Microgrids: a forward-looking solution

The Lac‑Mégantic microgrid locally generates energy that is 100% renewable. It is Québec’s first microgrid and a milestone in our energy transition, paving the way to a new sustainable energy era. Let’s have a closer look at it.

Energy transition is at the heart of the environmental strategies of many countries. The goal is to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by replacing fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas in particular) with a mix of renewable energy sources such as sun, wind, water and the Earth’s heat.

To do this, we must rethink how we generate and distribute the electricity we use. This is why Hydro‑Québec and Lac‑Mégantic decided to undertake a joint microgrid project in 2018. “Microgrids are an attractive energy transition solution because they generate green energy locally,” explains Patrick Martineau, Project Coordinator – System Expertise and Development at Hydro‑Québec.

Why Lac-Mégantic?

Inaugurated July 6, 2021, the Lac‑Mégantic microgrid is the result of close cooperation between Hydro‑Québec and the city of Lac‑Mégantic. “After the 2013 rail disaster, which wiped out the entire downtown core of Lac‑Mégantic, we wanted to switch to green energy and rebuild according to sustainability principles,” explains Julie Morin, Mayor of Lac‑Mégantic, “We wanted to reduce our reliance on the fossil fuels that caused this tragedy.” This vision was entirely in line with the spirit of projects on which Hydro‑Québec was working. Hydro‑Québec decided as a result to contribute to the rebuild by installing a microgrid tailored to the needs of the people of Lac‑Mégantic.

The ABCs of microgrids

The deployment of a neighborhood microgrid in a real community was a first in Québec. To do so, Hydro‑Québec partnered with a variety of Québec firms, using cutting edge distributed energy resources (DER) technologies for the project—including solar panels and a high‑capacity energy storage system produced by Hydro‑Québec subsidiary EVLO. The microgrid was built with minimal impact on the landscape. The solar panels are invisible as they are installed on rooftops, and the larger equipment is sited outside the downtown core.

30buildingsincluded in the Lac‑Mégantic microgrid

2,200solar panels in the Lac‑Mégantic microgrid. These panels can meet the needs of 50 single‑family homes.

How does a microgrid work?

How a microgrid works depends on the season, the weather and the time of day. In summer, the solar generation is generally sufficient to meet the energy demand from the buildings. The microgrid can thus operate in islanded mode—that is, completely independently of the Hydro‑Québec main grid. In winter, when there are fewer hours of sunlight and the electricity demand is higher due to heating, solar generation supplies only some of the energy required. The microgrid then relies on the main grid to meet the demand from the buildings.

When the microgrid generates more electricity than the neighborhood needs, the surplus energy is stored in the EVLO storage system in the microgrid substation. This energy can then be used during cloudy periods and after sundown, or it can be fed into the main grid.

Demand from the buildings together with supply from the DERs and the main grid is managed by a centralized microgrid control system. “This system also handles switching from islanded mode to grid-connected mode and vice versa,” explains David-Olivier Goulet, Engineer – System Expertise and Control at Hydro‑Québec.

The start of a new energy era

In exploring these new technologies, Hydro‑Québec is acquiring expertise that can be applied to other initiatives. Functions such as islanding and bidirectional energy exchanges between the main grid and the microgrid may offer innovative solutions for managing demand during winter peaks.

Hydro‑Québec also plans to put these technologies to work in its 22 off-grid systems. Located in remote regions, these systems currently rely on fossil fuels as sources of energy. Microgrids could help reduce the GHG emissions and environmental footprints of these systems.

Communities first

For Hydro‑Québec, this microgrid was an opportunity to work together with the city of Lac‑Mégantic on a project that is a springboard for the municipality to achieve its goal of becoming a Canadian leader in rural energy transition.

And because every microgrid is unique and tailored to its host community, Hydro‑Québec may also get a better understanding of community needs. This will help Hydro‑Québec to design new services that could help customers to reduce their energy consumption without sacrificing comfort and give them access to a renewable energy mix that nonetheless guarantees a reliable power supply.

This project also promotes social awareness about energy issues and showcases how communities can work together with Hydro‑Québec to be part of the energy transition.

Why Lac-Mégantic?

The ABCs of microgrids

How does a microgrid work?

For your next road trip . . .

The start of a new energy era

Communities first

Creating the Québec of our dreams.