Lindsay Frith

Following the repeal of the Green Energy Act and the cancellation of the Feed-in Tariff (FIT) contracts, which encouraged greater use of renewable energy sources, Renewable Energy Approvals (REA) approvals in Ontario have been relatively few and far between. Recently, the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) issued a request for proposals and resulted in numerous proponents proposing new wind and solar projects. However, the REA process is now complicated by contemporary IESO requirements, changes and proposed changes in the regulatory landscape, and a reduced familiarity with the REA process by regulators, proponents, and practitioners. This presentation will explore use of desktop tools to determine site suitability which helps rule out sites that will not be viable based on environmental and land use constraints. This presentation will contrast REAs of the past versus now and identify some of the challenges and solutions to manage the IESO expedited procurement timelines and a lengthy approvals process.

Session Facilitator: Alexia Miljus, GFT