What is Powershare?
PowerShare will allow Essex Powerlines to transition from a poles-and-wires utility model to an energy management services model. But what does this mean?
PowerShare will allow Local Distribution Company Essex Powerlines (EPL) to implement a near real-time, local electricity market in its service territory of Leamington, ON. This project will allow the organization to act as the first fully integrated Distribution System Operator (DSO) project in North America.
EPL will collaborate with partners NODES, Essex Energy Corporation, and Utilismart Corporation to bring PowerShare to life. This project was made possible through the financial support of the Independent Electricity System Operator Grid (IESO) Innovation Fund.
Commercial businesses, manufacturers and local organizations who operate Distributed Energy Resources of 100+ kW in the area are potentially eligible to participate in the project. Participants will be directed by EPL to supply electricity or reduce electricity use on demand to support system reliability.
From a transmission perspective, the project will test the provision of wholesale grid services outside of the IESO-administered market and will involve the development of local market rules and testing of a transmission-distribution coordination protocol.
Importantly, PowerShare will help address constraints on the local distribution network and potentially also reduce provincial energy needs. In fact, Southwest Ontario is experiencing tremendous economic growth which is expected to increase electricity demand from 500 MW to 2,300 MW by 2035. This project is an important element of a multi-pronged approach to address energy needs in the region.
