20 Story Idea? Email Paul.Nolan@Farms.com Better Farming | May 2024 Battery Energy Storage Systems BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS PROTECTING FARMLAND IS TOP PRIORITY. By EMILY CROFT Rural municipalities across Ontario have been receiving proposals for the development of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) over the past few years. While most projects are in their early stages, prime farmland has been selected as the potential home for a number of these proposed sites. Concerns about the use of these agricultural acres, as well as a lack of clarity on implications for local health and safety, has left many Ontario farmers feeling uncertain about BESS. Justin Rangooni, executive director of Energy Storage Canada, explains that these systems are just batteries with the same technology you’d find in your phone, laptop, or car. “It’s just a much bigger size stocked in a storage container,” says Rangooni. “They are powered with electricity and can send power back to the grid when needed at high demand or low production times. “The purpose of any energy storage system is to lower emissions by storing surplus electricity generated from clean sources for when production is low, or demand is high. They store low-cost energy when it’s not needed and can provide grid reliability with its response to fluctuations in supply and demand.” With increasing energy demands associated with development in rural towns, the purpose of BESS is to increase the capacity and reliability of the electricity grid. Can these sites fit into rural areas, providing the intended benefits without risking greater loss of farmland? The proposal process A number of BESS projects are being proposed across rural Ontario. For proposals to move forward, proponents must identify an ideal site and obtain support from the respective municipalities. Rangooni explains how sites are selected: “It starts with independent electricity system operators. “They identify the grids most in need of upgrades and expansion – those with growing demand or where the infrastructure is getting older.” Other considerations, such as ability to connect to the grid, will also be reviewed. Rangooni says that generally Energy Storage Canada and Leslie Stewart photos
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