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ENBALA Power Networks™

The University of Toronto and IESO Receive an Engage Grant from the Canadian Government

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Toronto, Ontario, November 2nd – ENBALA Power Networks™, a Toronto‐based company that pays large electricity users to connect to the Smart Grid, has teamed up with the University of Toronto and the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) on a research project that has been awarded an Engage Grant from the Government of Canada.

The $25,000 grant, from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), fosters the development of new research partnerships and helps academics connect with Canadian companies to share technology and expertise and work collaboratively on research and development projects in a mutually beneficial arrangement.

“This partnership with the University of Toronto and the IESO is a testament to the fact that ENBALA is considered an industry leader in working on innovative electricity grid management ideas,” said Ron Dizy, President & CEO, ENBALA Power Networks. “The need for Grid Balance is expected to grow quickly and ENBALA’s deep understanding of the power system qualifies us as ideal partners in identifying solutions for electricity system operators and large energy users.”

The project will focus on developing a computational tool for determining dynamic regulating reserve requirements that will increase the IESO’s ability to forecast Grid Balance needs more accurately and granularly.

Professor Zeb Tate of the University of Toronto is leading the project and will work closely with ENBALA to leverage its extensive experience, expertise and technology. ENBALA will own the intellectual property of the potential solution delivered by this project.

“Being able to work with an innovative company like ENBALA and utilize its resources and the knowledge of its employees is an exciting opportunity,” said Tate. “Through this project, we are coming up with new solutions to make the operation of the power grid even more efficient without sacrificing reliability.”

The growing need for Grid Balance, also known as Regulation Service, is the result of a large influx of variable generation from sources such as wind turbines and solar panels. The inherently random nature of this generation makes it more difficult for electricity system operators to manage fluctuations and maintain balance of the electric power system. The ENBALA Power Network helps electricity system operators balance the grid by connecting the demand‐side assets of large electricity users to the Smart Grid and enabling them to react to system fluctuations.

For more information on the Engage Grants Program, visit www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/Professors-Professeurs/RPP-PP/Engage-Engagement_eng.asp.