Thesis Topic Proposal v1

Student: Jonathan Houle

Thesis Supervisor: Prof. Daniel Frances

OPA Representative: Bonnie Chan

Modeling Pumped Stored Generation potential in Ontario (2009-2014)

Currently, a large portion of Ontario's electrical energy production is obtained through nuclear power and burning coal. Ontario has made it a policy to retire all of its coal plants (6400+ MW) by 2014. This generation capacity will have to be supplemented by alternative sources come that time (wind, solar, gas, nuclear, etc). The Ontario Power Authority wishes to examine the amount of Pumped Stored Generation that could be feasibly implemented while providing the appropriate service capacity to Ontarians. This system would be used to help provide energy during times of peak loads. 

An examination into leveraging wind and solar resources in non-peak demand times in order to store water will also be performed. Coincidentally, this is generally the times of peak production for these resources making this an interesting proposition.  Positive results in this area could illustrate the feasibility of having a carbon neutral system (PSG, wind and solar) and could illustrate ways in which Ontario could reduce its global footprint.

 

There will be multiple variables that will need to be accounted for in this project:

• The proposed Green Energy Act and Feed-In Tariffs (FIT). Their impact on the economics of "green" projects, and thus the likelihood of greater renewable energy generation will have to be examined.
  
• RFPs by the OPA and other proposed energy projects reaching out to 2014.
  
• Nuclear generation and it's future as a baseload source of energy is in the hands of the province. The decision to refurbish or turn the plants offline will lie with them. Scenario planning will need to be done in this respect.
  
• The increase in the implementation of renewable energy source in Ontario (mainly wind, with possibly some solar). Modeling will have to account for the stochastic energy production provided by these sources.
  
• Load profiles and their associated growth curves.
  
• The implementation periods for PSG plants (how much and when?)