Ontario has made a significant leap in securing its energy future with the largest battery storage procurement in Canadian history. Announced on May 9, 2024, by the Ministry of Energy, this move is part of Ontario's strategy to enhance clean energy infrastructure and ensure long-term reliability and sustainability.
The procurement round secured 2,195 megawatts (MW) of capacity, enough to meet the peak electricity demand of 2.2 million homes. This includes 1,784 MW of clean energy storage from ten project. With this addition, Ontario's total storage fleet will reach 2,916 MW, surpassing the initial target of 2,500 MW.
Expanding the clean electricity system has been crucial in attracting large-scale manufacturing projects to Ontario. "Our government has now broken records once again by completing the largest battery storage procurement in Canadian history," said Todd Smith, Minister of Energy. This ensures a reliable supply of clean energy, supporting economic growth and job creation.
The procurement also includes 411 MW of natural gas and on-farm biogas generation, ensuring reliability during extreme weather conditions. This balanced approach follows advice from the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO).
The IESO's 2024 Annual Planning Outlook forecasts a 60% increase in electricity demand over the next 25 years. The newly procured resources, expected to be operational by 2028, will be crucial in meeting this demand while maintaining a clean, reliable, and affordable electricity system.
Looking ahead, Ontario plans to continue expanding its clean energy infrastructure through various initiatives, including advancing nuclear power projects, prioritizing new transmission lines, launching energy efficiency programs, and planning further procurements for non-emitting energy resources.
Ontario's completion of the largest battery storage procurement marks a milestone in its journey towards a sustainable energy future, ensuring economic growth, attracting investments, and providing reliable, clean, and affordable power for years to come. For more information, visit Ontario News.
New York’s Local Law 97: A Bold Move and Its Implications for Ontario's EWRB Mandate and Toronto By-law 367
As cities worldwide intensify efforts to curb carbon emissions, New York City’s Local Law 97 has set a new benchmark for building energy efficiency. This law, part of the city's Climate Mobilization Act, targets significant emission reductions from buildings, which contribute a major share of the city's carbon footprint. Ontario's Energy and Water Reporting and Benchmarking (EWRB) mandate and Toronto’s By-law 367 are efforts that reflect a similar commitment to sustainability.
Local Law 97: An Overview
Local Law 97, effective from January 1, 2024, imposes stringent emission caps on approximately 50,000 buildings in New York City. Mayor Eric Adams' proposed budget for fiscal year 2025 allocates $4 million and adds 36 new full-time staffers to the enforcement team, significantly boosting the city’s capacity to ensure compliance. This brings the total enforcement team to 58 members, more than doubling the previous number. This investment underscores the city's dedication to achieving an 80% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050, focusing on buildings that account for two-thirds of these emissions.
Enforcement and Impact
With the additional staff and funding, New York City aims to rigorously enforce Local Law 97, ensuring that building owners take necessary actions to meet emission targets. Buildings that exceed their carbon caps face fines of $268 per ton of carbon dioxide over the limit, potentially amounting to tens of thousands of dollars annually. This robust enforcement mechanism is designed to compel building owners to invest in energy efficiency measures and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.
Ontario’s EWRB Mandate and Toronto By-law 367: A Unified Approach
Ontario’s EWRB mandate, established under Ontario Regulation 506/18, requires large buildings to report their energy and water usage annually. This initiative aims to enhance energy efficiency by promoting transparency and accountability. Building owners must submit data to the Ministry of Energy by July 1st, which is then published to create benchmarks for energy performance.
Toronto By-law 367 requires large buildings to report their energy and water usage. This by-law mandates that buildings over 100,000 square feet submit annual their energy consumption to the city. This will help identify opportunities for energy savings and operational enhancements, which compliments the city's TransformTO initiative, aiming to cut community-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050.
Local Law 97 serves as an exemplar for Ontario and
Toronto in several ways:
Enforcement and Staffing: New York City’s significant investment in enforcement staff highlights the importance of adequate resources. Ontario and Toronto could follow suit by ensuring sufficient funding and staffing to support the EWRB mandate and By-law 367.
Penalties and Compliance: The stringent penalties under Local Law 97 for exceeding emission caps emphasize the need for strict compliance mechanisms. Ontario and Toronto could consider similar penalty structures to ensure building owners adhere to energy reporting and audit requirements.
Transparency and Accountability: Both Local Law 97 and the EWRB mandate prioritize transparency. By making energy and water usage data publicly available, these initiatives drive accountability and motivate building owners to improve energy performance.
Ontario’s EWRB mandate and Toronto By-law 367 are vital steps towards enhancing building energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. By drawing lessons from New York City’s Local Law 97, these initiatives can be further strengthened to ensure robust compliance and significant emission reductions.
As cities like New York lead the charge with comprehensive laws and dedicated enforcement, Ontario and Toronto are well-positioned to follow suit. Through collaborative efforts and sustained commitment, we can achieve our climate goals and pave the way for a greener, more sustainable future.
For more information on New York's Law 97, click here.
April’s Global Adjustment Mechanism (GAM)e Cost: $0.65 Billion
In April 2024, GA cost was $0.65 billion. This is a 18% decrease from March 2024 GA of $0.80 billion.
If we compare April 2024 with April 2023, there was a 25% decrease (it was $0.88 billion).
The Class B April GA rate was $74.27/MWh ($0.074/kWh)
The Average HOEP for April was $29.1/MWh ($0.029/kWh
With these drastic monthly swings in cost, Energy@Work continues to ask “why?”.
We provide a monthly review of GAM costs, however, the reason for the cost as well as the vast cost fluctuation remains a mystery.
Energy@Work’s services include a “GAM coach”. We maintain the importance of a GAM Strategy for Class A and Class B in order to win the (GAM)e. Our collective savings have exceeded $10 million, and we look forward to continuing to assist.
Monthly Feature: Energy & Water Reporting and Benchmarking (EWRB) + Benefits & Challenges
On May 29th and June 19th, we hosted two insightful webinars for condominium managers focused on Energy and Water Reporting and Benchmarking (EWRB).
The webinars provided invaluable insights and practical guidance to help you excel in benchmarking.
Participants earned 1 CPE Credit!
Participants of this webinar earned 1 Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credit, as it is included in the CMRAO’s approved list of activities. This is a fantastic opportunity for professional development while gaining valuable insights into EWRB.
Topics Covered:
Compliance with Ontario Regulation 506/18 and Toronto By-law 367: Led by industry expert Scott Rouse, the webinar covered the submission process in detail, ensuring participants understand the requirements for compliance.
Benefits of Regulatory Compliance: From cost savings to environmental sustainability, the webinar highlighted the myriad benefits of adhering to these regulations.
Overcoming Challenges: Addressed common challenges faced by condominium managers, offering strategies and insights to navigate them with ease.
This webinar equipped condominium managers with the knowledge and tools necessary to excel in EWRB, enhancing their professional skills and understanding of compliance requirements.
April Newsletter: News and Views
Energy@Work’s April newsletter, featuring industry news and updates, is now available. Click below to view April’s newsletter articles. You can also stay connected by clicking here to subscribe to our monthly updates.
April Newsletter: News and Views
Energy@Work’s April newsletter, featuring industry news and updates, is now available. Scroll down to view April’s newsletter articles. You can also stay connected by clicking the button below to subscribe to our monthly updates.
Embracing Operational Fundamentals in Today's Commercial Office Environment
A few years ago, the corporate landscape was abuzz with high-cost strategies aimed at achieving net-zero emissions. The practicality of these approaches often went unquestioned in many circles, while others opted for them primarily for their marketing appeal, rather than investing in real and sustainable improvements.
Having witnessed the roller coaster highs and lows of the Triple Bottom Line and the Ontario Green Plan, Energy@Work has remained steadfast in our focus on results. Our commitment to generating sustainable savings and environmental improvements has only been strengthened, driven by the growing urgency for action. With our eyes on the horizon and our feet on the ground, we adapt our strategies to align with the practical realities of our clients' diverse needs.
We utilize tools such as PESTEL analysis to gain insights and tailor decarbonization strategies, especially in the short term. Crafting a strategy that considers factors like vacancies, interest rates, capital constraints, and incentive programs encourages proactive measures for achieving sustainable outcomes.
Sustainability is a non-negotiable outcome for every organization, with the pace of adoption as a key variable across industries. Maximizing energy efficiency remains the crucial first step in any strategy—a concept powerfully captured in the classic IBM green ad:
Stop Talking: Where do I sign?
Ready to act?
Sustainability isn't a buzzword—it's a necessary paradigm shift in how we think about and engage together for our world, today and tomorrow. If you're ready to go beyond talk to tangible action, reach out to us. Let's make a difference together.
For more information email: Requests@Energy-Efficiency.com
Congratulations to Gabriela Guinzani on Achieving a PMVA-A Designation!
Energy@Work is proud to congratulate Gabriela Guinzani, Energy Analyst, on achieving her PMVA-A Designation!
The Performance Measurement and Verification Analyst (PMVA) designation is a certification offered by the Efficiency Valuation Organization (EVO).
Having a PMVA designation signifies that an individual has the expertise to apply performance measurement and verification concepts to energy efficiency projects. Individuals with this designation possess demonstrated capabilities in measurement and verification, including a solid understanding of applying the International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol (IPMVP) to determine savings.
Congratulations, Gabriela!
Recognizing Achievement: 2024 AEEGTA Wrench of the Year Awards
Congratulations to all the 2023 AEEGTA Wrench of the Year Award Winners!
We would like to extend our congratulations to the passionate individuals recognized at the AEEGTA Annual Awards and Networking Night held last Wednesday, April 24th.
We had a great time celebrating the Wrench of Year Award winners at the awards ceremony!
Each year, the Association of Energy Engineers Greater Toronto Area (AEEGTA) acknowledges outstanding individuals and companies that “best exemplify the spirit of hard work, hands-on responsibility, and determination.”
https://www.aeegta.org/awards
We are proud to share that among the winners were some exceptional individuals and organizations that Energy@Work had the privilege to nominate and collaborate with.
We would like to make a special mention to:
DREAM Corporation - Winner of the Corporate Energy Management Award: for their efforts to develop and maintain a comprehensive energy management program to maximize energy efficiency.
Tony Kopteridis - Winner of the Wrench of the Year Award: For his direct contribution to the implementation of the Energy Management Plan (E-MAP), a project that aims to implement on-going improvements in reducing utility consumption without compromising safety or tenant comfort.
Michael Parman - Winner of the Wrench of the Year Award: For his direct contribution to the implementation of the Energy Management Plan (E-MAP), a project that aims to implement on-going improvements in reducing utility consumption without compromising safety or tenant comfort.
Once again, congratulations to all the winners! Your achievements are an inspiration to us all.
Insights from Scott Rouse on REMI Network's "Industry Insights" Podcast
Click Here to Watch the Video Podcast Episode!
REMI Network's 2023 "Industry Insights" video podcast series featured Energy@Work’s Managing Partner, Scott Rouse. Although this episode originally aired on September 18, 2023, its insights continue to resonate today.
In this episode, Scott shared valuable insights on enhancing business performance through Economic Prosperity, Environmental Performance, and Social Responsibility.
Additionally, he also discusses Existing Building Commissioning (EBCx), a systematic process for ensuring that existing buildings operate efficiently and effectively. EBCx involves four key steps: planning, investigation, implementation, and persistence.
The insights shared by Scott remain as relevant and impactful as ever. His dedication to driving meaningful change within the industry continues to inspire and empower businesses to achieve sustainable growth and prosperity.
On a similar note! – If you are interested in discovering opportunities to enhance efficiency in Multi-Unit Residential Buildings (MURBs)
Join us on May 7th, 2024, as industry experts Scott Rouse and Stephen Dixon share invaluable insights that can revolutionize your approach to operational optimization. Plus, don’t miss the opportunity to hear compelling case studies validating the effectiveness of RETScreen from guest speakers Benjamin Calma and Chris Shilton.
Time: 9:00 am - 10:00 am
Click here to register!