A Bowmanville battery storage project announced Tuesday would allow St. Marys Cement to shift some electricity use away from the grid’s busiest periods while maintaining plant operations.
Rodan Energy Solutions and St. Marys Cement announced a long-term agreement for a 50 megawatt-hour behind-the-meter battery energy storage system at the Bowmanville facility. St. Marys is part of Votorantim Cimentos North America, or VCNA.
The companies describe the planned installation as Canada’s largest behind-the-meter battery system to date. That is their description of the project, rather than an independently verified ranking. The announcement concerns a planned installation, not a system already operating at the plant.
The proposed operating approach is to charge the batteries during lower-demand periods and draw on the stored energy when electricity demand is high. The partners say this can reduce the plant’s peak grid demand, manage energy costs and improve operational resilience.
Rodan will develop, own and operate the system and use its FlexOps platform to optimize its performance. Under the announced arrangement, Rodan takes on the development capital and operating risk, while St. Marys receives a managed energy service without an upfront capital outlay.
The Bowmanville plant has operated since 1968. VCNA says this is its first project of this type and could help it assess similar opportunities elsewhere in its operations. The company links the investment to its broader sustainability strategy, including a net-zero concrete goal for 2050 and interim targets for 2030.
The Bowmanville battery storage release does not give a commissioning date, project price or exact annual savings. It also does not quantify the reduction in emissions expected from this particular installation. Those outcomes should not be assumed from the storage capacity alone.
Durham Radio News reported the local announcement Tuesday afternoon. Residents seeking future construction or operating details can follow updates from the companies; no specific construction schedule was announced in the material reviewed.
