Canadian Solar Inc. has opened an engineering center in Guelph, Ontario, to focus on microgrid system design and smart grid assessment services.
The Canadian Solar Microgrid Testing Center, partially funded by the Ontario Ministry of Energy, will host the development of off-grid and grid-tied microgrid projects. The company says the center will work with collaborators to provide shareable services for utilities, universities and colleges, communities, and companies.
Canadian Solar says First Nations, remote communities and mining projects in Northern Ontario will directly benefit from using the testing center to integrate renewable energy capacity into existing off-grid infrastructure. In addition, the testing center is expected to play a role in the smart microgrid application process, as Ontario Hydro requires all proposed systems be lab-tested before being tested in the field.
