Grid capacity, resiliency key to Ontario’s energy and EV transition
Ontario’s energy and EV transition were in focus during a recent visit to campus by MPP Andrew Dowie, previously a Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, and a meeting with Climate Positive Energy (CPE) and Professor Chris Yip, Dean of the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering.
An Institutional Strategic Initiative (ISI) at U of T, CPE is a multi-disciplinary, tri-campus research hub that brings together 200 faculty and 300 students focused on climate and energy-related research.
The visit commenced with a tour of the Centre for Applied Power Electronics (CAPE) led by Assistant Professor Ali Hooshyar.
Housed at the Edward S. Rogers Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, CAPE is equipped with hardware and software that is designed to provide highly detailed modeling of the electrical grid. Since the simulation models produced in this lab closely align with real-world, power grid measurements, these models are highly reliable and enable predictions of grid operations under various scenarios.
With electricity demand expected to double by 2050, ensuring the grid has capacity is a priority for industry and government. Predictive studies can play a critical role in ensuring the province’s grid can handle this increased demand and innovation, plus remains safe and reliable.
The visit concluded with a briefing on CPE’s flagship project – the Grid Modernization, Testing and Simulation Centre. With support from partners, CPE is looking to expand the existing capabilities of the CAPE. The proposed Grid Modernization Centre will provide predictions for larger grid operations and house state-of-the-art equipment. Dr. Hooshyar is leading the development of this new facility with the support of other faculty members.
The facility will help SMEs test, develop, and commercialize a range of green technologies (i.e., EV charging infrastructure and renewable energy solutions) and support the development of policy and regulatory recommendations to enable the adoption of technologies, said Shatha Qaqish, CPE’s Executive Director. It will also provide students with training opportunities to help kickstart careers in Ontario’s energy, EV, and engineering sectors.
To learn more about CPE and the proposed Centre, click here.
Catrina Kronfli
Photo above: Assistant Professor Ali Hooshyar and MPP Andrew Dowie, previously a Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade on a tour of the Centre for Applied Power Electronics. Credit: Catrina Kronfli.