Welcome back: Ontario repowering a return to renewables
In 2018, the newly-elected Ontario government canceled hundreds of wind and solar energy contracts, including a partially built wind farm. Over 750 contracts for renewable power projects were stopped as part of a pledge to revamp the province’s energy policies.
Now, six years later, the same government is opening the door for a renewables return as the province faces an ever-increasing need for electricity procurement. With the growing adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), electrification of rail transit, and expected growth in other industrial sectors, electricity demand in Ontario could double in the next 30 years. The Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) has estimated that it will cost $400 billion to decarbonize the power grid by 2050.
The government’s initial procurement efforts concentrated on energy storage, with more than 2,900 MW contracted to date. The next phases of the program will focus on net producers and non-emitting renewable power sources. This stage of the long-term energy procurement program will bring its own set of challenges, as renewables bidders determine their best projects to put forward in the competitive energy procurement process.
Acoustical Solutions for Renewable Energy Repowering
This presents a unique opportunity for operators with existing renewable energy assets such as wind and solar farms, as they can modernize their generators and provide additional new capacity to the grid, a concept known as “repowering.” Repowering projects are usually cheaper compared to building new facilities and therefore represent a cost-effective option for adding needed power to the grid.
Welcoming wind power
While the repowering of renewables is great news, strict rules and guidelines for permitting remain in place. Ontario’s noise control in energy repowering has undergone multiple revisions since the first wind farms were built over 15 years ago, with each revision making noise measurement and modeling regulations more stringent and conservative.
Most existing wind farms were designed to maximize their wind turbine noise allowance at the time to generate more power. However, today’s stricter noise and acoustic regulations mean that existing wind farms are limited in the changes they can make to equipment or operations without exceeding noise limits. Allowances for older wind farms exist in the noise regulations, but they require careful interpretation and planning to avoid risks that may only become evident at the commissioning stage.
Navigating noise control in energy repowering
Companies with wind energy development experience will benefit from the renewed focus on renewables, but the challenges from a decade ago remain. Successfully repowering wind farms today requires an in-depth understanding of acoustical solutions for renewable energy repowering and the ability to navigate complex permitting processes.
Here are some critical considerations for companies looking to take advantage of Ontario welcoming back renewables.
- Path to repowering and re-permitting is possible: The permitting rules for wind farms have changed significantly since the 2000s. If the same equipment from an older wind farm were modeled using today’s acoustic engineering rules, the sound levels might exceed allowable limits under current noise control in energy repowering regulations.
- Transition rules exist, and they must be evaluated carefully: The Ministry has established transition rules for older wind farms. This means companies wishing to upgrade turbines at existing facilities may do so if they can demonstrate that the changes will not increase environmental noise levels. Every modification must be carefully assessed to comply with acoustic design requirements.
- Updated modeling and measurement requirements: Unlike modeling, noise measurement protocols lack transition rules. A wind farm may meet the noise guidelines in modeling but still fail compliance in real-world measurements. In the worst-case scenario, wind farms repowered under these transition rules could end up producing less power than before due to noise control adjustments.
- Managing risks: It is still early in the repowering phase, but risks can be mitigated with strategic planning and expertise in acoustical solutions for renewable energy repowering. Understanding the acoustic impact of technology packages being evaluated for repowering is critical. Potential issues can be anticipated and resolved before they become costly roadblocks.
Developers need to understand that permitting work is required as wind energy regains traction in the mix of Ontario power generation. Addressing noise control in energy repowering during the planning stage is far more cost-effective than attempting to resolve compliance issues after construction.We have extensive experience working with Ontario wind farms to help mitigate risks and bring projects online. The repowering of renewables in Ontario is an exciting opportunity but make sure you complete the preparatory work before, to make the permitting process easier and less expensive.
