Algoma Orchards, a family-owned commercial apple grower, processor and retailer in Durham Region, has once again added to their many green cost-saving initiatives with the installation of a battery storage system to optimize energy use, particularly during peak hours, through an agreement with EnerNOC.
The Tesla-made 1 MWkWh lithium-ion battery is the first energy-storage project EnerNOC, a U.S. Company, has installed in Canada.
The innovative system is expected to generate significant savings for Algoma Orchards over the 11-year contract.
“The idea and need behind this for commercial and industrial customers is lower utility bills, improvement in power quality and reliability, as well as decreasing their carbon footprint, which is significant for many businesses in Ontario,” explains Dayel Peterson, Engineering Project Manager with EnerNOC. “By utilizing the battery stored power, we can reduce a client’s peak demand during IESO GA events—peak periods on the grid (like during hot weather)—which reduces their total GA expenditures through the next adjustment period reducing the cost of utilities for that client or industry.”
By reducing peak-demand use of electricity, it also saves electricity on the grid for residential neighbours.
Algoma Orchards is the first to have the system installed in Canada, but EnerNOC has seven more clients in the cue in Ontario and many more ready to test the market.
“Battery Storage is taking off around the globe,” Dayel tell us. “Algoma is one of the top companies in Ontario, always on the cutting edge of instituting energy saving and green technology.”
Algoma Orchards previously partnered with EnerNOC for another green initiative called Demand Response.
“Algoma Orchards has a long history of implementing environmentally sustainable projects including recycling water from our production facility, collecting rainwater from our roof and the operation of a large-scale solar system on our apple picking facility in Newcastle,” said Kirk Kemp, President of Algoma Orchards, in a statement. “The additional energy storage system is going to assist us in reducing our carbon footprint, something that all of our employees are proud of.”
The battery system is now fully installed and commissioned, currently waiting on Hydro One authorities for final approvals. It’s now expected to be fully operational in September 2018.
Algoma Orchards, currently owned and operated by the Kemp and Gibson families, was established in 1964 as a small apple grower and packer, shipping to local grocery stores in the Durham Region. Since, it has grown significantly and is now the largest independently-owned apple grower and packing company in Canada.