Why Solar + Battery Storage Is Exploding in Canada: Trends, Drivers & Opportunity
Across Canada, interest in solar power and battery storage is increasing as governments, utilities, businesses, and homeowners seek ways to meet growing energy demands. The shift is driven by a combination of climate goals, affordability, and the need for more reliable power amid increasingly severe weather events and an aging electrical grid. As investment grows and technology becomes more accessible, solar-plus-storage is quickly moving from a niche solution to a mainstream energy choice.
Canada’s Energy Storage Boom: What’s Driving It
Canada has three main types of commercial-scale energy storage. Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) is a large-scale method for storing energy by compressing air and storing it underground. PHS, or pumped hydroelectric storage, utilizes reservoirs at different elevations to store and release energy through the use of gravity and turbines.
Finally, Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) use batteries to store DC electricity. The difference between BESS and other storage systems is that BESS can be scaled down for non-commercial use. You can use them as a household generator or even use small portable units that can be carried on a hike.
Canada’s entire energy storage sector is booming, driven by numerous factors. At the federal level, efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 45-50% below 2005 levels by 2035 will require greater self-sufficiency and energy storage. In fact, Energy Storage Canada (ESC) says Canada will need at least 8-12GW of energy storage to meet our decarbonization goal.
Other factors driving the growth of energy storage include corporate investments in Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) goals, as well as the need to balance electrical supply and demand and improve grid reliability. There is also the significant role of BESS in enhancing renewable power sources such as wind and solar.
How Battery Storage Is Powering the Shift to Renewables
Batteries are essential components of renewable energy systems because batteries store the power that you produce when the sun shines or the wind blows. Then, as needed, you draw power from your batteries, providing 24/7 electricity regardless of what’s happening with the weather. Without batteries, renewables would only supply intermittent power.
Home backup systems powered by batteries and solar panels are becoming increasingly popular due to safety, convenience, and savings. The EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus Solar Generator (PV220W) is perfectly safe for use indoors with no loud noise or toxic fumes. Then, recharge your batteries with the super-efficient 220W bifacial portable solar panel to stay powered indefinitely and never pay to charge them again.
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The Role of Solar and Battery Storage in a Reliable Grid
To meet the growing electricity needs of Canadians, achieve greenhouse gas reduction goals, and address aging infrastructure, investing in commercial solar and BESS projects is essential to building a reliable grid for the future. Without these investments, the blackouts Canadians are already experiencing will only worsen.
However, homeowners can do their part now by purchasing their own solar battery kits. When you use solar batteries to reduce your reliance on the grid, you increase your energy independence and strengthen the grid. If you use your home battery storage during peak usage, like when everyone gets home from work, you could help prevent a blackout by reducing the grid's load.
The best part, however, is that the EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 Solar Generator (PV400W) is a scalable home backup with 4000W of output, UPS capability, and the ability to run 240V appliances. When the power goes out, you can keep essential appliances running or add additional batteries to expand your storage to 12kWh for whole-home backup. To recharge your batteries for free and stay powered indefinitely, use the 400W solar panel to recharge daily.
Barriers and Opportunities Ahead
Commercially, the Canadian government and countless private companies are investing in solar and BESS. Governments at all levels are also providing numerous incentives, loans, and rebates to help further promote the growth of these sectors. Even residential customers have numerous government incentives to help them purchase and install whole-home generators powered by solar and battery storage.
Some of the challenges are market trends driven in part by the sentiment of major analysts in the renewable sector. This, of course, is influenced by political and financial interests and is thus highly volatile.
Despite apparent volatility, investors are not shying away. In fact, the solar and BESS market has been growing faster than most sectors. Federally, renewables are expected to represent an investment opportunity of $143 billion to $205 billion in Canada over the next 10 years, and 250,000 to 350,000 direct and indirect full-time equivalent (FTE) job-years from 2025 to 2035.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Future of Solar Energy in Canada?
The future of solar energy in Canada is promising, with significant government incentives for green energy, falling solar prices, and rising costs of traditional power. Considerable growth is expected to continue into the foreseeable future, across both large-scale commercial solar farms and residential rooftop applications.
What Is the Battery Energy Storage System Market Trend?
The battery energy storage system (BESS) market is experiencing rapid growth. This is driven by declining BESS costs, rising traditional power costs, increasing integration of renewable power, and more frequent blackouts caused by grid instability, which are prompting homeowners to seek more reliable backup options.
What Is Canada’s Biggest Source of Energy?
It depends on what you’re asking. In Canada, crude oil is the largest source of total primary energy production, followed by natural gas. However, if you are talking about our largest source of electricity generation, hydroelectricity currently accounts for about 55% of Canada's electricity.
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Discover EcoFlow for Eco-Friendly Home Energy Solutions
Canada’s solar and battery storage sectors are expanding rapidly, driven by national decarbonization targets, major investments, and concerns about grid reliability. Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) play a central role in this shift, enabling renewable power to work around the clock while helping households reduce their reliance on an increasingly unreliable grid. For Canadians looking to improve home resilience, scalable solutions like the EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 Solar Generator (PV400W) offer a more sustainable path forward.