CAFES, in partnership with Invest Ottawa, welcomes you to join us for a Lunch and Learn at Bayview Yards: Ottawa’s Innovation Centre! You’ll learn from experts in the field about how electricity grids are built around peak demand and how battery energy storage systems (BESS) are increasingly used by utilities and large energy users to manage peak load, improve resilience, enable electrification and local economic development.

What you can expect from attending this event:

• Increased knowledge and awareness of the energy transition and grid evolution, including the rapid global adoption of BESS.
• Discussions based on evidence and practical experience to reduce fear and misinformation about BESS.
• Learning about peak load; why it drives grid investment and constraints; explore Ottawa’s “end-of-the-line” grid context, how capacity and peak load management can constrain local economic development, and more.
• Hearing about local solutions including BESS, efficiency, and demand management.
• Learn how AI-enabled smart EV charging and BESS can work together to reduce peak demand, integrate renewable energy, and support a more resilient grid without costly upgrades.
• A chance to meet and network with subject matter experts and others working across a range of BESS topics in Ottawa.

Program

11:00 AM -12:00 PM Invest Ottawa Mini Clean-tech exhibition/networking

12:00 PM -12:30 PM Lunch (vegetarian buffet)

12:30 PM – 2:00PM Keynote, moderated panel discussion and audience Q&A

Speakers (learn more about our speakers in the line up section below)

• Michael Barnard (joining us virtually), founder and Chief Strategist of TFIE Strategy Inc
• Professor Kristen Schell, Carleton University, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
• Devashish Paul, Chief Executive Officer, BlueWave-AI
• Angela Keller-Herzog, Executiver Director, CAFES (Moderator)