The Committee recommended refusing a zoning amendment to facilitate the establishment of a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) facility along Marchurst Road, east of Thomas A. Dolan Parkway.
The Committee also recommended that Council approve a Municipal Support Confirmation (MSC) for a proposed 20-megawatt BESS on two hectares at the Carp Airport. That development would have 16 battery storage containers. The MSC would confirm the City agrees in principle to the proposal being submitted to the IESO as part of its current request for proposals. If the IESO awards a contract, the project must still meet municipal development approval and permitting requirements. As the current zoning for the site does not permit a BESS, a zoning amendment would still be required.
BESS is an emerging battery technology that helps make the electricity grid more efficient and reliable. These facilities store energy from the grid during off-peak hours and send it back when demand is high. By reducing power consumption during peak demand periods, they also help to reduce the cost of electricity for the end user.
BESS will also be important in helping meet future energy needs. The provincial Independent Electricity Systems Operator (IESO) has forecast a 75-per-cent increase in electricity demand province-wide by 2050, driven by electrification in sectors like transportation, manufacturing, artificial intelligence and housing. Ottawa can also expect even more significant winter demand, with an increase of 166 per cent expected by 2043, reflecting our climate and heating needs. BESS can help address these demands and further support Ottawa's decarbonization, economic development and housing acceleration priorities.
City Council will consider the recommendations from today's meeting on Wednesday, December 10.
