$800,000 for Innovative Self-Healing Grid Technology in Windsor

MEDIA RELEASE via Natural Resources Canada

WINDSOR, ON, Nov. 10, 2022 – Harnessing Canada’s immense clean energy potential requires transformational investments to modernize our electricity grid. At the same time, climate change is having impacts on the reliability of grids that Canadians depend on. By investing in smart renewable energy and enabling grid modernization technologies in various communities across the country we are supporting ratepayers while advancing Canada’s clean energy transition and the fight against climate change.

Today, Irek Kusmierczyk, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion and Member of Parliament for Windsor–Tecumseh, on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, announced over $800,000 in funding to ENWIN Utilities for their innovative technology to protect ratepayers: the Self-Healing Grid: Automated Feeder Ring project. ENWIN Utilities also contributed to the project, bringing the total investment to $1.6 million.

MP Kusmierczyk also highlighted investments in workers in the 2022 Fall Economic Statement. The 2022 Fall Economic Statement includes a refundable investment tax credit for clean technologies, including clean energy generation and storage. The statement also included the creation of a Sustainable Jobs Training Centre and Secretariat, which will support thousands of workers in skills training and placements in the low-carbon economy.

The grid modernization project will protect two currently vulnerable segments of Windsor’s grid by employing self-healing technology that includes monitoring of potential risks. This investment will help to minimize impacts to households on the grid and localize any issues, insulating ratepayers across Windsor while containing issues to their source. A clean, self-healing and reliable grid is critical to ensuring Canadians in Windsor receive the affordable and reliable energy they expect.

The increased reliability from the self-healing grid will provide service to an area of the city with a high proportion of low-income families and will not impose any direct costs on customers. These households will benefit from the project by avoiding costs associated with long power outages to ensure they keep reliable access to power.

Quotes

“By investing in the modernization of our grid infrastructure, the Government of Canada is supporting Canadians in reducing emissions, accessing reliable clean energy and strengthening the energy security of our electricity system. Today’s announcement with ENWIN Utilities will strengthen the resiliency of Windsor’s grid while creating sustainable jobs. Congratulations to all of those involved.” – The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources

“Investing in grid modernization technologies is a key part of securing a prosperous net-zero future for Canadians. The Self-Healing Grid project will reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, improve renewable-energy capacity and keep electricity reliable and affordable for Windsorites. This is another investment in Windsor–Tecumseh that creates sustainable jobs, tackles climate change and makes life more affordable.” – Irek Kusmierczyk, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion and Member of Parliament for Windsor–Tecumseh

“At ENWIN our goal is to provide our community with safe, reliable electricity, especially when they need it most. With the funding from Natural Resources Canada, we will be able to develop solutions to further bolster our system for the benefit of the City of Windsor and its residents.” – Helga Reidel, President and CEO, ENWIN Utilities

“Making use of state-of-the-art smart grid technologies allows us to deliver a more reliable distribution system at lower costs to consumers — a clear win-win proposition. As Vice-Chair of the ENWIN Board of Directors, I want to congratulate staff and management of our local distribution company for embracing new opportunities for customer service enhancements.” – Jo-Anne Gignac, Councillor, City of Windsor

Quick Facts

The 2022 Fall Economic Statement proposes a refundable Clean Technology Tax Credit equal to 30 per cent of the capital cost of investments in:

• Electricity Generation Systems, including solar photovoltaic, small modular nuclear reactors, concentrated solar, wind, and water (small hydro, run-of-river, wave, and tidal);
• Stationary Electricity Storage Systems that do not use fossil fuels in their operation, including but not limited to: batteries, flywheels, supercapacitors, magnetic energy storage, compressed air energy storage, pumped hydro storage, gravity energy storage, and thermal energy storage;
• Low-Carbon Heat Equipment, including active solar heating, air-source heat pumps, and ground-source heat pumps; and
• Industrial zero-emission vehicles and related charging or refuelling equipment, such as hydrogen or electric heavy duty equipment used in mining or construction.

The 2022 Fall Economic Statement also proposes $250 million over five years, starting in 2023–24, to help Canadian workers thrive in a changing global economy. Specific measures include:

• A new sustainable jobs stream under the Union Training and Innovation Program to support unions in leading the development of green skills training for workers in the trades. It is expected that 20,000 apprentices and journeypersons would benefit from this investment.
• The Sustainable Jobs Secretariat, a one-stop shop that would provide the most up to date information on federal programs, funding, and services across government departments to support workers on the road to sustainable, good-paying jobs.

Federal funding for this project is provided by Canada’s Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways (SREPs) program, a $1.56-billion program that enables increased renewable energy capacity and grid modernization while supporting Canada’s ongoing transition to a net-zero economy by 2050 as well as Canada’s commitment to achieve a 100-percent net-zero-emitting electricity system by 2035.

Through its 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan: Clean Air and Strong Economy, Canada is ensuring that it remains a world leader in clean electricity and climate action.