PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) conduit may have a lower upfront cost, ENT (Electrical Nonmetallic Tubing) offers more significant advantages due to its long-term labor savings and installation efficiency. ENT and fittings form an integrated system… Read More…

  • EFC Tariff Response: Advocating for Free Trade

    EFC Tariff Response: Advocating for Free Trade

    February 7, 2025 STATEMENT FROM CAROL MCGLOGAN, PRESIDENT & CEO, ELECTRO-FEDERATION CANADA ON U.S. TARIFFS Electro-Federation Canada (EFC), representing Canada’s electrical and automation industry, strongly opposes the recent tariffs announced (an subsequently delayed) by President Trump on Canadian imports. These tariffs threaten to disrupt North American supply chains, increase costs for businesses and consumers, and… Read More…


Changing Scene