'Renewables on the Rise': Environment Journal, Summer 2025 — OREC Featured

The Summer 2025 edition of Environment Journal highlights how organizations like OREC are leading the charge for 'Greening the Grid' through its dialogue with industry regulators and policy consultation. OREC’s contributions to the IESO’s consultation process and our open letter to Ontario’s Minister of Energy, Stephen Lecce, are recognized as part of this momentum.

The feature highlights several notable OREC contributions:

• Active Participation in IESO’s Local Generation Program Consultation Ontario's Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) is developing a Local Generation Program (LGP) aimed at ensuring the continuation—and expansion—of small, distribution-connected generation assets (100 kW to 10 MW) like biogas, solar, wind, and combined heat and power. With nearly 2,000 MW of such capacity reaching contract expiry over the next decade, the LGP seeks to re-contract existing facilities and unlock new projects through a competitive process, targeting a program launch in 2026 following stakeholder feedback by April 30, 2025. OREC was among the key contributors to these consultations.

• Input to Ontario’s Minister of Electrification, Stephen Lecce OREC provided informed recommendations in its open letter to Minister Lecce, advocating for stronger support of local clean generation as a pillar of the province’s electrification strategy .

Why Distributed Energy Resources Matter

• Preserving Local Clean Generation: The LGP ensures that valuable distributed energy projects—many already operating—can stay online and expand, offering resilience and local control.

• Supporting Energy Transition Goals: Renewing these contracts helps Ontario meet growing electricity demand driven by electrification and climate policies.

• Aligning Local and Provincial Priorities: OREC's advocacy at both IESO and ministerial consultations reinforces the case for integrated, community-focused energy planning.

📖 Read the full article here: Environment Journal – Summer 2025

📬 And revisit our letter to Minister Lecce: An Open Letter to the Minister of Electrification