CanREA Operations Summit 2024April 10-11, 2024 | Calgary, Alberta

Welcome and opening remarks

Opening panel discussion:

Operating in a changing climate

2023 was a difficult year for Operators, with heat waves, hurricanes, forest fires and other signs of a changing climate making their presence felt. To focus our opening panel discussion, we have invited Nergica to present their new study examining the impacts of the changing climate on wind regimes. Panelists will then discuss tools and strategies Operators can use to adjust to changing wind and solar regimes while maximizing climatic resiliency for their assets, infrastructure and the grid as a whole.

Building upon the excellent work done by CanREA’s Regional Solar Operators groups this year, this first-ever National Solar Operators Roundtable provides a rare opportunity to compare experiences from across the country, share best practices, near misses and ‘good to know’ elements, brainstorm solutions to common problems, and provide feedback that will shape the future of CanREA’s Operators program. This interactive session is not to be missed!

Moderator:

Mathieu Côté, Director, Operations Programs, Canadian Renewable Energy Association

Table Leads:

Brad Cochrane, O&M Manager, Alberta Renewables, Capital Power

Daniel McSween, Supervisor, Operations, TriSummit Utilities

Jake Jones, Director of Project Operations, Elemental Energy

Josh Rogers, Senior Director Safety, Workforce Training and Operations, American Clean Power

Jen Aitchison, President, Renewable Risk Consulting

Ken Nolan, Senior Manager Operations, Ontario Wind and Solar, Evolugen

Mary MacLean, EHS and Workforce Development Coordinator, Canadian Renewable Energy Association

Patty Charlton, Manager, School of Technology and Environment, Nova Scotia Community College

Rob Miller, President, CanPower Renewables

Vittoria Bellissimo, President & CEO, Canadian Renewable Energy Association

What will the next decade bring for wind Operations and Maintenance? This session will present a preview for the onshore wind power service market, followed by a live reaction by leading Operators and Asset Owners. In a fireside chat format, these speakers will share their perspectives and strategies to deal with the changing climate of the O&M service space.

It’s speed dating for business! In this rapid-fire session, each speaker will have an opportunity to present the most important elements of their company, product or service. Delivered in easy-to-digest, five-minute mouthfuls, it’s the perfect post-lunch experience!

CanREA is pleased to host a kick-off meeting for its new Insurance Committee during the CanREA Operations Summit 2024! As part of CanREA’s Operations Network, this new Committee aims to serve as an information conduit between the clean energy industry and the insurance industry. Through discussions, presentations, workshops, site tours, webinars, and more, the Committee will provide ongoing dialogue between these industries and facilitate education on insurance concerns for clean-energy technologies.

This kick-off meeting is by invitation only and reserved to insurance-related companies. All meeting participants must be registered for the CanREA Operations Summit. To learn more about this meeting and CanREA’s Insurance Program, please contact members@renewablesassociation.ca.

Maintenance programs for solar sites can be complex. Unlike a wind site, where a single manufacturer’s recommendations can be followed in a relatively straightforward manner, every solar project brings together a myriad of components from different manufacturers, with unique maintenance suggestions and servicing requirements. This panel will explore ways of meeting all these varied requirements without breaking the bank!

In recent years, blade issues have become an ever-growing area of concern for Wind Operators. A proper blade inspection, maintenance and repair strategy is becoming critical. This panel will discuss the strategies, frequencies, damage-identification methods, repair technologies and structural health monitoring tools that Operators will need going forward.

In order to seize the tremendous growth opportunity for Canada's wind, solar and energy storage industries, we need to grow the skilled workforce who will build, maintain and operate new and existing sites. This session will highlight active workforce development initiatives across the country, including CanREA's new Education and Employment Partnerships Program (E2P2), through which educators and non-governmental organizations can engage with the industry.

Don’t miss this fun and casual opportunity to catch up with other operators from a wide cross-section of Canada’s renewable energy and energy storage industries.

This session was inspired (and suggested) by the Ontario Wind Operators (OWO). Building upon the excellent work done by CanREA’s Regional Wind Operators groups this year, this first-ever National Wind Operators Roundtable provides a rare opportunity to compare experiences from across the country, share best practices, near misses and ‘good to know’ elements, brainstorm solutions to common problems, and provide feedback that will shape the future of CanREA’s Operators program. This interactive session is not to be missed!

Moderator:

Mathieu Côté, Director, Operations Program, Canadian Renewable Energy Association

Table Leads:

How should Canadian solar farms deal with Canadian winters? Snow building up on solar panels impacts energy production, but removal options can be costly and needs can be hard to predict, with snow loads changing over time in various geographies. In this session, Operators will learn which parameters to consider when shopping for snow-removal solutions and discuss the advantages of taking a holistic view of solar farm maintenance.

Even when wind and solar sites reach a certain age, their components retain significant value. Canada is in the process of determining how to extract the greatest value of these components, by reusing and recycling as much as possible after decommissioning. This panel will include experts focused on building recycling capacity on Canadian soil, who will discuss how operators of renewable assets fit into this picture.

CanREA’s resident Alberta policy experts, Vittoria Bellissimo (President & CEO) and Evan Wilson (Vice President of Policy—Western Canada and National Affairs), will give attendees a real-time look at the changes affecting the Alberta market and how they could affect existing projects on the ground. Moderated by Matt Côté, CanREA’s Operations Program Director.