Resilient Community Microgrid Energy

Issue

Microgeneration through various clean energy sources is an excellent solution to self-supply electricity for business and consumers. This would result in lower local carbon emissions and costs, while contributing back to a safe and reliable electricity grid. There are several barriers that prevent wide-scale adoption and implementation in Alberta, and we recommend that the Government of Alberta take immediate steps to remedy these barriers.

Background

 People and businesses
require secure access to affordable energy as a foundation to their prosperity. As decarbonization and electrification work intensifies, the reliability of the grid system has suffered, with more frequent advisory warnings to reduce consumption or incur rolling brownouts. The current grid system incurs energy losses of over 65% from generation to consumption; these inefficiencies are not only staggering but expensive. A single monopolized energy source leaves consumers vulnerable with few options but to pay volatile and increase electricity utility bill costs.

Recommendations

The Alberta Chambers of Commerce recommends that the Government of Alberta:

1. Amend or remove the micro-generation Rule 024 to allow qualified technologies to generate electricity to meet the site peak load rather than the annual operating load so that the Site is capable of full capacity islanded operation;
2. Designate the Utilities Consumer Advocate (UCA) to enforce competitive energy market regulations for the local distribution (below the substations) microgrid network which include Consumers, Prosumers, Retailers, Wire Service Provider (grid connection), and Active System Operator (microgrid connections), and;
3. Amend the Electric Utilities Act to recognize the Active System Operator (non-profit corporation or co-operative) that can monitor and provide behind-the-meter data visibility and coordinate growth of the microgrid virtual infrastructure with the Active System Operator (ASO) and Distribution Facility Owner (DFO).