NEW – ON: Highlights from Independent Electricity System Operator’s planning summit

Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) hosted a virtual summit on November 24, 2021, highlighting trends, drivers and opportunities for various consumer segments among the energy supply mix.

The IESO’s 2021 annual planning outlook included a high growth scenario focused on increased demand due to economic policies and decarbonization. Participants heard directly from consumers at the forefront of driving change in the power sector and how they are achieving specific energy goals, overcoming barriers and what opportunities exist for the future.

Ontario propane businesses may be interested in the following:

• The 2021 IESO planning outlook forecasts increased demand for electricity and other forms of energy in the agriculture and mining sectors due to growing consumer appetites for locally grown produce year-round, cannabis and clean tech’s need for critical minerals. These are areas where propane plays an important role and should benefit from sectoral expansion.
• Communities are planning and operating their energy systems. Highlights included case studies from the City of Kingston, Ontario, and the planned community of Altona in Manitoba.
• A reminder from the City Planner for Kingston, Jim Keech, that while governments and industry stakeholders are promoting hydrogen vehicles and technology as the answer to meeting carbon-neutral emissions targets, it is not an immediately available or cost-effective technology in the near or medium term.
• The three factors that IESO identifies as primary drivers of consumer energy choice for the foreseeable future are all attributes of propane: availability, affordability and sustainability.

The agenda and associated Youtube presentations are available here.