The first microgrid of its kind in Canada
Quick Facts:
- The Community Energy Park is a microgrid that uses solar panels to make electricity, and a cogenerator to produce both electricity and heat. The smart grid controller is the brains of the microgrid and distributes the power to all three facilities, plus an electric vehicle charging station. The use of all these technologies together is unique in Canada, and helps prepare North Bay for the grid of tomorrow.
- The energy park is designed to meet about 90 per cent of the electricity requirements of this large arena, pool facility and the YMCA. So about ten per cent will be imported from the grid.
- The infrastructure will also include an electrical vehicle charging station capable of charging two or more vehicles.
- The microgrid has been developed in response to the 2013 ice storm which left the province of Ontario plunged in darkness.
- The Community Energy Park has the ability to operate in island-mode to power some 51,000 residents in the event of a winter storm, outage or other disasters.
- In addition to enhancing energy resilience, the microgrid is expected to help the city to reduce its carbon footprint.
- The project cost $4.5 million. The cost to the city of North Bay is $260,000. The provincial and federal governments have provided $1.6 million to the project.
Sources:
http://www.communityenergypark.ca/
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/north-bay-hydro-microgrid-1.4419161