Innovation and idealism can change our energy future

Canada’s electricity industry needs investment and innovation in order to successfully transition to a cleaner, more sustainable and connected future. While innovation and investment are important from an infrastructure perspective, there are many areas of the utility business that can benefit from innovation. At the recent Centre of Excellence event hosted by The Canadian Electricity Association (CEA), it was evident that many utilities are investing time and money in pushing the envelope and identifying opportunities to have a positive impact on customers, electrification and clean energy.

Hydro Ottawa’s MiGen Transactive Grid is one way we’re disrupting the industry in an effort to push it forward, better support our customers and create a greener energy future.

Increased demand on the grid is a constant and that will not change; in fact, climate change and technological advancements such as electric vehicles will only serve to increase demand beyond what the industry has projected. In order for the grid to meet these demands it needs to evolve, as does the business model. We have outgrown the traditional, centralized system and need to supplement it with a decentralized community of microgrids, making the grid more resilient and cost effective whilst ensuring there are no stranded assets. MiGen will help to build this energy future, putting the power in the hands of consumers and businesses by making consumers micro-generators. MiGen will allow consumers to generate more of their own power; store and share electricity; and exchange any surplus with the grid or their neighbors for a credit. The idea of a myriad of microgrids operating in concert with the electricity grid will aid with effective grid management and resiliency while promoting consumer-generated renewable energy.

The benefits of MiGen are extensive. The use of solar energy will help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help to achieve net-zero carbon communities. Microgrids allow for greater resiliency and flexibility of the electricity grid and will help to support increased demand. All of this will combine to reduce unnecessary investment in the traditional grid and infrastructure and will continue to foster innovation.

Innovation is not restricted to technology. Evolving how we communicate with and serve our customers is also fundamental to our business. As a public utility, we are committed to the digitization of the customer experience. This means choice, convenience and control for our customers in the way they interact with us.  

We are the first utility in Canada to offer voice-activated customer service through both Amazon’s Alexa and Google Assistant. Using simple voice commands, customers can ask Google or Alexa about current electricity rates, power outages, bill information and tips on how to reduce energy consumption. While this technology is still in its initial rollout, this has laid the groundwork for us to build more features into the smart speaker skills, continuing to provide Hydro Ottawa customers with an intuitive experience.

At Hydro Ottawa we are disrupting the Canadian utility industry for the better. Through innovation and evolution we are continuously working to redefine the electricity grid and the customers it serves.