Energy Storage Canada (ESC) today released their recently commissioned report by Power Advisory, Energy Storage: A Key Pathway to Net Zero in Canada, as part of their annual conference, Energy Storage Canada: Accelerating Canada’s Energy Transition.

Energy Storage: A Key Pathway to Net Zero for Canada (CNW Group/Energy Storage Canada)

The report emphasizes the critical role for energy storage if Canada is to reach its 2035 net zero goals by providing the first estimate of installed capacity for energy storage in Canada, a breakdown by province, to optimally support Canada’s existing and future infrastructure.  In total, the report estimates a potential for eight to twelve gigawatts of installed capacity for energy storage by 2035.

“Canada has set an ambitious goal to achieve a net zero electricity system by 2035, success of which depends on energy storage,” says Justin Rangooni, Executive Director for Energy Storage Canada. “The versatility of energy storage is going to be absolutely essential to meeting the needs of more-end use electricity, an increasing volume of which will be generated by intermittent renewable and non-emitting resources.”

As acknowledged in the report’s analysis, each province has its own unique energy mix and projected path to 2035, which impacts the expected potential for energy storage in each jurisdiction. For example, Ontario was identified as the province with the highest peak demand reduction potential, while in British Columbia, energy storage could provide an alternative to transmission expansion.

However, the most important variable is the total future demand and as the predictions for future demand are adjusted moving forward it is possible, we may see the potential for energy storage exceed 12 gigawatts.

It is the variety and versatility of energy storage resources that makes them a critical component to a net zero electricity grid. Without which, Canada will not effectively reach its net zero goals by 2035.