When North Bay Hydro Services, a utility affiliate in North Bay, Ontario, set out to commission the first utility-scale microgrid in Canada and the first resiliency-hub microgrid in North America, it wasn’t focused on being first; it was focused on doing what was best for the surrounding community.

Utilities approach grid-modernization projects for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, the existing equipment is failing and needs replacing. Other times, utilities want to try integrating new solutions, like microgrids, into their system to learn firsthand the benefits advanced technology can bring to their grid. North Bay Hydro Services had a different approach.

The North Bay Community Energy Park educates everyone who visits.
Photo Credit: S&C Electric Company
 

The Community Energy Park Microgrid’s 10 KW solar panel “flower” installation.
Photo Credit: S&C Electric Company
 

Two new transformers installed at the Community Energy Park.
Photo Credit: S&C Electric Company
 

Keeping a “community” focus was a key factor in deciding where its microgrid would be located: the North Bay Community Energy Park. Building the park in the heart of the city, the utility had the people of North Bay in mind throughout the entire project process, starting with functionality. Located three hours north of Toronto, North Bay is no stranger to intense winter storms, some of which are fierce enough to take out local power.

The microgrid is now a part of the North Bay Community Energy Park. The first-of-its-kind microgrid, the energy park is comprised of Thomson Park Sports Field, a YMCA Aquatic Centre, and the Memorial Gardens Sports Arena, which is a professional hockey rink. Both the YMCA and Memorial Gardens benefit from the power the microgrid produces year-round. During standard operation, the microgrid will help heat the YMCA pool and aid in the ice-resurfacing process at Memorial Gardens. In the event of a major outage, these two buildings will remain energized and provide a safe haven for members of the community. Whether residents need a warm place to stay or a spot to charge their phone, the Community Energy Park will be there to support them.

For a system with many responsibilities, including providing power during a major outage, being able to maximize efficiency and best ensure the microgrid can always generate power, independent of the main grid, was critical. Teams from North Bay Hydro Services and a Chicago-based provider of equipment for electric power equipment designed the system to include a variety of distributed energy resources to maintain continuous power generation. The sources include two 265-kW natural gas generators in a combined heat and power system, a 10-kW rotating solar panel array, and a 250-kW battery energy storage system. The equipment provider’s control system serves as the brain of the microgrid’s operations, managing the power sources to guarantee generation and load are balanced appropriately.

Continuing to keep the needs of the community front and center, the microgrid was also designed to be flexible, making expansion easier if the needs of the surrounding buildings change. First and foremost, the park provides a place of refuge. That’s only possible if the microgrid supporting it can keep up with any surrounding changes in the area.

Unlike most electrical utility installations, the Community Energy Park microgrid isn’t kept out of view from the residents of North Bay. In fact, the microgrid includes an educational center highlighting each component of the microgrid, welcoming members of the community to explore the system and learn how it works. The educational aspect of the park is not only useful for community members to learn how activities in their everyday lives are powered and supported by advanced technology, but it also allows regulators and industry professionals the opportunity to see proof of how this technology can be applied to benefit other communities. North Bay may be North America’s first resiliency-hub microgrid, but it shouldn’t be the last.