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Government of Canada Invests $16.7 Million to Support Ontario’s Power Grid Operator With Delivering Reliable, Affordable and Clean Energy

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TORONTO, March 6, 2024 /CNW/ – As more people in Ontario ride electrified public transit, shift to electric vehicles and adopt electric heat pumps, and as Ontario businesses and industries continue to green their operations, an abundant supply of clean, reliable and affordable electricity is needed. In fact, Ontario’s electricity grid operator, the IESO, expects that Ontario’s electricity needs will increase by 40 percent over the next two decades. Integrating new and emerging technologies into Ontario’s electricity grid will help deliver more electricity to Ontario homes and businesses reliably and affordably, while decarbonizing Ontario’s electricity system.

To this end, today, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, announced a $16.7-million federal investment for a project by Ontario’s power grid operator that will strengthen its electricity grid operations. Federal funding for the project will specifically help IESO increase the number and diversity of clean energy resources that can participate in delivering electricity in Ontario, which will give Ontario households and businesses greater access to more reliable, cost-effective and clean options to meet rising demand.

Some improvements that will be made possible through this federal funding include:

Providing the IESO’s Control Centre with real-time data on the state of charge of battery storage facilities, so that electricity system operators are aware of how much stored energy is available at any given moment;Enabling aggregators to consolidate smaller resources in different cities and communities around Ontario to collectively bid into Ontario’s electricity markets;Allowing supply as small as 100 kW in Ontario’s electricity markets (e.g., a manufacturing plant’s roof-top solar array).

Federal funding for this project is provided through the Government of Canada’s Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program (SREPs), which is supporting smart renewable energy, energy storage and electrical grid modernization projects across the country. The SREPs program is one of many initiatives that the Government of Canada is undertaking to deliver clean, reliable and affordable power to every region of Canada by 2035. For example, through NRCan’s Electricity Pre-Development Program, Minister Wilkinson announced a federal investment of $50 million last week to support Bruce Power’s assessment of new generation opportunities at its site in Tiverton, Ontario. This funding will enable the exploration of a project that could produce power for up to 4,800,000 homes and businesses in Ontario and represents more than 25 percent of the new nuclear capacity required for Ontario to meet its clean electricity needs in 2050, as recommended by the IESO.

The Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario are also continuing to work collaboratively on the draft Clean Electricity Regulations, as they have since the first draft was released, to address the concerns raised by Ontario’s expert system planners with the goal of ensuring the final regulation will maintain Ontarians’ access to a reliable, affordable and clean electricity system.

The Government of Canada will continue to work with experts and governments to position Canada, including Ontario, as a global supplier of clean energy and new technologies, while creating new economic opportunities, good jobs, and a clean, reliable, affordable electrical grid for all.

Quotes

“Ensuring access to affordable, reliable, clean electricity is a critical step in driving down emissions and seizing the economic opportunities that will be enabled through the shift to a clean economy. Canada has one of the cleanest electricity grids in the world, and we are continuing to invest, innovate and collaborate to maintain and strengthen this competitive advantage. Today’s investment is an important part of these efforts and will help ensure that people and businesses in Ontario can continue to have access to affordable, reliable and clean electricity well into the future.”

The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources 

“Our government has been putting shovels in the ground to build new electricity generation and storage, including the largest procurement of clean energy storage projects in Canada’s history. Today’s investment will help accelerate the work Ontario’s expert planners are already doing to integrate these energy storage projects and other innovative technologies into our grid to help power new homes and businesses across the province.”  

The Honourable
Todd Smith Ontario Minister of Energy

“Innovation is central to the energy transition. We have already made significant progress in preparing for greater decentralization and diversification to accommodate greater numbers of energy storage, hybrids and community-based energy projects on the grid. This funding will help us increase our efforts and integrate the substantial amount of new clean energy projects that will, in just a few years’ time, be ready to help power homes and businesses across the province.”

Lesley Gallinger
President and CEO, IESO

Quick Facts 

The IESO operates Ontario’s power grid 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, ensuring Ontarians receive a reliable and cost-effective source of power when and where they need it. It works with sector partners and engages with communities across Ontario to plan and prepare for the province’s electricity needs now and into the future.The governments of Canada and Ontario are working together on the Canada-Ontario Regional Table collaboration framework, with priorities that include joint actions on electrification, critical minerals, hydrogen, nuclear and forestry, as well an improved permitting process and increased regulatory effectiveness and efficiency to get clean energy projects online in time to meet rising demand.

Related Information 

Independent Electricity System OperatorSmart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program Powering Canada Forward: Building a Clean, Affordable, and Reliable Electricity System for Every Region in Canada2030 Emissions Reduction Plan: Clean Air, Strong EconomyCanada’s Sustainable Jobs Plan  Budget 2023: Investing in Clean Electricity 

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SOURCE Natural Resources Canada

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TARIFFS BITE: NORTH AMERICAN AND ASIAN MANUFACTURERS RETRENCH IN APRIL, WITH GLOBAL MATERIAL PURCHASES DOWN AT ACCELERATED PACE: GEP GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN VOLATILITY INDEX

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The steep fall in global manufacturers’ purchases signals a likely production slowdown in the near future North America factories respond to tariffs by buying less inputs and aggressively stockpilingPurchasing activity by Asian manufacturers at its weakest since Dec. 2023 as demand slumps across the region’s key exporting hubsBright spot: Europe’s industrial recession is finally coming to an end as spare capacity shrinks further

CLARK, N.J., May 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — GEP Global Supply Chain Volatility Index — a leading indicator tracking demand conditions, shortages, transportation costs, inventories, and backlogs based on a monthly survey of 27,000 businesses — indicated an accelerated reduction in global manufacturers’ demand for inputs (raw materials, components and commodities) in April, signaling a broad-based contraction in purchasing activity by region.

April’s drop in buying across global manufacturers was the sharpest of 2025 to date—specifically in North America and to a lesser extent Asia—as manufacturers scale back in anticipation of weakening future demand as a direct result of tariffs.

“The first blows of the tariff war have landed on global manufacturers. Stockpiling is accelerating at a concerning rate and the first signs of manufacturers anticipating slower demand and supply shortages have emerged.” said John Piatek, vice president, consulting GEP.

REGIONAL SUPPLY CHAIN VOLATILITY:

NORTH AMERICAN MANUFACTURERS RAISE SAFETY STOCK TO BLUNT TARIFFS NEAR-TERM IMPACT

North American manufacturers sharply increased inventory buffers in April, warehousing front-loaded Q1 purchases in response to rising tariff concerns and a renewed focus on supply chain resilience.

SPARE CAPACITY RISES ACROSS ASIA

Spare capacity across Asian supply chains increased significantly in April as factory slowdowns were evident in many of the region’s major markets, led by China, Taiwan and South Korea.

In Europe, there were further signs that the continent’s industrial downturn was cooling. Supply chain capacity went underutilized to the smallest degree in ten months, reflecting growth in Germany and France, though risks remain if global trade conditions worsen.

The U.K. once again recorded significant manufacturing weakness, with supplier activity down at a rate which has rarely been surpassed in 20 years of data availability.

Interpreting the data:
Index > 0, supply chain capacity is being stretched. The further above 0, the more stretched supply chains are.
Index < 0, supply chain capacity is being underutilized. The further below 0, the more underutilized supply chains are.

For more information, visit www.gep.com/volatility.

Note: Full historical data dating back to January 2005 is available for subscription. Please contact economics@spglobal.com.

The next release of the GEP Global Supply Chain Volatility Index will be 8 a.m. ET, Jun. 11, 2025.

About the GEP Global Supply Chain Volatility Index

The GEP Global Supply Chain Volatility Index is produced by S&P Global and GEP. It is derived from S&P Global’s PMI® surveys, sent to companies in over 40 countries, totaling around 27,000 companies. The headline figure is a weighted sum of six sub-indices derived from PMI data, PMI Comments Trackers and PMI Commodity Price & Supply Indicators compiled by S&P Global.

A value above 0 indicates that supply chain capacity is being stretched and supply chain volatility is increasing. The further above 0, the greater the extent to which capacity is being stretched.A value below 0 indicates that supply chain capacity is being underutilized, reducing supply chain volatility. The further below 0, the greater the extent to which capacity is being underutilized.

A Supply Chain Volatility Index is also published at a regional level for Europe, Asia, North America and the U.K. For more information about the methodology, click here.

About GEP

GEP® delivers AI-powered procurement and supply chain solutions that help global enterprises become more agile and resilient, operate more efficiently and effectively, gain competitive advantage, boost profitability and increase shareholder value. Headquartered in Clark, New Jersey, GEP has offices and operations centers across Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas. To learn more, visit www.gep.com.

About S&P Global

S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI) S&P Global provides essential intelligence. We enable governments, businesses and individuals with the right data, expertise and connected technology so that they can make decisions with conviction.

Media Contacts

Derek Creevey

Email:

Director, Public Relations

Joe Hayes

joe.hayes@spglobal.com

GEP

Principal Economist

Phone: +1 646-276-4579

S&P Global Market Intelligence

Email:
derek.creevey@gep.com

Phone: +44-1344-328-099

 

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Global Cyber Alliance Launches Internet Pollution Index to Combat Malicious Online Activity Around the World

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New tracker visualizes global cyber threat activity in real time, helping network operators, policymakers identify and mitigate malicious Internet behavior.

NEW YORK, May 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — At RIPE 90 this week, the Global Cyber Alliance (GCA) presents the latest developments in AIDE, GCA’s cybersecurity intelligence platform, and launches the Internet Pollution Index (https://gcaaide.org). The Index is an innovative tool designed to quantify global network pollution by evaluating both the volume and severity of potentially malicious Internet traffic.

The Index analyzes data from GCA’s global network of honeypots, which are decoy systems intended to attract and study cyberattacks. By processing this data, the Index offers a real-time assessment of malicious network traffic, highlighting regions and networks that are significant sources of cyber threats.

The Internet Pollution Index measures how “polluted” an economy’s network activity is by combining the frequency and severity of different types of events. In essence, the Index reflects not just the volume of activity by economy, autonomous system, and even IP address, but also its potential threat level.

“Our AIDE work helps us understand the origins and patterns of malicious online activity and is crucial in our effort to secure the Internet,” said Leslie Daigle, Chief Technical Officer and Director of the Internet Integrity Program at GCA. “The Internet Pollution Index provides a clear and accessible visualization of cyber threats, empowering network operators and other relevant stakeholders to take informed actions to prevent or mitigate the impact of malicious Internet traffic.”

The Index moves GCA’s work forward through:

Gathering data: Our honeypots see 30+ million hits a month, and we know that’s just a fraction of the overall issue. This data provides deep insight into the volumes of unwanted traffic and enables precise tracking of emerging global threats.Building community: The growing AIDE community now includes infrastructure operators, service providers, universities, CERTs, IoT security experts, regulators, and others who can explore collaborative solutions.Facilitating action: Network operators can use AIDE to address and ultimately reduce the unwanted traffic originating from their networks.

The Internet Pollution Index is part of GCA’s broader mission to build programs, tools, and partnerships that enhance cybersecurity on a global scale. By providing free and accessible resources, GCA fosters a more secure and trustworthy Internet for all.

For more information about the Internet Pollution Index and to explore the tool, please visit https://gcaaide.org/.

About Global Cyber Alliance
The Global Cyber Alliance (GCA) is an international nonprofit organization working with communities to improve the Internet and help people and organizations be more secure online. It achieves this in three ways: working with communities; engaging infrastructure owners and operators; and driving ecosystem engagement for collective action on cybersecurity. GCA is a 501(c)(3) in the U.S. and a nonprofit in the U.K. and Belgium.

Media Contact:
Ronjini Joshua
GCA PR Team
395145@email4pr.com
+1.949.295.9779

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SOURCE Global Cyber Alliance

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Crystal Springs Resort upgrades the TV experience for guests with SONIFI

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LOS ANGELES, May 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Guests at the stunning Crystal Springs Resort now have an equally stunning in-room TV experience thanks to the property’s longtime technology partner SONIFI.

An upgraded TV system from SONIFI helps Crystal Springs Resort promote amenities available to guests during their stay

Located just an hour outside New York City, Crystal Springs Resort is a top travel destination for world-class golfing, luxurious spa treatments, culinary delights and unforgettable events.

The property has used SONIFI’s interactive TV platform in their guest rooms for many years; when they saw the company’s newest platform, though, they knew the modern look, convenient features and revenue-driving opportunities would be an update worth making.

Since the resort already had the room equipment and headend system set up on site, SONIFI simplified the process by using its latest deployment option, Headend Interactive, to upgrade the in-room experience.

“Crystal Springs Resort was a perfect candidate for this interactive TV headend deployment,” said Roy Kosuge, SONIFI’s Chief Operating Officer. “Using their existing TVs, remotes and RF infrastructure, we were able to improve their guest engagement platform without the need for room visits or rewiring.”

With the new interactive platform, Crystal Springs Resort welcome guests with a scene-setting video that automatically plays when the TV turns on. They’re also able to use the system’s features to promote all the resort has to offer. With customizable videos, guest messages, digital guidebooks and main menu highlights, guests get a closer look at amenities and enticing offers for the resort’s revenue centers.

“We have so much we want guests to know about, whether it’s our six top-rated golf courses, award-winning spas, 10 unforgettable dining options, multiple wedding and event venues, or guest services available at each of the two hotels on site,” said Larry Slonaker, Chief Information Officer at Crystal Springs Resort. “This updated system from SONIFI lets us showcase all of it in a way our guests are really responding to, and with Headend Interactive, it was very affordable with minimal impact during install.”

The interactive TV also gives guests easy access to their favorite entertainment like live TV programming from DIRECTV, secure streaming from thousands of apps with STAYCAST, and premium on-demand content.

“Guests at Crystal Springs Resort have high expectations for their experience there,” Kosuge said. “The resort delivers on every level, and we’re proud to have SONIFI be part of that, too.”

About SONIFI
SONIFI is the largest guest technology provider in hospitality, deployed in more than a million rooms across 5,000 properties around the world. Global brands, ownership and management groups, and hotels of all chain scales trust SONIFI to deliver the best experiences with Wi-Fi, interactive TV, streaming, in-room entertainment and telephony services. Learn more at sonifi.com.

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SOURCE SONIFI Solutions

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