Electri-fyi: Exploring Electrification Trends and Opportunities in Canada

Research

June 19, 2019

The Canadian electrical industry is facing a period of dynamic change that is creating a multitude of business challenges and opportunities. Complex and interconnected trends in the economic, technological, social, regulatory and environmental spheres are re-shaping how energy is generated, distributed, sold and used — ushering in an exciting new era of electrification. 

This transformation provides opportunities throughout the electrical industry on both the demand and supply side of the equation: from electrified transportation and energy-efficient products, to a more sustainable, reliable and socially conscious energy infrastructure. 

Electrification defined 

Electrification has been making headlines recently and is a topic of much discussion among electricity producers, manufacturers, suppliers, regulators and analysts. Energy market shifts, evolving consumer expectations, policy changes and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets are among the key factors driving greater interest in electricity as a power source. 

Any meaningful analysis of electrification and its implications begins with a working definition of the term: Electrification is the process of converting a machine or system to operate using electricity, when it previously used another form of energy, e.g. propane, oil, gas or kinetic.

The transition to electricity offers increased supply grid flexibility and efficiency and is set to revolutionize how energy is used for urban planning, rural development and industrialization. The potential for efficient electrification is significant. Although our nation’s electricity is largely emissions free, only 20% of our energy use comes from electricity. This offers tremendous opportunity for the electrification of end-use applications in residential, commercial, industrial and transportation sectors.

Electrification summit 

As part of its continuing mandate to advance Canada’s electrical industry, Electro-Federation Canada (EFC) partnered with the Canadian Electricity Association (CEA) in February 2019 to present the Electri-fyi Summit. Held at the Plug’n Drive Electric Vehicle Discovery Centre in Toronto, the full day event brought experts together to explore various facets of electrification. 

Experts from Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), Plug’n Drive, Ontario Power Generation (OPG) and ABB Canada presented a range of trends driving the electrification movement, as well as implications for companies that generate and deliver energy — and those who manufacture, distribute, market and sell electrical products that support the widespread distribution and use of power in our society. Summit attendees also had an opportunity to broaden their scope and understanding of electrification, by reviewing four possible future scenarios and exploring associated market demands, regulatory implications and early signposts.

EFC’s whitepaper, Electri-fyi: Exploring Electrification Trends and Opportunities in Canada, builds on discussions from the Electri-fyi Summit, summarizing the event’s key insights, along with additional research to provide an overview of the following aspects of electrification:

• its definition, dimensions and drivers
• energy landscape in Canada and abroad
• its impact on transportation (special focus), residential, commercial and industrial sectors
• business opportunities for electrical industry companies

The main objective of this whitepaper is to provoke reflection on what electrification means for your business: how it will affect your operation; the product and service opportunities that may arise; and how to adapt to stay competitive.

Download the white paper here.

Related Articles


Latest Articles


Changing Scene

  • Federal Investment to Add 989 New Montreal Homes

    Federal Investment to Add 989 New Montreal Homes

    November 18, 2024 The federal government is providing nearly $364 million to help build 989 new homes in Montreal. The announcement took place at 5200 rue de la Savane, in Montreal, which received $100 million dollars through the Apartment Loan Construction Program (ACLP) to build 303 homes and will be operated by Olymbec. This rental building, named Lynk, is designed to… Read More…

  • ABB and NIEDAX Group Announce Completion of Joint Venture with the Formation of Abnex Inc.

    ABB and NIEDAX Group Announce Completion of Joint Venture with the Formation of Abnex Inc.

    November 18, 2024 ABB completed the previously announced 50/50 joint venture with Niedax Group. The Abnex Inc. joint venture (JV) will broaden solutions and advance opportunities in the rapidly growing North American cable management market. Integrating engineering and manufacturing capabilities of ABB’s Installation Products Division with Niedax Group will enable the newly formed company to deliver a… Read More…

  • Ontario Building More Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

    Ontario Building More Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

    November 18, 2024 The Ontario government is building over 1,300 new electric vehicle (EV) charging ports in small and medium-sized communities, marking a major milestone in the province’s plan to increase access to EV chargers outside of large urban centres and support the electrification of transportation across the province. As the province continues to see… Read More…

  • Ontario Investing Over $74 Million Through Next Round of Skills Development Fund Capital Stream

    Ontario Investing Over $74 Million Through Next Round of Skills Development Fund Capital Stream

    November 18, 2024 The Ontario government is launching the second round of its Skills Development Fund (SDF) Capital Stream starting November 29, with over $74 million in available funding to build, expand and retrofit training facilities for workers in the trades, including construction, manufacturing technology and health care. The government is also investing nearly $5 million from the first… Read More…