The Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO)’s recent Expedited and Long-Term (E-LT1 and LT1) procurement processes have triggered a wave of utility-scale Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) development projects across Ontario and more storage and renewable generation projects are expected through future procurement rounds. Utility-scale BESS projects are relatively new in Ontario, and the environmental regulatory framework is not well established at the provincial level and inconsistent at the municipal level. Provincial requirements don’t necessarily consider BESS project as a whole, and municipalities are able to define their requirements based on site context and the needs of the local community.
Wind and solar, on the other hand, have a well-defined provincial approval process - the Renewable Energy Approval (REA) process. During the Green Energy Act, developers of wind and solar projects didn't need to consider municipal land use approvals. However, with the repeal of the Green Energy Act, developers need to address municipal requirements to get a project approved. Furthermore, municipal support will be a requirement of the contract bidding stage, and municipal requirements prior to contract bid vary widely. As a result, proponents of wind, solar, and storage projects face considerable uncertainty about the level of project detail and studies required during the origination phase, as well as what will ultimately be acceptable to the various provincial ministries, municipalities, Indigenous communities, and the public.
During this session, we will explore how SLR has helped clients successfully navigate the environmental approvals process on E-LT1 BESS projects, and what lessons can be applied to future development of wind and solar projects. In particular, our session will cover:
(1) How to navigate municipal requirements and expectations both prior to and after contract award (2) How to mesh those municipal requirements with the provincial requirements under the Renewable Energy Approval process and Class EA for Transmission Facilities (3) How to effectively engage municipal stakeholders, Indigenous communities and the public to meet the requirements of both municipal and provincial processes
