The Ontario Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, George Smitherman joined Burlington Mayor Cam Jackson and Burlington Hydro Electric Inc. in announcing the official launch of a GridSmartCity, which brings together a wide range of stakeholders from industry to government to work together to promote the growth of smart grids.
The new program will showcase how smart grids integrate electricity production, and delivery and consumption to produce a more efficient, reliable and responsive system that is better for the environment.
GridSmartCity partners will collaborate on smart-grid projects to illustrate new technologies. These projects are expected to help fuel the growth of innovative green industries. Smart-grid technologies, combined with advanced communications and computer analytics, will aid greater use of renewable sources from the sun, wind and devices such as electric vehicles.
‘Smart grid development in Ontario will help build a greener electricity system by making it easier to integrate increasing amounts of renewable energy into the electricity grid, and enabling new conservation technologies,’ says Smitherman. ‘With GridSmartCity, Ontario has a model that will help our province reach its aspirations for a cleaner, greener energy supply while leading the cutting edge of the green economy.’
The GridSmartCity initiative stems from recent discussions of senior members of Ontario's electricity industry who formed a group called the Ontario Smart Grid Forum.
SOURCE: Burlington Hydro Electric Inc.
