As I was saying, Mr. Chair, the second area of work that we focus on is related to smart grid.
Historically, utilities have had to rely on supply to get the flexibility required to meet demand. The smart control of electricity loads gives utilities an added source of flexibility to enable clean energy solutions. The smart grid gives utilities a better sense of what is going on in their system and where energy is being consumed. In the near future, it will also allow utilities to exercise a certain amount of control on how, when, and how much energy is being consumed. This will make it easier to integrate renewable energy by matching loads with the variable output of renewable technologies. The smart grid is necessary to support Canada's continued electrification.
To this end, we are working on measuring the potential of residential heating devices, such as water and space heaters, to be controlled and to store electricity. This involves working with device manufacturers, utilities, and telecommunications experts to cover the entire supply chain, from start to finish.
We are also working to increase the number of small local renewable technologies, such as wind and PV. The objective is to make it possible to install these technologies close to a load, which helps optimize the use of grid assets.
A concrete example of both the areas is found in our collaboration with the City of Summerside in P.E.I. The city is actively converting from oil to electric heating with renewable energy. Here we are working to better understand and manage the distribution system that uses large quantities of wind power using state-of-the-art smart grid technology. Summerside has interties connected to the New Brunswick power system, which it uses for balancing. However, by maximizing its use of local resources and having a smarter grid, Summerside frees up its intertie, thereby saving that capacity for other uses.
Finally, through the Canadian smart grid action network, a network of Canadian smart grid stakeholders, we are directly engaging provincial and territorial policy-makers, utilities associations, and other smart grid development, demonstration and deployment in Canada and internationally. Efforts around the development of policy, codes, and standards make it possible to increase the adoption of clean energy technology in Canada, thereby broadening the possibilities for enhancing the electricity grid.
In conclusion, we feel that a diversity of tools, including inverters, storage, smart grid, and interties, will be required to help Canada reach its clean energy goals. The most economical option will likely be a well-planned mix of all these tools, adapted to the variety of climates and geographic contexts in Canada.
Thank you again for this opportunity to present our work.