Hydro-Québec Network | Charging of electric cars causes “enormous stress”.

(Laval) Finance and Energy Minister Pierre Fitzgibbon has assured that there is no question of hitting transport electrification targets if the Legault government is prepared to reject industrial projects in the face of a strong expected increase in electricity consumption. .

Stefan Rowland

Canadian Press

The minister has already said the government must “choose” among the many requests from companies seeking access to the Hydro-Québec network to supply new industrial projects. He also sees energy efficiency as a way to reduce stress on the network.

Mr Fitzgibbon assured that the electrification of transport will not be slowed down by these mitigation measures. Quebec does not intend to step on the accelerator when the transportation sector represents 43% of greenhouse gas emissions. “My colleague Benoit Charette (Environment Minister) pushed me back: ‘I want energy that can decarbonise'”, he said during a statement on the electrification of transport on Friday in Laval.

According to data from the Association of Electric Vehicles of Quebec (AVÉQ), there are approximately 170,000 electric vehicles in Quebec. The government wants to increase this number to 2 million by 2030. “Obviously, this puts enormous pressure on Hydro-Québec, not in terms of energy, but in terms of power management,” the minister acknowledged.

Hydro-Québec anticipates the end of the energy surplus by around 2027. The Crown Corporation estimates that more than 100 additional terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity will be needed by 2050 to meet demand and achieve carbon neutrality. This efficiency is increased by energy efficiency. Solar and wind power projects as well as possible new hydroelectric dams.

Finding ways to ease the pressure will see Quebec grant 2.7 million aid to two companies that develop software that makes it possible to manage the use of charging stations in multi-unit residences. The idea is to move the vehicle charging period outside the peak period.

The Electric Vehicle Charging (RVE) and Daimonoff project, in partnership with the École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS), will “make it possible to dissipate 4,000 megawatts (MW) of power and move electric vehicle charging to off-peak hours. Point,” said David Corbeil, President of Electric Vehicle Recharging.

Industrial demand

Alongside the announcement, Mr Fitzgibbon reiterated that there was only 1,000 megawatts of electricity left to run new major industrial projects, a figure he revealed to a parliamentary committee on Thursday.

Quebec however accommodates more projects, he qualifies. The government has received a list of requests equivalent to 23,000 MW and about 10,000 MW is under serious consideration. “Caution. We don’t need that today,” he said subtly in an interview.

“With the wind turbines we’re going to build, with the turbines we’re going to replace, with the energy capacity we’re going to have. We, at the Ministry of Finance, are working to sort out the missing 9000 MW, as soon as we can complete them. »

Interest in Quebec electricity is strong, the minister said. He said he has held talks with companies that say they are willing to wait a year or two to connect to the Hydro-Québec network because it would reduce the carbon footprint of its electricity projects.