S&C to build solar-plus-storage microgrid in Ontario

Aug 28 (Renewables Now) - The Canadian unit of Chicago-based S&C Electric Company announced today it will deploy a solar-plus-storage microgrid in the city of North Bay, Ontario.

Under a partnership with local utility North Bay Hydro, S&C Electric Canada Ltd will engineer, procure and contract-manage an automated microgrid at North Bay Community Energy Park. The microgrid will combine solar panels and other energy sources with battery energy storage and S&C's GridMaster Microgrid Control System.

The solar array will be mounted on the city's Aquatic Centre and will be capable of operating separate from the main power grid. The neighboring Memorial Gardens ice rink will also benefit from the generated electricity.

In addition, the energy park will include a co-generation plant that will supply power and heat to both the Aquatic Centre and Memorial Gardens.

Todd Wilcox, CEO of North Bay Hydro, noted that the modular nature of the project would allow for future expansions. “This will be one of the few complexes within a 100km radius capable of keeping the lights and heat on while sheltering people if the main grid fails, for example, due to an ice storm," he added.