Canada’s Ontario province is partnering with electricity distribution company Toronto Hydro to build an “innovative energy storage system” as part of a CAD9.1 billion ($7.2bn) public transportation project in Toronto.
The Ontario transportation ministry said Toronto Hydro had agreed that Renewable Energy Systems Canada (RES) would design and build the battery facility for the Eglinton Crosstown light rail transit (LRT) line.
RES has not specified the technology to be used in the project. However, the company has said it is a “technology agnostic provider” that has “evaluated over 130 battery and energy storage product developers and manufacturers to-date covering a wide range of technologies including battery designs based on various lithium chemistries, flow and hybrid flow batteries, zinc-air, aqueous sodium, high temperature (NaS and NaNi) and advanced lead acid”.
The battery will be built at the site of the future Mount Dennis Station that will form part of the 19-kilometre LRT line, including a total of 25 stations and stops that will link to 54 bus routes, three subway stations and other transport links.
The facility will store energy generated at night during off-peak hours to supply power during the day, reducing peak energy use and “lowering overall emissions and operating costs”, the ministry said. The battery will also supply emergency power if needed.
On completion by 2021, the line will connect Mount Dennis in the west with Kennedy Station in the east including a 10-kilometre underground section.