Now that renewable energy developers have a right to connect to Ontario’s electrical grid, it’s worth a look at the challenges they will pose to the cost and reliability of that grid. The Bonneville Power Authority is well ahead of Ontario on this curve, having added more than 4000 MW of wind in the last two years, with another 14,000 MW in the queue.
Vice President Cathy Ehli told the American Bar Association last week that, at higher levels of renewable generation, power balancing is only possible when wind energy generators share the risk and responsibility of matching generation to load. This requires generators to improve the accuracy of their production predictions, and to accept shedding when needed by the grid. The Ministry of the Environment should consider adding such conditions to the renewable energy approvals that they will start to issue next year.