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Oshawa
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“amazing” how many foreign companies come
to Oshawa to take advantage of that service.
“Oshawa has gained a worldwide reputation
based on that alone,” he says.
The City of Oshawa, through its Power and
Utilities Corporation, has also added to that
reputation by embarking on an innovative So-
lar PV and Energy Management pilot project in
partnership with Tabuchi Electric Co. of Japan.
That project involves the engineering and
commissioning of approximately 30 turnkey
residential rooftop solar PV systems that will
be combined with energy storage and an en-
ergy management system. The goal is for the
energy management system to provide home-
owners the ability to better manage their en-
ergy generation and consumption, thereby re-
ducing their cost of electricity and their carbon
footprint. The energy storage management
system is designed to provide up to 10 kilo-
watt hours of standby energy, which can also
be utilised as a source of backup power in the
event of a grid power failure.
“That system will collect energy during the
day, charge the batteries, and allow you use
electricity during non-peak times to power the
battery packs, so during peak-times you can
leverage that battery power and reduce your
overall electricity cost,” Sharma summarises.
As a result of forward-thinking initiatives
like that one, Oshawa was named a Smart21
Community of 2016 by the Intelligent Commu-
nity Forum (ICF). ICF is an international think
tank and foundation that encompasses more
than 140 cities, towns and regions. The foun-
dation’s mission is to promote the best prac-
tices of the world’s “Intelligent Communities”
as they adapt to the new demands and seize
the opportunities presented by information and
communications technology.
Each year, the ICF solutes the accomplish-
ments of 21 progressive communities by eval-
uating six key indicators, including: broadband
connectivity; knowledge workforce; innovation;
digital inclusion; sustainability; and advocacy.
In 2016, the Smart21 Communities included
eight from Canada, five from Taiwan, two from
the United States, two from Australia, and one
community each from Germany, The Nether-
lands, New Zealand, and Sweden.
“Being recognized as one of the top 21
Smart Communities in the world is a tremen-
dous accomplishment for Oshawa,” said May-
or Henry at the time. “Having the city acknowl-
edged on the world stage is a testament to the
partnerships that have been developed with
business, education and other stakeholders
who have helped contribute to the city’s revi-
talization and advancement.”
That Smart21 Community selection is not
the first award the City of Oshawa has re-
ceived for its economic development accom-
plishments – in fact, that selection was the
seventh acknowledgement Oshawa had al-