Agenda

Jeff MacAulay, Brian Douglas & Rob Milliken, Charge Solar

Harness the power of the sun and elevate your business prospects in Atlantic Canada! This in-depth training session has been crafted for individuals and businesses looking to venture into commercial solar installation in the region. Understand the key factors from the perspective of the local utility, financial incentives, installation considerations, to the design options available. Dive deep into the region-specific aspects of commercial solar installation and gain the edge in this green revolution.

Dan Hoile, SolarEdge

SolarEdge is at the forefront of clean energy innovation, improving the way solar energy is produced, consumed, and managed across a wide range of applications and industries. Join us for an in depth training on the SolarEdge technology advantage and the various solutions offered for Home Solar/EV/Storage, as well as for Commercial and Industrial applications.

Jeff MacAulay, Brian Douglas & Rob Milliken, Charge Solar

Harness the power of the sun and elevate your business prospects in Atlantic Canada! This in-depth training session has been crafted for individuals and businesses looking to venture into commercial solar installation in the region. Understand the key factors from the perspective of the local utility, financial incentives, installation considerations, to the design options available. Dive deep into the region-specific aspects of commercial solar installation and gain the edge in this green revolution.

Dan Hoile, SolarEdge

SolarEdge is at the forefront of clean energy innovation, improving the way solar energy is produced, consumed, and managed across a wide range of applications and industries. Join us for an in depth training on the SolarEdge technology advantage and the various solutions offered for Home Solar/EV/Storage, as well as for Commercial and Industrial applications.

Peter Craig, NS Department of Natural Resources & Renewables

A lot has changed in the solar industry over the past year and so Peter Craig, manager of Clean Electricity in the Clean Energy Branch of the Department of Natural Resources & Renewables, will provide an update on the new commercial Net Metering program, the upcoming Community Solar program, residential as-of-right installations, and how solar plays a vital role in the clean electricity plan of generating 80% renewables by 2030.  

Vishal Lala, Polar Racking
Tom St. Onge, PRI Engineering
Arash Yazdani, PRI Engineering

This session, with a theme of project resiliency, will examine the benefits of integrating deliberate testing programs and design methods for solar foundations with racking selection and procurement.   To lead this session the Managing Director of Polar Racking, Vishal Lala, and COO of PRI Engineering, Arash Yazdani, will discuss process, programs, and products that when integrated will reduce overall project risk and increase resiliency.

Wesley Johnston, CanREA
Anirudh Kshemendranath, Dunsky Energy + Climate Advisors

Canada's ambitious climate change commitments require urgent action to expand behind-the-meter (BTM) solar generation. Per capita, Nova Scotia is leading the race in BTM solar deployment. Nova Scotia's BTM solar PV market is rapidly growing with a robust incentive program and favourable solar compensation rates; however, more is needed to support the growth of solar in the province necessary for getting us on a net zero pathway. CanREA commissioned Dunsky Energy + Climate Advisors to produce a market outlook for BTM solar adoption out to 2050 for four major Canadian markets (tentatively Ontario, Alberta, Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan). This panel discussion will discuss the results from the study and explore the current and future state of the BTM solar market in Nova Scotia, highlighting key barriers and challenges and identifying what fiscal and monetary support is needed to ensure that BTM solar becomes an integral tool to help reach our net zero goals.

Matthew Upton, Marsh Insurance

This session will discuss the different risk profiles of rooftop and ground mounted solar and how to minimize the risk associated with these. An update on the insurance market in this space will be provided with claims examples. I will also touch on the different exposures when projects are under construction and operational. How does the selection of the technology and where is it sourced from impact premiums.

Moderator - Carl Duivenvoorden, Change Your Corner
Patrick Bateman, PD Bateman & Associates
Brian Nash, Nash Renewables
Geoff Osborne, Capstone Infrastructure

The market for battery energy storage systems is growing rapidly.  Battery storage is an essential enabler of renewable-energy generation with flexibility that makes integral to applications such as peak shaving, self-consumption optimization, and backup power in the event of outages. Join industry experts for a panel discussion on battery storage. They will explore emerging customer-sited residential and small-scale commercial options and look at the policy, regulatory and market drivers that enable growth.

Alexander Wolf, Frankensolar

Alexander Wolf's presentation delves into the intricacies of battery storage installations according to the 2021 Canadian Electrical Code (CEC). The discussion focuses on challenges posed by new rules and certifications, especially in residential contexts. The central topic is the recently introduced binational ANSI/CAN/UL9540 system certifications for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and their prerequisites. This will give attendees insights into standards, testing protocols, and challenges pertaining to the integration of battery storage systems. The presentation is a valuable resource for professionals and stakeholders navigating the evolving regulatory landscape of energy storage.

Patrick D. Bateman, PD Bateman & Associates

Join members of the SNS board and consultant and strategic advisor Patrick D. Bateman for a discussion of the changing landscape for Solar Nova Scotia's advocacy efforts. The conversation will center around the evolving electricity context in Nova Scotia, the growth of renewables, and implications for the policy and regulatory landscape for solar projects. Furthermore, participants will have the chance to understand the direction of SNS advocacy efforts, what further changes growth will bring, and what opportunities SNS Members will have to get involved.

Moderator - Sarah Riley, R&G Strategic
Drew Bernard, Lennox Island First Nation
Lisa Oelke, Lisa Oelke Consulting
Anna Gorman, Clean Foundation

Solar power is leading a revolution towards a cleaner, sustainable energy future. To achieve this transition, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) must be prioritized. This means focusing on equity and inclusion, in addition to diversity. A more diverse workforce is important, but it is equally crucial to develop supportive systems that create an inclusive work culture where everyone feels they belong. Panellists will discuss success stories and ongoing barriers in navigating this transition.

Geoff Osborne, Capstone Infrastructure

Variable generation and storage are naturally well-suited together. Hybrid projects featuring renewables and storage represent an exciting opportunity to deliver lower-cost and higher-performance non-emitting energy + capacity. Only a handful of hybrids are online in Canada today, yet nearly half of new projects in development in the United States are hybrids according to American Clean Power. Addressing technical, commercial and regulatory barriers facing hybrids is an important opportunity to unlock high value hybrid resources (both new-builds and existing renewable asset expansions) across Canada and potentially critical in attracting new industrial loads (i.e., corporate PPAs, “firm” offtake, repowering, etc.).

Brendon Henderson, Nova Scotia Power

In an energy system under transition, it is important that renewable energy is integrated with the grid in a way that maintains stable and reliable operations. Hosting capacity analysis (HCA) is a complex modelling exercise that determines how the grid will perform with the addition of new distributed energy resources (DERs). Understanding the potential hosting capacity prior to proposing a project increases project certainty early in the project lifecycle and allows proponents to avoid areas that will require significant upgrades to integrate new DER. This session will present NS Power’s approach to developing an interactive map intended to allow project proponents to optimize PV system size and placement prior to system impact studies, and ultimately maximize solar energy utilization.

Moderator - Sean Kelly, SKC Consulting
Aaron Long, AREA
Haley MacFarlane, Stantec
Brent Staeben, NB Power
Anirudh Kshemendranath, Dunsky Energy + Climate Advisors

Community’ solar is poised to provide more clean energy to our electricity grids in Atlantic Canada.  We know the environmental case for solar, but what is the business case for community solar? What will this mean for our utilities? What are the best ownership models? And how could this benefit local communities – especially historically marginalized communities? 

Rob Boone, Nova Scotia Power
Giles Counsell, Siemens Canada
Brent Staeben, NB Power

Smart Grid Atlantic, a collaboration between Siemens, Nova Scotia Power, and New Brunswick Power, aims to develop an energy system platform and assess its impact on integrating various distributed energy resources. These resources encompass electric vehicles, battery energy storage systems, smart solar inverters, building management systems, and electric hot water heaters. As part of this project, Nova Scotia Power and NB Power have created a virtual power plant using residential batteries to support critical loads during outages. When connected to the grid, these devices enable innovative grid management, leading to reduced operating costs, emissions, and enhanced renewable energy integration. The presentation will delve into the Siemens Energy System Platform, battery deployment, and the results of load levelling, renewable following, contingency reserve, and congestion management experiments.

Jeff MacAulay, Charge Solar

Charge Solar recently completed a diesel offset project in a remote First Nations community in British Columbia which comprises over 250kW of solar PV and a 1MWh battery energy storage system. Jeff MacAulay, CEO at Charge Solar, will present the positive financial and societal impacts, as well as an overview of the entire project process, from start to finish. The presentation will highlight the community's journey, emphasizing the process, challenges faced, technical overview, successful implementation, and the positive outcomes achieved. The case study holds particular relevance for Indigenous communities and the Government of Canada, contributing to their ongoing efforts towards reconciliation and the adoption of clean energy solutions.

Allison Clark, ICTC - Information Technology & Communications Council
Todd Leger, ICTC - Information Technology & Communications Council

Drawing from ICTC’s recent research on in-demand jobs and skills for the clean energy economy and the future of work in a sustainable digital economy, the presentation will highlight case studies relevant to the clean energy sector’s talent needs. Case studies will delve into key findings from a labour market survey with clean energy employers, insights from interviews with solar energy companies, findings from a survey with post-secondary students, and a synthesis of labour market databases. Accordingly, labour market trends and best practices for developing workforce capacity will be unpacked.