Federal Government Invests $5 million in Energy Storage Research

March 22 2016

Will Sloan

With a $5 million investment from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada (NSERC), a team of 27 professors from 15 universities and 8 provinces will work together on creating a more reliable, environmentally responsible and efficient power system. Bala Venkatesh, academic director of Ryerson’s Centre for Urban Energy, will lead the NSERC Energy Storage Network (NEST) team.

PHOTO CAPTION: Bala Venkatesh, Academic Director of Ryerson’s Centre for Urban Energy

NEST will be one of 76 teams of researchers at Canadian universities and companies receiving a total of $48 million in funding. The strategic partnerships will connect universities, companies and government organizations to increase research and training in areas that could strongly influence Canada’s economy, society or environment.

“Our research helps to bring clean energy to society,” said Venkatesh at an official announcement of the funding. “Energy storage is a key part of this transformation. [NSERC’s] investment in this network will help develop the next generation of energy storage products for Canada and worldwide.”

The NEST project is an example of Ryerson’s fostering of collaboration across disciplines and sectors to develop new solutions to pressing problems. “We insist that the impetus for innovation can come from any sector: from the business sector; from the academic sector. It’s realizing that one has to make those connections; one has to have feedback groups; and one has to proceed in a collaborative fashion,” said Mario Pinto, President of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council.

“As Bala and others were talking, it wasn’t all about electrical engineering,” said Wendy Cukier, Ryerson’s Vice-President of Research And Innovation, at the announcement. “You heard about economics, you heard about customers, you heard about policy, you heard about regulation.

“At Ryerson, more than perhaps anywhere, we recognize that while science, technology, math and engineering are the foundation of much of what we do … we also bring in the other disciplines.”

Founded in 2010, the Centre for Urban Energy develops sustainable solutions to urban energy challenges. It has launched the Smart Grid lab (an incubator for alternative energy research) and iCue incubator, and has spawned startups/projects about electric cars, wind energy, solar power, and an urban battery storage system.

Mohamed Lachemi, Ryerson’s interim President, described the NEST funding announcement as another milestone for the centre. “[Venkatesh] took our shared vision for what the centre should be, and made it into a vibrant and vital part of our university, our city, and our country.”

Find out more about the centre: www.ryerson.ca/cue/.


Will Sloan is a writer/co-ordinator with Communications, Government and Community Engagement at Ryerson University. This article has been lightly edited.

 

Related Articles


Latest Articles

  • Code Question on Section 24 – Patient Care Areas

    Code Question on Section 24 – Patient Care Areas

    July 14, 2025 The rules for the installation of panelboards, circuits, and bonding in Patient Care Area depends on whether the area is designated as either, Basic Care, Intermediate Care or Critical Care. How are these areas defined? Read more on Section 24 — Health care areas Read More…

  • Ontario’s Institutional Component Drives Non-Residential Construction Intentions in May 2025

    Ontario’s Institutional Component Drives Non-Residential Construction Intentions in May 2025

    July 14, 2025 In May, the total value of building permits issued in Canada rose by $1.4 billion (+12.0%) to reach $13.1 billion. The increase in construction intentions was driven by Ontario’s institutional component (+$1.3 billion). On a constant dollar basis (2023=100), the total value of building permits issued in May increased 11.8% from the previous month and was… Read More…

  • Plan Group Partners in Construction of UHN Surgical Tower at Toronto Western Hospital

    Plan Group Partners in Construction of UHN Surgical Tower at Toronto Western Hospital

    July 14, 2025 Plan Group is proud to be a partner in the construction of the UHN Surgical Tower at Toronto Western Hospital. Plan Group will provide work on the project in: Mechanical: Plumbing, HVAC, Controls, Medical GasElectrical: Lighting & Controls, Power Distribution, Emergency Generators, UPSTechnology: Structured Cabling, AV Systems including Digital Signage and IPTV UHN’s 15-storey Surgical… Read More…

  • How Canada Can Equip Workers for a Low-Carbon Future

    How Canada Can Equip Workers for a Low-Carbon Future

    July 14, 2025 The Canadian economy is shifting towards low-carbon industries, and the workforce is shifting with it. New roles are emerging, traditional ones are evolving and the demand for skilled workers is growing fast — particularly in light of the ambitious nation-building agenda the federal government has set out. In the federal Speech from… Read More…


Changing Scene

  • Luxxbox Launches Quick Ship Program to Accelerate Project Timelines

    Luxxbox Launches Quick Ship Program to Accelerate Project Timelines

    July 16, 2025 Luxxbox announces the launch of its new Quick Ship Program, designed to provide architects, designers, and project managers in the United States and Canada with expedited access to a curated selection of their most in-demand acoustic lighting products. With a two-week turnaround from order to dispatch, the program ensures that project timelines… Read More…

  • ECS Earns Platinum Status for 8th Consecutive Year in Canada’s Best Managed Companies Program

    ECS Earns Platinum Status for 8th Consecutive Year in Canada’s Best Managed Companies Program

    July 16, 2025 Electrical Cable Supply (ECS), Canada’s largest independently owned wire and cable distributors, is proud to announce its re-certification with the prestigious Platinum designation in Deloitte’s Canada’s Best Managed Companies program for the eighth consecutive year. This announcement recognizes ECS’s sustained excellence in strategy, innovation, culture, and strong financial performance. The Canada’s Best… Read More…

  • Nexans Canada Partners with Skills Compétences Canada to Sponsor WorldSkills Team Canada 2026

    Nexans Canada Partners with Skills Compétences Canada to Sponsor WorldSkills Team Canada 2026

    July 16, 2025 Nexans has announced its partnership with Skills Compétences Canada (SCC), a not-for-profit organization that actively promotes careers in skilled trades and technologies. As part of the partnership, Nexans will sponsor WorldSkills Team Canada 2026 as they prepare to compete at the 48th WorldSkills Competition, taking place in Shanghai, China, from September 22 to 27, 2026. “At Nexans,… Read More…

  • OEL Apprentice Success Project Available Until March 2026

    OEL Apprentice Success Project Available Until March 2026

    July 14, 2025 With renewed funding by Ontario’s Skills Development Fund, the OEL Apprentice Success Project is now available for another year until March 2026. The project is part of OEL’s Employer Engagement Program (EEP) consisting of wage, training, and equipment subsidies for apprentices. These funding opportunities are available to OEL Members and non-Members. For… Read More…