Battery Energy Storage Systems look for a home in Ottawa

This is a reprint of an article published October 19, 2024 by The Glebe Report, an independent, not-for-profit community newspaper serving the Glebe, Glebe Annex and Dow’s Lake areas of Ottawa (see original post here). It is reprinted here with the permission of the organization. You can read more articles in the Glebe Report by following this link.

With Ontario’s demand for electricity anticipated to rise by two per cent annually and almost double by 2050, the provincial government is promoting the development of Battery Energy Storage Sites (BESSes). Increased storage capacity will improve the reliability of electricity distribution both locally and throughout the province. 

BESSes are already approved or under construction in Jarvis, Napanee and Spencerville. In Ottawa, a 150-megawatt battery-storage project for Trail Road has received municipal approval, but a 250-megawatt project by Evolugen for Fitzroy Harbour is facing pushback from some community members.  

 Why Battery Energy Storage Systems?  

Battery Energy Storage Systems are a critical component of the transition to a clean, renewable-energy economy that will lower greenhouse gas emissions and help reduce the impacts of climate change. One challenge with wind and solar is that energy can only be produced when the wind is blowing or the sun is shining. On the other hand, renewable energy can sometimes overproduce. In Ontario, most wind power is produced overnight when the demand and price for energy are low. Hydro and nuclear power can also contribute to oversupply.  

The interplay between supply and demand is critical for electricity distribution. If supply does not match demand, we experience blackouts; if there is more supply than demand, the excess power is dumped elsewhere below cost.  

 The economic advantage of BESSes 

Excess electricity needs to be directed to where it can be used or stored. Currently, the province has grid connections with Manitoba, Quebec, New York, Michigan and Minnesota and can sell excess power to those jurisdictions. BESSes provide another option. They store electricity overnight when it is generated during low-demand periods and release it when the demand for electricity is higher and more expensive.  

 Support for communities 

Companies that install and manage BESSes point out that their operations make substantive contributions to the municipal tax base and to community benefit funds. In the case of the Fitzroy proposal, Evolugen has committed to $125,000 a year for community benefits for the 20-year lifespan of the project – that’s a total of $5 million. With the City’s current shortfall in income, the offer should be enticing.   

 Addressing concerns 

A committee of Fitzroy Harbour residents have legitimate concerns about the proposal that have not yet been answered to their satisfaction. The main issue seems to be the potential for battery fires and the environmental and health harms they could possibly cause. The chemical makeup of older-style batteries known as NCM batteries (lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide batteries) made them more prone to “thermal runaway,” a condition where a battery enters “an uncontrollable, self-heating state.” Evolugen is leaning towards the current generation of solid-state batteries – lithium iron phosphate (LFP) – which are chemically quite stable and very unlikely to overheat.  

The number of BESSes installed worldwide has increased greatly over the last five years. Data from the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) shows that the number of incidents per gigawatt capacity has decreased to near zero. The EPRI states that battery manufacturers and operators have learned from past incidents and have developed multilayered safety protocols for the cell, module and cabinet levels of the installation. These protocols include constant monitoring of the temperature and charge of the various component levels of the BESS, as well as smoke, heat and charge detectors and automatic shut-off in case of a fire threat. It is worth noting that any BESS installation must receive the required permits and approvals from the city and the province and would need to develop an emergency response plan.  

 Risk versus benefit 

While we might wish for a 100-per-cent risk-free project, this is unrealistic. We all take calculated risks because we determine the benefit of the activity outweighs any potential danger. Most of us drive a car regularly, yet last year 411 people died in car accidents in Ontario. Many homes are heated by gas, yet there were almost 90 accidental gas explosions in Ontario between 2013 and 2023.  

Clarke Kelly, the councillor for West Carleton-March ward, proposed site of the Evolugen project, has suggested that a smaller project than 250 megawatts might be more acceptable. Choosing a different site could be another alternative. In any case, a successful proposal will require greater attention to community concerns. 

West Carleton-March has endured some of the worst that a disrupted climate has to offer – tornadoes and frequent extreme flooding. Enabling a more rapid transition to clean electrical power through BESS facilities could help lessen climate risks and provide more clean, reliable electricity for all of us.  

Cecile Wilson is a long-time resident of the Glebe and is interested in climate issues.