Grant: Alliance Grants

The Canadian government has set ambitious decarbonization goals that aim for 100% of all new vehicle sales to be electric by 2035, and for the entire country to be net-zero emissions by 2050 as per the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act. These goals will require Canadian power systems to be equipped with clean, renewable sources of energy, as well as building additional electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs). This will be extremely challenging for remote areas where infrastructure is limited and hard to reach, intensified by the fact that remote communities generally rely on expensive and fossil-fuel based generators for their energy needs. Canada now faces an energy crisis where remote communities require urgent electrification but efforts to do so are high in capital cost and risk, resulting in remote communities being left behind during the decarbonization movement. Novel solutions must be developed if Canada intends on reaching its sustainability goals in an equitable manner, which are modular, less capitally intensive, and renewable. This 2-year project proposes the concept of portable microgrid units, where rugged electric trucks equipped with foldable solar panels, batteries, and EV charging stations can service multiple remote communities to improve energy adequacy and accessibility to EV infrastructure. The microgrid unit is self-reliant, due to the presence of batteries and solar, but can plug into existing grid infrastructure to be refueled. Researchers from the University of New Brunswick and York University will partner with TROES Corp, a leading microgrid solutions provider, to develop a prototype unit. Algorithms will be developed for optimal energy management and route planning between different remote communities, with the objective being to maximize energy adequacy of as many communities as possible, as well as to minimize their emissions and expenditure. The findings from this project will help position Canada as a leader in the microgrid sector, as well as pioneering the portable microgrid concept to reduce emissions worldwide.