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Agenda


8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
  1. Light Breakfast

    Wednesday, February 10 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM



9:00 AM - 9:30 AM
  1. Welcome and opening remarks

    Wednesday, February 10 9:00 AM - 9:30 AM



9:30 AM - 10:00 AM
  1. Meeting the moment

    Wednesday, February 10 9:30 AM - 10:00 AM



    Canada is at a pivotal moment. With increased demand for electrification and efforts to secure and build resilient energy systems, Canada’s renewable energy and energy storage industries are positioned as important contributors to meeting net-zero targets. This will mean new technology, new skills and new ways of working. 

     

    This session will explore advances in operations, including an honest conversation about what’s working well, the use of digital tools and AI to optimize operations and what this all means for our workforce. 

10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
  1. Networking break

    Wednesday, February 10 10:00 AM - 10:30 AM



10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
  1. An inside look at operational control centres

    Wednesday, February 10 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM



    Have you ever wondered what happens in a control room when a fault occurs? 

     

    This session will explore the inner workings of an operational control room, providing insights into how decisions are made across technologies, geographies and markets. Participants will learn from asset managers and data analysts about the steps they take when an incident occurs, innovations in the space and how operators can better work with asset managers. 

  2. Wildfire impacts: What you need to know

    Wednesday, February 10 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM



    In 2023, Canada experienced its most destructive wildfire season, with fires consuming 16.5 million hectares. While renewable energy and energy storage projects are contributing to Canada’s efforts to combat climate change, they are not immune from the impacts of wildfires. 

     

    This session will explore the impact of wildfires on wind, solar and energy storage assets, mitigation strategies and insurance considerations for owners and operators. 

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
  1. Lessons learned: Safety moments

    Wednesday, February 10 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM



    This session will focus on three safety moments on wind, solar and energy storage sites. Health and safety experts will explore real-life incidents and how others can use these learnings to protect their workforce and assets. More information will be available soon. 

  2. Solar and energy storage operations roundtables

    Wednesday, February 10 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM



    Join us for a series of facilitated roundtable discussions with solar and energy storage operators. A moderator will guide all roundtables through a set of pre-written questions, creating space to get straight to the heart of the issues. Meet new operators and reconnect with peers to discuss operational challenges, solutions and innovations in the industry.

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
  1. Lunch

    Wednesday, February 10 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM



1:00 PM - 1:30 PM
  1. Showroom floor demos

    Wednesday, February 10 1:00 PM - 1:30 PM



    Step onto the showroom floor and discover cutting-edge solutions through interactive, hands-on demos from our exhibitors.

1:30 PM - 2:00 PM
  1. Lessons learned: Critical infrastructure damage/component failure at a solar farm

    Wednesday, February 10 1:30 PM - 2:00 PM



    This session will explore a case study presentation of significant equipment damage at a solar farm. More information will be available soon.

  2. Thermal runaway protection systems: Mitigating BESS and solar fire risks

    Wednesday, February 10 1:30 PM - 2:00 PM



    This session will feature experienced firefighting professionals discussing their experiences with BESS and solar energy systems and related fire risk and mitigation strategies. Join this discussion to learn more about innovations in BESS testing, best practices for risk mitigation strategies and worker training. 

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
  1. Advances in renewable energy recycling

    Wednesday, February 10 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM



    What are your options when a wind, solar or energy storage project reaches its end of life and components are decommissioned? This session will explore innovations in renewable energy and energy storage recycling and showcase examples of how materials can be re-used. 

  2. Under the surface: Quantifying the operational impacts of leading edge erosion

    Wednesday, February 10 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM



    Leading edge erosion has evolved from a cosmetic blade maintenance issue into a significant operational risk affecting annual energy production, reliability, inspection planning and long-term asset value. This presentation summarizes lessons learned from recent offshore and onshore wind projects where erosion risk was evaluated through physics-based assessment methods, environmental characterization, uncertainty analysis and asset performance modelling. 

3:00 PM - 3:30 PM
  1. Poster spotlight & networking break

    Wednesday, February 10 3:00 PM - 3:30 PM



    Take a walk around and connect with Canadian researchers conducting renewable energy projects across Canada. Ask questions, make connections and learn something new!

3:30 PM - 4:00 PM
  1. Improving grid integration through advanced solar forecasting

    Wednesday, February 10 3:30 PM - 4:00 PM



    Solar forecasting accuracy improvements are becoming increasingly valuable to grid operators and developers as PV integration increases. Better forecasts mean reduced curtailment, reduced balancing demands and more reliable revenue predictions. This presentation will share the experience of deploying a next-generation solar forecasting system for a major European grid operator, with clear performance improvements. The session will also explore how these learnings can be applied to hybrid applications, such as BESS optimization. 

  2. Lessons learned: Major component failure

    Wednesday, February 10 3:30 PM - 4:00 PM



    This session will explore a case study presentation of a major component failure on a wind site. More information will be available soon. 

4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
  1. CanREA’s Solar Technician Training - Continuing Education Workshop

    Wednesday, February 10 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM



    More details to follow

  2. Lifetime extension: To extend or not to extend, that is the question (and we have answers)

    Wednesday, February 10 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM



    6 GW of wind and solar projects are nearing the end of their original contract terms. Join this session to learn about lifetime assessments and how data is used to predict the risks and benefits associated with lifetime-extension decisions. Panelists will share real-world experience to assist attendees with their own lifetime extension decisions.

5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
  1. Networking reception

    Wednesday, February 10 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM



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

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
  1. Light Breakfast

    Thursday, February 11 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM



9:00 AM - 9:30 AM
  1. Opening remarks

    Thursday, February 11 9:00 AM - 9:30 AM



9:30 AM - 10:00 AM
  1. From concept to concrete: Stories from remote renewable energy projects

    Thursday, February 11 9:30 AM - 10:00 AM



    Canada is the second-largest country in the world, with almost 10 million square kilometres of land and seven distinct physiographic regions. Canada’s diverse geography entails unique considerations for building and maintaining renewable energy and energy storage infrastructure. This session explores the development, construction and operation of a remote wind project, including the challenges and lessons learned along the way. 

10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
  1. Networking break

    Thursday, February 11 10:00 AM - 10:30 AM



10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
  1. If you can’t fix it, reverse engineer it!

    Thursday, February 11 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM



    The typical contract term of a wind farm, solar farm or energy storage project is 20 years. Over a project’s lifetime, access to replacement parts is critical for limiting operational disruptions. What happens when the original equipment manufacturer is no longer operational? This session will explore reverse engineering and its applications for producing critical renewable energy and energy storage components.

  2. Leveraging local talent: Sourcing skilled workers in remote and Indigenous communities

    Thursday, February 11 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM



    Canada is facing a skilled-worker shortage, and the renewable energy and energy storage industries are not immune. This shortage is further exacerbated by the remote nature of some projects across Canada. 

     

    This session will share stories of bringing training to remote communities and insights on how attendees can create employment opportunities within the communities where they are building and operating. 

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
  1. A standard approach: Exploring CSA/ANSI 800:25 and CSA Z5060

    Thursday, February 11 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM



    Join experts for an overview of CSA/ANSI Standard 800:25 (ESS Reliability and Quality Assurance) and CSA Z5060 (Sizing of solar photovoltaic systems coupled with energy storage in new constructions). This session will explore the standards and highlight their application to daily operations. 

  2. Wind operations roundtables

    Thursday, February 11 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM



    Join a series of operational roundtable discussions with wind operators, service providers, suppliers and more. Participants will meet new operators and reconnect with peers to discuss operational challenges, solutions and industry innovations.  

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
  1. Lunch & showroom floor demos

    Thursday, February 11 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM



    Step onto the showroom floor and discover cutting-edge solutions through interactive, hands-on demos from our exhibitors. 

1:00 PM - 1:40 PM
  1. Obsolescence in the age of acceleration

    Thursday, February 11 1:00 PM - 1:40 PM



    Innovation changes everything: the way we work, the way we predict and the equipment we use. What happens when wind, solar or energy storage equipment becomes obsolete? This session will explore the real-world implications of obsolescence, building on CanREA’s work with Dunsky Energy + Climate Advisors on supply chain considerations. Attendees will learn how to protect their operations from obsolescence and supply chain challenges through mitigation strategies and insurance considerations. 

1:40 PM - 2:00 PM
  1. Closing remarks

    Thursday, February 11 1:40 PM - 2:00 PM