Helping meet Canada’s clean energy ambitions

As a nimble, locally-owned utility focused on innovation, we are poised to be part of Canada’s clean energy revolution.

By Ray Robinson, September 15, 2021

I read with interest a piece in The Globe and Mail calling on Ottawa to make modernizing power grids a national priority.

The piece, entitled A Canadian advantage in peril: Why the next federal government will need a plan to double our supply of clean electricity, noted that demand for electricity is expected to skyrocket as homeowners and manufacturers shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy.

In his piece, Globe columnist Adam Radwanski observed that at the local level, modernizing "will involve adopting new technologies… from ones that allow homes and businesses to generate their own renewable electricity and sell it back onto the grid, to emerging energy storage options, to new ways of encouraging conservation and off-peak usage."

It resonated with me in a meaningful way because Saint John Energy has for years been planning for and preparing for this very future.

As a nimble, locally-owned utility focused on innovation, we are poised to be part of Canada’s clean energy revolution. We’re building the Utility of the Future right here in Saint John on three pillars: renewable energy, innovation in smart grid, and smart products for consumers.

Creating new renewable energy opportunities

To double the volume of energy being produced in Canada, on a renewable basis, we need to harvest energy from resources that have traditionally gone untapped. That’s exactly what Saint John Energy is working toward through our partnerships in wind and solar power.

“We are already utilizing technology that enables the energy of the sun and wind to be stored.”

Our Burchill Wind Project, now under construction, will see our partner Natural Forces build, finance and operate 10 turbines at the Spruce Lake Industrial Park. This wind farm will provide 45 megawatts of emission-free power, enough to meet 15 per cent of Saint John’s energy needs.

The environmental impact is worth celebrating, too: each year, Burchill is expected to save more than 43,000 tonnes of carbon emissions. That’s the equivalent of taking more than 13,000 cars off the road.

We’re also exploring the feasibility of developing solar power for our community through one of our many partnerships with the University of New Brunswick. And when Saint John’s first solar arrays come online, we’ll be ready for the electricity they generate, because we are already utilizing technology that enables the energy of the sun and wind to be stored.

Reducing the carbon footprint

Harnessing the power of renewables like wind and solar doesn’t mean much unless you can store the energy they generate. That’s why Saint John Energy installed one of the world’s first Tesla Megapack batteries at our Millidgeville substation.

“Every megawatt of power we can shave off peak demand avoids half a tonne of carbon pollution.”

The 1.25-megawatt Tesla Megapack is a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that can store enough electricity to power more than 100 homes for two hours. Our utility uses it to “shave” peak demand for energy by storing power during periods of lower usage, then releasing it to the power grid as demand increases.

In the first year of operation, the Megapack allowed us to release significant amounts of stored power at periods of peak demand. This reduced the need to purchase power generated by burning fossil fuels and helped to lower our community’s carbon footprint.

Working with Ottawa to advance energy innovation

Buying wholesale electricity at times of peak demand can mean doubling the associated carbon emissions in New Brunswick because it means relying on power plants that burn fossil fuels. Every megawatt of power we can shave off peak demand avoids half a tonne of carbon pollution.

Saint John Energy’s $13.5 million smart grid will be an integral tool in helping us smooth the peaks in demand, reduce the need to purchase fossil fuel-fired electricity and help consumers make informed choices.

To its credit, Natural Resources Canada is an enthusiastic and supportive partner – it is investing more than $6 million in our smart grid research.

“These innovations are designed to put the consumer in the driver’s seat, helping us all get to net-zero together in comfort.”

Our smart grid, recognized as a global leader, will employ advanced artificial intelligence to predict energy demand and allow us to shift resources to meet that demand, maximizing our use of renewable energy. Smart appliances and interactive services for homeowners will enable consumers to see and plan their energy costs.

These innovations are designed to put the consumer in the driver’s seat, helping us all get to net-zero together in comfort. But don’t just take my word for it – the International Smart Grid Action Network earlier this year awarded our company its Award of Excellence, declaring Saint John Energy’s smart grid its top project in 2021.

Helping Saint John, our nation and our planet

Next year, Saint John Energy will celebrate 100 years of service to the community. We are proud of our history and excited to be one of the utilities driving the development of a net-zero emission energy industry in Canada.

Environmental awareness and sustainability are ingrained in all that we do.

We know that by meeting the needs and aspirations of our customers in innovative ways, we can continue to make a positive contribution to the prosperity of not only Saint John but advance innovation that can aid Canada, and the world, meet its clean energy ambitions.