Ontario's PowerStream announces pilot solar storage programme

Community-owned energy company PowerStream will install rooftop solar systems and batteries at 20 Ontario homes to create a Virtual Power Plant (VPP) as part of a pilot solar storage programme.

The firm said on Monday the installations will “dramatically” reduce home electric bills and provide additional outage protection to PowerStream customers. The utility aims to cut the use of power in its service area by 535,440 MWh by 2020, and the pilot is part of its work towards that goal.

PowerStream has selected for the project Sunverge Energy Inc’s systems, which combine 11.4-kWh batteries, power electronics and multiple energy inputs, all controlled by cloud-based software. PowerStream aims to gather detailed, real-time insights on the VPP and the distribution system's performance, which will be used to manage storage assets in the post-pilot phases of its project.

When implemented on a large-scale basis, the company explained, a collection of such VPPs in one area will help PowerStream minimise the extent of power outages and limit the need for distribution system upgrades.

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