Wednesday, September 23, 2026, 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

How Planning Frameworks May be Limiting the Expansion of LDES
Dunsky Energy & Climate Advisors

Long-duration energy storage (LDES) is increasingly recognized as a critical component of a reliable, low-carbon electricity system. Its ability to provide multi-hour to multi-day energy shifting, firm variable renewable generation, and support system resilience during extreme events positions it as a high-value resource within future electricity portfolios. Ontario’s recent recognition of LDES in its long-term procurements marks a promising step forward for LDES in Canada. Yet despite strong interest from planners, policymakers, and developers across the country, LDES continues to be underrepresented in system planning, procurement frameworks, and actual deployments. Rather than a cost or maturity issue, utility planning frameworks may be driving this underrepresentation. This presentation will explore how planning frameworks can exclude or undervalue LDES before it can meaningfully be considered as a viable option in resource portfolios. 

Representing Long Duration Energy Storage in Resource Adequacy Frameworks
EPRI Canada

As power systems decarbonize and reliance on variable renewable resources increases, long‑duration energy storage (LDES) is becoming a cornerstone technology for maintaining system reliability. System planners need to know how to represent LDES in planning models, and particularly in Ontario and other locations, determine the appropriate ways to include LDES in resource adequacy (RA) frameworks to ensure both reliability and appropriate accreditation for markets. This presentation will provide initial findings from in-progress research at EPRI tackling this question.