Student Internship Builds a Way to Reduce Peak Electricity Demand

- and a Vital Connection Between a Young Researcher and Industry

University of Western Ontario graduate student Gagan Toor is developing software that will allow electricity consumers to proactively manage their energy costs -- and in the process help reduce peak power demand in Ontario.
The Ontario electricity system must be capable of handling the highest potential peak loading; delivering this capacity strains domestic generation resources and increases the province's dependence upon expensive imported power.

One way to reduce these peaks is to create pricing incentives to encourage consumers to use power at non-peak times. But, to make this work, consumers should have an easy way to know when power will be inexpensive.

Mr. Toor, a graduate student supervised by Western's Chair of Electrical and Computer Engineering Tarlochan Sidhu, is developing Internet-based software that will make this possible. He's collaborating with Utilismart Corporation, a joint venture of Nova Scotia Power Incorporated, RDI Utility Consulting and Technologies Inc., and Essex Energy Corporation. The aim of the project is to integrate the resulting technology into Utilismart's Energy Manager product.

This project is supported through an OCE Student Internship, in collaboration with Utilismart. Not only do internships like these create commercially-relevant research results, they also give young Ontario researchers the opportunity to work closely with businesses in the province. This gives them access to the resources they need to conduct their research and builds a relationship that serves them for the next stage of their career, whether that be in academia or business.

Through programs like this internship, OCE Inc. is supporting tomorrow's technology leaders, helping build the pool of highly qualified people the province needs to remain competitive.