Successful 2023 Summit held by CanREA Electricity Transition Hub

March 15, 2023

Canadian utilities and system operators shared expertise and collaborated on key electricity issues

Nearly 100 energy systems professionals attended the first annual CanREA Electricity Transition Hub Summit, held in downtown Toronto on January 24 and 25, 2023. It was a unique occasion for Canada’s electricity utilities and system operators to discuss the challenges and opportunities related to renewable energy integration and grid-modernization projects in Canada. Expertise was also shared from around the world, including progress towards standards and best practices across North America and Europe.  

“I am very proud of our Electricity Transition Hub, as a vital new element of Canada’s energy landscape,” said Vittoria Bellissimo, President and CEO at CanREA, during her opening remarks. “The spirit of collaboration and innovation is what brings so many of us together here today, at the cutting edge of electricity transformation.”

Launched in 2022, the Hub aims to share relevant knowledge and skills with participating electricity utilities and system operators through a curated resource library known as the Electricity Transition Hub Electronic Resource (ETHER) Library, as well as through quarterly reports of the latest recommended resources, quarterly meetings and an annual Hub Summit.

CanREA Helping to Modernize Canada’s Grid

In their opening remarks, both Bellissimo and Phil McKay, CanREA’s Senior Director, Technical and Utility Affairs, thanked Natural Resources Canada for its generous support. The Hub is funded by CanREA and Natural Resources Canada’s Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways (SREPs) program. Read the funding announcement press release here.

“I have worked with wind, solar and energy storage operators and researchers for nearly a decade,” said McKay, “and it has become very clear to me how important the role of everyone in this room will be for attaining a decarbonized grid.”

Over the course of two days, attendees heard from expert speakers on a variety of topics, including renewable energy and regulatory innovation, mapping available grid integration resources, and the state of Canada’s electricity system.

CanREA was pleased to welcome Francis Bradley, President and CEO of Electricity Canada, to present an address on the state of the electricity system in Canada.

“I want to congratulate the CanREA team for getting the Electricity Transition Hub off the ground. It is a fantastic initiative,” said Bradley in his remarks. “And for me, the Hub Summit is a unique occasion to speak directly with Canada’s utilities and system operators about important topics facing the electricity industry today.”

Presenters hosted small workshop sessions, prioritizing open dialogue and collaboration on important issues facing the industry.

Among them was Brennan Louw, Senior Manager System and Sector Development at the Independent System Operators of Ontario (IESO), who moderated a panel on the integration of distributed energy resources and their potential to contribute to reliability, affordability and customer choice.

The IESO sent a team, including VP Carla Nell and Director Katherine Sparkes, to participate in the Hub Summit alongside Louw.

“CanREA’s Electricity Transition Hub Summit was a terrific opportunity to connect with utilities and system operators from across the country,” said Nell. “Exchanging ideas and collaborating with partners is so important as we drive and guide electricity sector evolution, while ensuring the grid is reliable, affordable and sustainable. Thanks to the CanREA team for an excellent event.”

Natural Resources Canada delegate Bronwyn Lazowski (Senior Policy Advisor) were was on hand to lead a workshop session on national renewable energy and regulatory innovation in Canada, while Tracey Kutney (Senior Manager, Renewable and Electrical Energy) presented on the SREPs program and Eldrich Rebello (Science and Technology Advisor) led a session on NRCan’s Smart Grid Program and Innovation Funding efforts.

“I am so glad I attended the Hub Summit 2023 on behalf of NRCan. It was an excellent occasion to exchange ideas about integrating more renewable energy into Canada’s electricity system,” said Lazowski. “I presented on regulatory innovations and was thrilled with the questions and valuable discussion it engendered. The attendees were clearly engaged with this topic!”

Organizers and attendees were pleased with the inaugural CanREA Electricity Transition Hub Summit, but none more so than CanREA’s Phil McKay, who works closely with Hub Manager Jim Zhao to meet the needs of Hub participants year-round.

“It was inspiring to see electricity utilities, system operators and other sector leaders come together to discuss how collaboration and building confidence with renewable energy can drive Canada’s transition to a net-zero electricity system,” McKay said. “I look forward to continuing our work through The Hub and keeping the conversation flowing.”

Thank you to all attendees, whose enthusiastic participation in this event demonstrated the immense value of working together to modernize Canada’s grid.

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