Statutory public meetings are required under the Planning Act, Section 17, 22, 26 and 34 and convened in accordance with Subsection 88 of the Procedure By-law, to consider the following report:

Report Number: ACS2025-PDB-PS-0016 This meeting will be held through a hybrid format with the option to participate in person or electronically in accordance with Section 238 of the Municipal Act, 2001 as amended by the COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act, 2020.

Meetings in open session are open to the public and will in most cases be held at Ottawa City Hall (please refer to the agenda for the location of the

meeting). Additionally, meetings will be hosted in Zoom. Participants may attend the meeting room, call a toll-free telephone number, or use Zoom software on a computer or mobile device

Public Delegations

There are several ways the general public can provide submissions to the Members of Committee and Council for the January 23, 2025 meeting, as follows:

1. Submit comments in writing:
   To submit comments in writing, email the Committee Coordinator (Kelly.crozier@ottawa.ca). Comments received by 4:00 PM on Wednesday, January 22, 2025 will be provided to Members of Committee and Council prior to the meeting. Comments received after this time will be forwarded to Members of Committee and Council as soon as possible, and prior to Council’s final consideration of the item on February 12, 2025 but may not be received by Committee members prior to the January 23, 2025 meeting.
2. Submit verbal comments in advance of the meeting:
   Call the Committee Coordinator by 4:00 PM on Wednesday, January 22, 2025 to have comments transcribed (613-580-2424, x16875).
3. Register to speak at the committee meeting:
   
   1. Register by phone by 4:00 PM on Wednesday, January 22, 2025:
      You may contact the Committee Coordinator 613-580-2424, x16875. Please see further details below for those wishing to make visual presentations to the committee.
   2. Register by e-mail - prior to 8:30 AM on Thursday, January 23, 2025:
      You may contact the Committee Coordinator (Kelly.crozier@ottawa.ca) prior
      to 8:30 AM on Thursday, January 23, 2025. Please see further details below for those wishing to make visual presentations to the committee.
      Notwithstanding the deadlines noted above, public delegations are requested to register as soon as possible in order to facilitate an orderly registration process and meeting.
      Remote participation for public delegations Upon receipt of your registration to speak at the meeting, delegates will be provided the Zoom meeting details and password prior to the meeting, including a link to educational resources for those who may be new to using Zoom.
      Please note that neither a computer, nor a video sharing device, is required to participate in the meeting via Zoom. You may also opt to call in from a cell or landline telephone. A toll-free number will be provided for this purpose.
      The following information is provided for your consideration and guidance during remote participation in the meeting:
      
      • As screen-sharing will not be enabled for participants during this meeting, those delegates who wish to provide a visual presentation (PowerPoint or other) are required to register to speak and provide those materials to the committee coordinator by 4:00 PM on Wednesday, January 22, 2025. The committee coordinator will share your presentation from her screen as you speak.
      • When you join the meeting, either by phone or online, you will be admitted in as an attendee. You will not be greeted upon joining the call. You will be able to hear the meeting and see the active speaker (if you have video capability), but your mic will be muted until it is your turn to speak.
      • You may also follow along on YouTube until you are called upon to speak (a separate device is best if you are calling on a cell), but you must mute that feed when you are called on to speak, in order to prevent feedback. Please note there may be a 5-30 second delay between the live meeting and what you see on YouTube.
      • If you join the Zoom meeting through your phone, please Do Not Put the Phone on Hold at Any Time, as this will result in broadcasting “hold music” online once your mic function is unmuted
      • To optimize call quality when using a laptop, a headset with microphone is best if available to you; otherwise, whether using your laptop microphone or cell phone, please speak directly into the receiver and do not use speaker phone
      • If you are having technical difficulties on Thursday January 23, 2025 you may contact the Clerk’s Office at Committees@ottawa.ca or 613-580-2424, x16875.
      • If you enable your camera, you will appear to meeting-participants and on the YouTube stream.
      • Please do not share the Zoom meeting details with anyone or post through social media.
      • Public delegations will be provided five (5) minutes in which to make their comments once called upon to speak. Questioning of / debate with the members (or staff) is not permitted. If you have questions, you may state them during your five minutes. Your comments must be directly related to the content of the report(s) to which you are speaking. The committee members may choose to ask you follow-up questions following your remarks, comment, or ask staff to respond to what you have said.
      • You are welcome to send written comments for the committee’s consideration, either in addition to your oral presentation or in lieu of (both are given equal consideration by the committee), prior to the meeting. Please refer to the information provided above on how to submit written comments/presentations.
      • When your five minutes are up and after answering any questions that may be directed to you, the Committee Coordinator will move you back to an attendee.
        For more information, please contact the Committee Coordinator directly at 6135802424, x16875 or Kelly.crozier@ottawa.ca
        Notwithstanding all of the above, the Rules of procedure as set out in the proceedings Procedure Bylaw will be followed.
        Réunion du Comité d’agriculture et des affaires rurales Le jeudi 23 janvier 2025
        10 h
        Les réunions publiques sont obligatoires en vertu des articles 17, 22, 26 et 34 de la Loi sur l’aménagement du territoire et sont convoquées conformément au paragraphe 88 du Règlement de procédure dans le but d’examiner le rapport suivant :
        Modification du Plan officiel et du Règlement de zonage visant les systèmes de stockage de l’énergie dans les batteries (SSEB)
        Numéro du rapport: ACS2025-PDB-PS-0016 La réunion se déroulera en format hybride, en vue d’offrir la possibilité aux participants d’y assister en personne ou par voie électronique, conformément à l’article 238 de la Loi de 2001 sur les municipalités, telle que modifiée par la Loi de 2020 visant à favoriser la reprise économique face à la COVID-19.
        Les réunions en séance publique sont ouvertes à tous et se tiennent généralement à l’hôtel de ville d’Ottawa (veuillez consulter l’ordre du jour pour connaître le lieu exact de la réunion). La réunion est également présentée sur Zoom. Les participants peuvent donc y assister en personne, ou en appelant le numéro sans frais ou encore en utilisant le logiciel Zoom sur un ordinateur ou un appareil mobile.
        Intervenants du public 
        Le grand public peut présenter des commentaires en vue de la réunion du 23 janvier, 2025 de l’une ou l’autre des façons suivantes :
        
        1. Commentaires écrits :
           Pour soumettre vos commentaires écrits, envoyez un courriel à l’adresse à la coordonnatrice de comité (kelly.crozier@ottawa.ca). Les commentaires reçus avant le mercredi, 22 janvier 2025, à 16 h, seront transmis aux membres du Comité et du Conseil avant la réunion. Ceux reçus après cette heure pourraient ne pas leur être transmis avant la réunion. Ils le seront dès que possible, avant l’examen final du point par le Conseil le 12 février, 2025.
        2. Commentaires oraux en prévision de la réunion :
           Vous pouvez appeler la coordonnatrice de comité en composant le 613-580-2424, poste 16875, avant mercredi, 22 janvier 2025, à 16 h, pour faire transcrire vos commentaires.
        3. Inscription pour prendre la parole :
           
           1. Inscription par téléphone avant le mercredi, 22 janvier 2025 à 16 h : Vous pouvez appeler la coordinatrice de comité au 613-580-2424, poste 16875.
              Veuillez consulter les précisions ci-après si vous souhaitez faire une présentation visuelle au Comité.
           2. Inscription par courriel avant le jeudi, 23 janvier 2025, à 8 h 30: Vous pouvez communiquer avec la coordonnatrice de comité par courriel (kelly.crozier@ottawa.ca) au plus tard le jeudi, 23 janvier 2025, à 8 h 30. Veuillez consulter les précisions ci-après si vous souhaitez faire une présentation visuelle au Comité.

Malgré les échéances indiquées ci-dessus, nous encourageons les intervenants à s’inscrire le plus tôt possible pour faciliter le processus d’inscription et l’organisation de la réunion.

Dès réception de votre demande d’inscription, la coordonnatrice vous enverra avant la réunion les renseignements et le mot de passe Zoom ainsi qu’un lien vers un guide d’utilisation à l’intention de ceux qui se serviront de Zoom pour la première fois. Veuillez noter qu’il n’est pas obligatoire d’avoir un ordinateur ou un appareil de partage de vidéos pour participer à la réunion. Un téléphone cellulaire ou filaire convient également. Un numéro sans frais vous sera communiqué à cette fin.

Vous trouverez ci-dessous des précisions concernant la réunion virtuelle :

• Le partage d’écran ne sera pas autorisé durant cette réunion. Les intervenants qui souhaitent faire une présentation visuelle (PowerPoint ou autre) doivent s’inscrire et fournir les fichiers à la coordonnatrice avant le mercredi, 22 janvier 2025, à 16 h. La coordonnatrice partagera la présentation à partir de son écran lors de l’intervention.
• Lorsque vous vous joindrez à la réunion, par téléphone ou par Internet, vous serez admis comme participant. Il n’y aura pas de salutations. Vous pourrez entendre la réunion et voir l’orateur (si votre appareil le permet), mais votre micro sera désactivé jusqu’à ce que vous preniez la parole.
• Vous pourrez également suivre la réunion sur YouTube en attendant d’intervenir (il est préférable d’utiliser un appareil distinct si vous appelez d’un cellulaire), mais il vous faudra couper le son au moment de parler pour éviter tout effet Larsen. Veuillez noter qu’il peut y avoir un décalage de 5 à 30 secondes entre la réunion et la vidéo YouTube.
• Si vous participez par téléphone, veuillez ne jamais mettre l’appel en attente, car cela activerait une « musique d’attente » même si votre micro est coupé.
• Afin d’optimiser la qualité de l’appel si vous utilisez un ordinateur portatif, privilégiez un casque d’écoute avec micro si possible. Si vous utilisez le micro de votre ordinateur portatif ou un téléphone cellulaire, parlez directement dans le combiné et évitez d’utiliser le haut-parleur.
• Si vous rencontrez des difficultés techniques le jeudi, 23 janvier 2025, vous pouvez communiquer avec le Bureau du greffier municipal à l’adresse Kelly.Crozier@ottawa.ca ou au 613-580-2424, poste 16875.
• Si vous activez votre caméra, vous apparaîtrez sur l’écran des participants et sur YouTube.
• Veuillez de ne pas communiquer les renseignements Zoom relatifs à la réunion et de ne pas les publier sur les médias sociaux.
• Les intervenants du public auront cinq (5) minutes pour formuler des commentaires lorsqu’on les invitera à prendre la parole. Il ne sera pas permis de poser des questions aux membres (ou au personnel) ni de débattre avec eux. Si vous avez des questions, vous pourrez les poser lors des cinq minutes qui vous seront octroyées. Vos commentaires doivent être directement liés aux rapports sur lesquels porte votre intervention. Les membres du Comité pourront vous poser des questions complémentaires, donner leurs commentaires ou demander au personnel de vous répondre.
• Nous vous invitons à envoyer vos commentaires écrits aux membres du Comité, à la place ou en plus de votre intervention orale (les deux seront équitablement examinés), avant la réunion. Pour savoir comment soumettre un commentaire ou une présentation, reportez-vous à la rubrique ci-dessus.
• Une fois les cinq minutes écoulées, et après que vous avez répondu à toutes les questions qui pourraient vous être adressées, la coordonnatrice de comité vous déconnectera de la réunion Zoom. Vous pourrez alors continuer de suivre la réunion sur YouTube.

Pour en savoir plus, vous pouvez communiquer directement avec la coordonnatrice de comité, Kelly Crozier, coordonnatrice de comité, en composant le 613-580-2424, poste 16875, ou en envoyant un message à kelly.crozier@ottawa.ca.

Nonobstant ce qui précède, les Règles de procédure énoncées dans le Règlement de procédure s’appliqueron.

Contact Person: Melissa Jort-Conway, Planner III, Climate Change and Resiliency 613-580-2424 ext.16187, Melissa.Jort-Conway@ottawa.ca

1. Approve amendments to the Official Plan adding a new Section 4.12 and giving land use policy direction for the siting of Battery Energy Storage Systems, as either a principal or accessory use, as summarized in Document 1;
2. Approve amendments to the Zoning By-law 2008-250 adding a definition for Battery Energy Storage System as well as adding provisions for the siting of Battery Energy Storage Systems that are accessory to residential and non-residential uses in the urban and rural area as summarized in Document 2;
3. Approve that decisions on future requests for Municipal Support Resolution(s) that are associated with a Battery Energy Storage System as a principal use project be voted on separately as part of the consideration for the required Zoning By-law Amendment application;
4. Approve amendments to the Site Plan Control By-law No. 2014-256 as detailed in Document 5; and
5. Approve the Consultation Details Section of this report be included as part of the ‘brief explanation’ in the Summary of Written and Oral Public Submissions, to be prepared by the Office of the City Clerk and submitted to Council in the report titled, “Summary of Oral and Written Public Submissions for Items Subject to the Planning Act ‘Explanation Requirements’ at the City Council Meeting of February 12, 2025,” subject to submissions received between the publication of this report and the time of Council’s decision.

1. Approuver des modifications au Plan officiel visant à ajouter une nouvelle section 4.12 et à fournir une politique d’aménagement du territoire relative à l’implantation des systèmes de stockage de l’énergie dans les
   batteries, en tant qu’utilisation principale ou accessoire, comme le résume le document 1;
2. Approuver des modifications au Règlement de zonage 2008-250 visant à ajouter une définition de système de stockage de l’énergie dans les batteries ainsi que des dispositions relatives à l’implantation des systèmes de stockage de l’énergie dans les batteries accessoires à des utilisations résidentielles et non résidentielles dans les secteurs urbains et ruraux, comme le résume le document 2;
   
3. Approuver le fait que les décisions portant sur les futures demandes de résolution municipale favorable (RMF) associées à un système de stockage de l’énergie dans les batteries en tant que projet d’utilisation principale fassent l’objet d’un vote distinct lors de l’examen de la demande de modification du Règlement de zonage;
4. Approuver des modifications au Règlement sur la réglementation du plan d’implantation (no 2014-256), décrites en détail dans le document 5; et
5. Approuver l’inclusion de la section du présent rapport consacrée aux détails de la consultation en tant que « brève explication » dans le

The Independent Electricity Systems Operator (IESO) is responsible for managing the flow of electricity across Ontario and ensuring its reliability. It also oversees Ontario's electricity markets by driving competition to maintain affordability. In response to increased demand from expanding electrification and business investment in large energy consuming sectors including transportation, manufacturing, water and building envelope heating, combined with pressures on current supply, the Ontario government is forecasting the province’s demand for electricity to increase by 75 per cent by 2050.

The consumer use of batteries is growing at a rapid rate. Battery storage has become an essential commodity for both personal and professional use and for a range of applications such as mobile phones, vehicles, backup power for sump pumps, storing energy from residential solar panels to Tesla Powerwalls, and larger systems supporting businesses and hospitals.

Emerging technologies like battery energy storage systems (BESS), distributed energy sources and demand response programs are rapidly developing to fulfil the reliability needs of Ontario’s electricity system. Specifically, BESS draw and store energy from the grid during off-peak hours when demand is low and then discharge it back to the grid when it is needed. This stabilizes the power grid and scales peak shaving services to reduce the cost of electricity for the end user. BESS are also well-suited to handle the intermittent nature of generation from renewable sources such as wind and solar.

This report responds to a December 6, 2023 Council direction for staff to include BESS facilities in the municipal development review and approvals processes. In keeping with recent changes to the Provincial Planning Statement (2024), this report recommends amendments to the Official Plan adding a new Section 4.12, summarized in Document 1, which sets out the land use policy direction for the siting of Battery Energy Storage Systems, as either a principal or accessory use in the rural and urban areas.

Proposed amendments to the Zoning By-law, summarized in Document 2, will add a new definition for Battery Energy Storage System, including as a principal and accessory land use, as well as amend the definition of On-farm diversified use to include energy storage systems.

The amendment also adds new performance standards specific to Accessory BESS in the rural and urban areas, including establishing a maximum size limit to a percentage of the lot area depending on the zone, as well as establishing setback and screening requirements.

This report also recommends that requests for Municipal Support Resolutions (MSRs) as required by the Independent Electricity Systems Operator (IESO) under the LT1 Request for Proposals that are associated with a Battery Energy Storage System as a principal use project, be voted on separately as part of Council consideration for the required Zoning By-law Amendment application.

On November 13, 2024, Council approved amendments to the Site Plan Control By-law 2014-256 (ACS2024-PDB-PS-0029) which included BESS facilities. As part of that report, staff were directed to review additional exemptions from site plan control approval (for example for small BESS facilities), which has been addressed within this report. This report proposes amendments to the Site Plan Control By-law which will help to expedite BESS projects by scoping the development approvals process to siting for safety and minimizing impacts to the built and natural environments.

Il incombe à la Société indépendante d’exploitation du réseau d’électricité (SIERE) de gérer la distribution de l’électricité en Ontario et d’assurer la fiabilité du réseau. La SIERE supervise en outre les marchés de l’électricité de l’Ontario en stimulant la concurrence afin de maintenir leur abordabilité. Face à l’augmentation de la demande découlant du développement de l’électrification et des investissements des entreprises dans les secteurs grands consommateurs d’énergie, notamment les transports, l’industrie manufacturière, le chauffage de l’eau et des bâtiments, autant de facteurs qui viennent s’ajouter aux pressions exercées sur l’offre actuelle, le gouvernement de l’Ontario prévoit que la demande en électricité de la province augmentera de 75 pour cent d’ici à 2050.

L’utilisation des batteries par les consommateurs augmente rapidement. Le stockage de l’énergie dans les batteries est devenu indispensable tant pour l’utilisation personnelle que professionnelle, et pour une foule d’applications entourant par exemple les téléphones mobiles, les véhicules, l’alimentation de secours pour les pompes d’assèchement, le stockage de l’énergie des panneaux solaires résidentiels, les Powerwalls de Tesla et les systèmes plus importants utilisés par les entreprises et les hôpitaux.

Les technologies émergentes comme les systèmes de stockage de l’énergie dans les batteries (SSEB), les sources énergétiques décentralisées et les programmes

de réponse à la demande se développent rapidement pour répondre aux besoins de fiabilité du réseau électrique ontarien. Plus particulièrement, les SSEB prélèvent et stockent de l’énergie du réseau pendant la période hors pointe, lorsque la demande est faible, et la restituent dans le réseau en cas de besoin. Cette mesure contribue à stabiliser le réseau et à adapter les services d’écrêtement des pointes afin de réduire le coût de l’électricité pour l’utilisateur final. Les SSEB sont également très appropriés pour composer avec la nature intermittente de la production à partir de sources renouvelables comme l’éolien et le solaire.

Le présent rapport fait suite à une directive du Conseil datée du 6 décembre 2023, enjoignant au personnel d’inclure les installations de SSEB dans les processus municipaux d’examen et d’approbation des projets d’aménagement. Dans la foulée des changements récemment apportés à la Déclaration provinciale sur la planification (2024), le présent rapport recommande des modifications au Plan officiel consistant à ajouter une nouvelle section 4.12, résumée dans le document 1, qui fournit une politique d’aménagement du territoire relative à l’implantation des systèmes de stockage de l’énergie dans les batteries, en tant qu’utilisation principale ou accessoire, dans les secteurs ruraux et urbains.

Les modifications proposées au Règlement de zonage, résumées dans le document 2, permettront d’ajouter une nouvelle définition de système de stockage de l’énergie dans les batteries, en tant qu’utilisation principale ou accessoire, et de modifier la définition de la notion d’ « utilisation diversifiée à la ferme » en y ajoutant les systèmes de stockage de l’énergie.

Les modifications ont également pour objet d’ajouter de nouvelles normes fonctionnelles propres aux SSEB accessoires dans les secteurs ruraux et urbains, notamment l’établissement d’une limite de surface maximale correspondant à un pourcentage de la superficie du terrain en fonction de la zone, ainsi que l’établissement d’exigences en matière de retrait et d’écran visuel.

Le présent rapport recommande en outre que les décisions portant sur les futures demandes de résolution municipale favorable (RMF), exigées par la Société indépendante d’exploitation du réseau d’électricité (SIERE) en vertu des demandes de proposition à long terme 1 associées à un projet de système de stockage de l’énergie dans les batteries d’utilisation principale, fassent l’objet d’un vote distinct lors de l’examen par le Conseil municipal de la demande de modification du Règlement de zonage correspondante.

Le 13 novembre 2024, le Conseil a approuvé des modifications au Règlement régissant la réglementation du plan d’implantation (no 2014-256) (ACS2024-PDB-PS-0029), qui englobent les installations de SSEB. Dans le cadre de ce rapport, le personnel avait été chargé d’examiner d’autres exemptions du processus d’approbation du plan d’implantation (par exemple pour les petites installations de SSEB), qui ont été prises en compte dans le présent rapport. Le présent rapport propose des modifications au Règlement régissant la réglementation du plan d’implantation qui contribueront à accélérer les projets de SSEB en définissant la portée du processus d’approbation des demandes d’aménagement jusqu’à l’implantation, afin d’accroître la sécurité et de limiter les répercussions sur les environnements bâti et naturel.

In October 2021, Council approved Ottawa’s Official Plan (ACS2021-PIE-EDP-0036). The Official Plan fulfilled Council’s direction set out in the Climate Change Master Plan to apply a climate lens in developing policies.

Electricity is a commodity that is produced by suppliers, sold and then transported to customers. Half of Ontario's electricity supply is generated by nuclear plants, approximately one-quarter by hydro dams, and the rest by a mix of gas plants, wind and solar. Ontario Power Generation (OPG) produces approximately half of Ontario’s electricity, and private generators supply the rest.

The Independent Electricity Systems Operator (IESO) manages the flow of electricity across Ontario to ensure reliability. They also oversee Ontario's electricity markets by driving competition to maintain affordability. The IESO has identified the need to increase energy supply, starting in 2025 through the latter part of the decade.

In response to increased demand from expanding electrification and business investment in large energy consuming sectors including transportation, manufacturing, water and building envelope heating, combined with pressures on current supply, the Ontario government is forecasting the province’s demand for electricity to increase 75 per cent by 2050.

Distributed energy sources and demand response programs are rapidly developing to fulfil the reliability needs of Ontario’s electricity system. Specifically, Battery Energy Storage Systems technology has emerged and is evolving in the energy industry with broad uses commercially, industrially and for local distribution. BESS draw and store energy from the grid during off-peak hours when demand is low and then discharge it back to the grid when it is needed. This stabilizes the power grid and scales peak shaving services, a strategy used to reduce costs by reducing power consumption during peak demand periods, which helps to reduce the cost of electricity for the end user.

For land use planning purposes, Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are classified into two categories: principal use and accessory use. Energy storage systems are considered principal uses when the activity of drawing, storing, and discharging electricity is main function of the site and they are typically sited close to the transmission and distribution networks for ease of connection to supply electricity to the grid. These are commonly built as outdoor storage facilities with rows of individual storage containers that look like shipping containers. Once constructed, they require only routine maintenance and can be monitored remotely.

BESS as an accessory use supports one or more buildings as well as utility installations such as a substation. They serve to supplement the specific power needs of a site and also provide energy resiliency in the event of power outages. BESS are also well-suited to handle the intermittent nature of renewable energy generation facilities such as wind and solar farms.

In 2022, the IESO led the largest energy storage procurement ever in Canada, known as the “E-LT1” and the “LT1” Request for Proposals, which resulted in 26 proposed principal use BESS projects throughout the province with a total capacity of 2,916 megawatts.

As part of the LT1 Request for Proposal (RFP), projects were required to obtain a Municipal Support Resolution (MSR) from municipal Councils. A Municipal Support Resolution (MSR) is the mechanism by which the IESO authorizes municipal governments to endorse energy projects that “align with their strategic goals and priorities”. They are general in nature and do not preclude projects from having to meet municipal regulatory requirements or obtain any municipal development approvals or permits.

Under the LT1 RFP, projects that obtained a MSR prior to the bid deadline of December 12, 2023, received additional points. Proposals that submitted without a MSR were given until no later than 20 months of the Contract date to obtain a MSR.

On December 6, 2023 (ACS2023-PRE-EDP-0051), Council only granted a Municipal Support Resolution (MSR) to a proposed BESS project in Ward 21. Three other proposed BESS projects in Ward 5 were refused. As part of that same report, Council directed staff to include BESS facilities in the development review and approvals processes as well as make recommendations on managing future requests for Municipal Support Resolutions (MSRs).

On May 9, 2024, the IESO awarded contracts to two BESS projects in rural Ottawa under the LT1 procurement, in Ward 5 and 21 respectively. As shown in the table below, the Fitzroy BESS is required to obtain a MSR by February 6, 2026. Brookfield Renewable Power Inc., branded under the name Evolugen, is the successful proponent for both projects in Ottawa. The location and MSR status of each is summarized in the table below.

Project

Location

Council decision on MSR

“Fitzroy BESS”

Homesteaders Road and Galetta Side Road (West-Carleton-March – Ward 5)

Refused

“Trail BESS”

4186 William McEwen Drive (Rideau-Jock – Ward 21)

Granted

On November 13, 2024, Council approved amendments to the Site Plan Control By-law 2014-256 (ACS2024-PDB-PS-0029) which included BESS facilities. Staff were directed by Council motion to further “review additional exemptions from site plan control approval (for example for small BESS facilities) once accessory use battery energy storage system (BESS) facilities are further defined through the review of official plan and zoning bylaw amendments for BESS facilities”.

This report responds to these Council directions. Matters specific to the two proposed BESS projects in Ottawa will be brought forward through separate reports to Council.

Below is a summary of applicable policies and standards to BESS facilities and analysis for the report recommendations.

The 2024 Provincial Planning Statement (PPS) came into effect on October 20, 2024. Staff have reviewed the recent changes and have determined that the proposed amendments to the Official Plan and Zoning By-law are consistent with the 2024 Provincial Policy Statement as summarized in Table 1 below.

PPS 2024

Policy Number

Policy changes

Staff determination of consistency

2.9 Energy Conservation, Air Quality and Climate Change

Planning authorities shall plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for the impacts of a changing climate through approaches that support energy conservation and efficiency.

The Official Plan, approved by the province in 2022, fulfilled Council’s direction set out in the Climate Change Master Plan to apply a climate lens in developing policies to respond to the climate emergency, which was declared in 2019.

The proposed amendments respond specifically to the need to support distributed energy resources where appropriate, which includes the siting of BESS.

3.8 Energy Supply

Planning authorities should provide opportunities for the development of energy supply including electricity generation facilities and transmission and distribution systems, energy

storage systems, district energy,

The proposed amendments respond to the provincial direction by way of amendments to the Official Plan, summarized in Document 1, and direct the

appropriate siting of BESS as

PPS 2024

Policy Number

Policy changes

Staff determination of consistency

renewable energy systems, and alternative energy systems, to accommodate current and projected needs.

a principal use for transmission scale support or as an accessory use for distribution scale support.

8. Definitions

Energy storage system: means a system or facility that captures energy produced at one time for use at a later time to reduce imbalances between energy demand and energy production, including for example, flywheels, pumped hydro storage, hydrogen storage, fuels storage, compressed air storage, and battery storage.

Staff recommend that this new definition be added to Section 13 of the Official Plan. BESS are a specific type of energy storage system. This report provides the land use policy direction for principal and accessory BESS that are to be subject to specific Planning Act approvals and those which are to be permitted by-right.

On-farm diversified uses: means uses that are secondary to the principal agricultural use of the property, and are limited in area. On-farm diversified uses include, but are not limited to, home occupations, home industries, agri-tourism uses, uses that produce value-added agricultural products, and electricity generation facilities and transmission systems, and energy storage systems.

Staff recommend that BESS not associated with a public utility only be permitted in the Agricultural Resource Area (ARA) designation as an

On-farm diversified use or accessory use.

This report describes proposed Official Plan Amendments to address Battery Energy Storage Systems as a land use permission. Considering the complexity and uniqueness of BESS and in keeping with the City’s legislative authority under the Planning Act to address land use matters consistent with the Provincial Planning Statement, staff recommend adding a new Section 4.12 (City-Wide Policies) into the Official Plan to address BESS facilities, as summarized in Document 1.

Amendments to the Official Plan are required to address BESS as a principal use, which is in reference to BESS that connect to the electrical transmission or distribution grid network by a regulated utility or a third-party. These types of storage systems are typically sited close to utility-owned networks for ease of connecting stored supplies of electricity.

The Official Plan currently permits public utility facilities which are subject to the Environmental Assessment Act in all designations of the Official Plan. However, only the transmission components of a principal use BESS facility (i.e. transformer station(s), transmission line(s)) may be subject to the Class Environmental Assessment for Minor Transmission Facilities. The battery storage units associated with a BESS facility, regardless of size, do not require an Environmental Assessment for approval and are therefore subject to the Planning Act. Other public utilities and municipal services are permitted in all designations with the exception of mineral aggregate resource areas, environmental sensitive and constrained areas such as floodplain areas and unstable slopes.

The proper siting of BESS as a principal use must take into account project-specific requirements. City staff were not consulted on the site selection criteria used for the proposed BESS projects in Ward 5 and Ward 21. Under the LT1 RFP, the Independent Electricity System Operator established a requirement for proponents to submit pre-bid energy “deliverability test” along specific transmission corridors. Upon approval of selected connection points along the network, proponents undertook to identify potential vacant parcels in close proximity.

Additional consideration for the siting of BESS as a principal use include noise, fire safety and emergency response planning, agricultural land and natural heritage protection and mitigating environmental constraints areas.

Reducing risk of fire is an important consideration for BESS, specifically, given that lithium-ion batteries are currently the dominant storage technology for transmission scale BESS. When a lithium-ion battery cell fails or is subjected to abuse, “thermal runaway” can occur. Thermal runaway occurs when cells enter an uncontrollable, self-heating state resulting in high temperatures, gas (i.e. CO2, CO, H2 and hydrocarbons) and/or electrolyte venting, smoke, fire or a combination of reactions.

Staff understand that changes to battery pack technology and software innovations are ongoing to address fire and safety concerns. As part of a proposed Zoning By-law Amendment application, proponents will be required to demonstrate to Ottawa Fire Services (OFS) satisfaction that effective fire and safety risk management is to be applied in the design of the BESS facility. Proponents will also be required to install fire prevention and suppression systems. Additionally, proponents must provide OFS with site-specific training and provisions for regular awareness.

Ottawa Fire Services has been involved in reviewing the proposed BESS facilities and are continuing to evaluate best practices for emergency response planning of BESS facilities. OFS has highly trained personnel and is well-equipped to respond to BESS emergencies, with a primary emphasis on prevention and early mitigation. Automated prevention and suppression systems aim to mitigate the potential for a fire. In the event of a fire, fire tactics will primarily focus on protecting exposures to prevent the spread of flames. Each site will be assessed on a case-by-case basis to determine the appropriate water supply requirements, which may include municipal water supply, on- site storage reservoirs, or the installation of dry or remote hydrant systems.

Fire safety considerations for battery energy storage systems are summarized in Document 3.

In developing the proposed policies, staff looked closely at Hydro One Networks Inc.’s BESS Fire Protection Risk & Response Assessment Standard (FPRRAS)1. The Standard was specifically developed to address BESS in proximity to Hydro One’s transmission grid facilities. The FPRRAS is a comprehensive standard from a BESS permitting and approval standpoint. Municipal approvals are in addition to the FRPPAS.

The National Fire Protection Association’s Standard (NFPA 855) contains a minimum setback standard of 30 metres to protect uses from being within the blast radius in the event of an explosion. Given that Hydro One’s transmission assets are critical infrastructure, and that any interruption or failure could impact millions of Ontarians, Hydro One established setback distances of up to 150 metres from their highest voltage transmission lines (500 kilovolt) for BESS supporting the transmission grid. This setback

1 BESS Fire Protection Risk & Response Assessment Standard, Rev. 1 (Nov. 2023)

is to prevent ionization of their hydro lines in the event of a fire as metallic particles in the smoke could cause the smoke to act as a conductor.

In the absence of any provincial guidance on recommended setbacks for principal use BESS, staff are recommending that the setbacks set out by FPRRAS be used as a baseline setback from sensitive land uses (i.e. residential use buildings, day care, place of worship, school, library, community centre, community health and resource centre, open space, park or institutional use) with potential increases to that setback based on the review of plans and studies which would accompany an application for a site specific Zoning By-law Amendment, including:

• Noise Control Study;
• Environmental Impact Study and Wildland Fire Hazard Assessment, where applicable;
• Provision of fire protection and emergency response plans to the satisfaction of Ottawa Fire Services;
• Provision of a Commissioning and Decommissioning Plan

Existing policies in the Official Plan for the Agricultural Resource Area designation direct that prime agricultural areas should be preserved for agricultural uses. On-farm diversified uses and agriculture-related uses that are compatible with and do not hinder surrounding agricultural operations are also permitted by the policies, subject to limitations on size, scale and location on the property as determined by the Zoning

By-law.

To preserve prime agricultural land for agricultural uses, the proposed Official Plan Amendment proposes to only permit BESS as an either an accessory or On-farm diversified use, which is similar to an accessory use in terms of permitted size and scale.

Amendments to the Official Plan propose to restrict the location of BESS as a principal use to the Rural Countryside, Rural Industrial and Logistics, and Natural Environment Area designations that are outside of Villages and outside of the Natural Heritage Features overlay, Sand and Gravel and Bedrock Resource Area overlays, Flood Plains, and near Unstable Slopes. In addition, a minimum setback of 10 metres from the dripline of any forested area is recommended, which will be clarified by an

Environmental Impact Assessment and Wildland Fire Hazard Assessment where applicable. These provisions are in keeping with the policies of the Official Plan to protect the natural heritage system and features for their character and ecosystem services.

This section provides a summary of the codes and standards that are industry typical standards that apply to BESS in Canada and the USA. Considering their complexity and uniqueness, it is critical to understand the level of oversight that applies to BESS, whether as a principal or accessory use.

The Ontario Building Code (OBC) requires emergency power to be supplied to certain kinds of buildings. The power can be a combination of generator and battery power. The measures contained within the OBC are solely for the purpose of emergency lighting, fire safety and life safety systems of buildings. BESS facilities themselves may not be considered as buildings if they comprise only batteries within containers with no interior access. However, any BESS that is intended to support the fire & life safety of occupants of a building would require a building permit (i.e. if they are relied upon to power the fire alarm, elevators, emergency lighting in the event of a power loss to the building).

The primary authority for the Installation and Approval of Energy Storage Systems connected to the electrical grid in Ontario is the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA). The Ontario government has given ESA a mandate to improve public electrical safety. The ESA administers Part VIII of the Electricity Act and oversees the Ontario Electrical Safety Code (OESC). The OESC is authorized under O Reg 164/99 and sets out how to do electrical work.

Non-residential energy storage systems for use or sale in Ontario must be approved in accordance with OESC Rule 2-024 and Ontario Regulation 438/07, which contains regulations for product safety. Approval may be obtained by one of the following:

1. Product certification by an accredited certification body to the requirements of ANSI/CAN/UL 9540 Energy Storage Systems and Equipment (see Document 4);
2. Field evaluation by an accredited inspection body to the requirements of the SPE-1000 model code and applicable requirements of the ANSI/CAN/UL 9540;
3. For battery energy storage