Power Forward Challenge
Building the energy systems of tomorrow
Introduction
The results are in!
Building the energy systems of tomorrow
We’re challenging Canadian and U.K. companies to design better power grids, connecting our nations to clean, user-friendly grids and helping to prevent power outages.
The Canadian and UK finalists have been announced!Jump-start our clean energy future
Transform our energy system
Revolutionize the way we access clean, flexible, and reliable energy from the grid.
Expand to new markets
Create opportunities for Canadian and UK firms to expand into new markets.
Have a global impact
Test your idea in the real world with a $3M prize to pilot your proposal.
Find out more about smart grids.
Ready to power up your idea?
Millions of new devices such as electric vehicles (EVs), renewables like solar and wind power, batteries and smart devices will challenge the way we think about our energy grid.
We want you to shape the future energy systems of our nations.
Build your team – bringing power, tech and software companies in Canada and the U.K. together to spark some brilliant ideas.
Tell us about your electrifying solution for our energy system.
The Challenge
Innovation is the key to understanding and enabling how we can improve our electrical grid. We are looking for disruptive technologies to develop, maintain and maximize our power grids and energy systems.
Make the connection
Applicants are asked to build collaborative teams with representatives from both Canadian and U.K.-based firms (at least 20% of the proposed project should include firms from the partner country).
Apply for financial support
A total of $1 million/£600,000 in each country will be given to eligible teams in need of financial support who have the most promising project vision.
Submit your electrifying idea
Tell us why your team deserves the $3 million/£1.8 million to demonstrate your project on a pilot-scale. We want the highest-impact solution that can integrate a broad range of energy sources to the grid while contributing to a flexible and reliable supply of electricity.
Solutions will need to be disruptive, modular, scalable and interoperable and demonstrate clear value to the end user and the grid. Teams will have to be international and bring together various energy resources, as well as a variety of innovative software and hardware solutions.
Three Canadian and three U.K.-based project teams will be chosen to move on to the finals.
Show us your transformative technologies
Six teams will receive up to $3 million each to conduct a pilot-scale demonstration of their smart grid solutions.
One team to win it all
From the six finalists a $1-million prize will be awarded to the team with the best-in-class solution.
Results
Equilibrium Engineering has been selected as the winner of the Power Forward Challenge!
The $1-million prize for the Power Forward Challenge – aimed at accelerating smart grid technology and in collaboration with the UK government – was awarded to Equilibrium Engineering for their Alba Nova project, developed in partnership with Scotland-based StorTera. Using an innovative artificial intelligence platform to predict solar and wind energy generation and demand of customers for the day ahead, the project in the Town of Berwick, Nova Scotia, introduced a unique smart grid solution that integrates intelligent energy storage, energy efficiency, renewable energy generation and demand-side response. This replicable solution will store renewable energy to be used when it cannot be produced, providing value to the utility grid and customers, while driving down greenhouse gas emissions.
Transcript
Project DEMOCRASI provides distribution network and system operators visibility to distribution connected assets. And allows assets to participate, both in bulk and local flexibility markets.
An open data standard - Green Button - allows us to share consumption data for DERs [distributed energy resources]. To know where we can go from a carbon point of view. For example, we aligned EV charging to wind or solar. And EV owners say that's great, I'm totally green.
We know that we need to generate renewable energy and store it when it's not being produced. Our system through battery storage does that. A.I. functionality is the key here.
We combine groups of customer sites together and optimally match them with localized renewable generators. Making use of battery storage and demand flexibility, we minimize energy buying at carbon intensive periods.
ZUoS builds a model of the local energy system. By understanding DER assets installed across the community, we can better match variable renewable generation with demand profiles.
We're enabling flexible services to connect to our network on a much larger scale than we've ever been able to do before.
The real estate industry needs to go through a massive change. Smart buildings, distributed generation, is something that is going to happen. And basically, we are giving the built environment the tools to plan the roadmap on investment and execute on that.
Canadian Finalists
Seven (7) finalist teams were selected from a group of 44 project proposals received in the main proposal intake of the Challenge in March 2019. Along with seven (7) other Semi-Finalist teams, they all pitched their solutions to a panel of expert judges representing grid operators, corporates, investors, and governments at two pitch events held in Glasgow in May 2019 and in Ottawa in early June 2019.
A total of $9 million / £6 million was available for finalists in each country. Each finalist team is made up of Canadian and U.K. partners and received up to $3 million / £1.8 million to build its smart energy systems solution.
On February 24th, NRCan hosted a virtual finalist showcasing and panelist event for the Power Forward and Charging the Future Challenges. The seven Power Forward finalists were able to show off their impressive developments achieved through the duration of the Challenge to potential stakeholders and investors. The panelist discussion, focused on accelerating clean electrification in Canada, was hosted by Bruce Lourie (President, Ivey Foundation) and featured panelists Neetika Sathe (VP GRE&T Centre, Alectra), Susan Rohac (VP Clean Tech Practice, BDC), Giles Counsell (Managing Consultant, Siemens Canada) and Sandra Odendahl (VP and Global Head of Sustainability, Scotiabank).
You can watch the panel discussion here (available in English only).
Here are the finalist teams developing projects in Canada:
London Hydro
with Electron, ENMAX, University of Western Ontario, Navigant, Gowling WLG
Project L2L (London Ontario to London UK)
Lakeland Holding Inc.
with Opus One Solutions, Kiwi Power, Ryerson University, Georgian College, CHEC Group
Project DEMOCRASI: Dispatchable Energy Market Optimized Constraint Real-time Aggregated System Interface
Equilibrium Engineering
with StorTera, Dalhousie University, Berwick Municipal Electric Commission
Project Alba Nova: A Smart Grid Pilot Using Advanced Battery Storage
Here are the finalist teams developing projects in the U.K.:
Scottish & Southern Electricity Networks
with Opus One Solutions, Hydro Ottawa, Open Grid Systems, University of Cambridge Energy Policy Research Group
Project Merlin
UNIT9 Ltd.
with Integrated Environmental Solutions, Boost Energy Ventures, Utilismart, Energy Systems Catapult, Skanska, University College London Energy Institute, Sheffield University
Project Energy Open Piazza
Qbots Ltd.
with ICONICS Canada, Lanner (LEI) Canada Ltd., Energy Systems Catapult, Bruntwood Energy Services Ltd., Manchester Metropolitan University, Hildebrand Technology Ltd., Penso Power Ltd., Dunsky Energy Consulting
Project Energy-IQ
Scene Connect Ltd.
with Enbala, Locogen Ltd., Mentone Energy Consulting Ltd.
Project Cloud ZUoS
SME Financial Support Recipients
Top 10 Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises
In January 2019, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) and the UK Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) awarded financial support to a select group of small and medium-sized enterprises who had submitted preliminary proposals outlining plans to develop innovative, consortium-based smart grid solutions that bring together Canadian and UK innovators. The Canadian recipients of this support ranked as the top 10 among 70 applicants, in what was a highly competitive process.
Here are the ten (10) Canadian recipients who each received a $CAN100,000 grant to further develop their consortium team and project proposal in order to compete in the Challenge:
Sustainable Oceans Applied Research Ltd. (NS)
Demonstration of disruptive end-to-end coastal community clean power system
eCAMION (ON)
EV charging DC microgrid powered by a transactive energy platform
Rainforest Automation (BC)
Virtual Power Plant using residential “smart home” technology
Enbala Canada Inc (BC)
Virtual Power Plant and advanced hydrolyzer storage
SWTCH E-Car Inc (ON)
EV charging, distributed energy resources aggregation and transactive energy
ReWatt Power (AB)
Incentive-driven integrated EV management
WizGrid Inc (QC)
Full-scale validation of Power Management System on a microgrid
Equilibrium Engineering (NS)
AI-based renewable energy storage platform
Utilismart Corporation (ON)
Advanced distributions management system
Quanta Technology (ON)
Mobile energy storage system and community energy systems
See the UK successful recipients selected by BEIS here.
Process
See the Applicant Guide for more information on the Challenge and how to participate.
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Call for proposals
October 16, 2018
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Deadline to apply for SME financial support
December 17, 2018
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Deadline to submit proposals
March 15, 2019
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Pitch sessions for semi-finalists
May and June 2019
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Finalist teams announced
June 20, 2019
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Deadline for demonstration projects and final submissions
October 1, 2021
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Showcase and Panelist Event
February 24, 2022
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Final award winning team announced
March 30, 2022
$1M / £600k
Helping small players
A total of $1M/£600,000 in each country will be given to eligible teams in need of financial support who have the most promising project vision.
$3M / £1.8M
Get building!
Six finalist teams will receive up to $3 million/£1.8 million each to start building their projects.
$1M
Final award winner
The top team will receive $1 million based on the performance of their projects.
Stay connected
Send us your questions at: nrcan.cleantechimpact-impacttechpropres.rncan@canada.ca and smart.innovation@beis.gov.uk.
Join the conversation using #ImpactCanada and #PowerForward
Apply
Who can apply?
Canadian and UK:
- Small and medium sized businesses
- Other for-profit and not-for-profit organizations
- Indigenous organizations and groups
- Post secondary/academic institutions
Key dates
- Call for proposals: October 16, 2018
- Deadline to apply for SME financial support: December 17, 2018
- Deadline to submit proposals: March 15, 2019
- Finalists announced: June 20, 2019
- Deadline for demonstration projects and final submissions: October 1, 2021
- Panelist and Showcase Event: February 24, 2022
- Final grand prize winner announced: March 30, 2022
Funding
- A total of $1 million/£600,000 in each country will be given to eligible teams in need of financial support who have the most promising project vision.
- The six top teams will win $3 million/£1.8 million each to start building their proposed pilot project.
- $1 million will be given to the team with the best pilot demonstration.
Media
Last modified: 2025-01-26