Whether it's a flick of a switch or the whirr of air conditioning units, Ontario's growing demand for energy is quietly making noise across the province, with natural gas helping chart the most affordable path forward.

According to a report from Ontario's Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), a strengthening US economy will translate into a boost for Ontario's energy intensive export industries. The IESO's recently released 18-Month Outlook, forecasting energy reliability and operability through to August 2015, states that from an economic perspective, “…the risks aside, Ontario's economy should see improved growth in 2014 and 2015.”

So how will Ontario keep up? “A diverse energy supply mix is key,” says Dr. Phil Walsh, an associate professor at Toronto's Ryerson University. Walsh says that while “base-load” nuclear energy provides a majority of Ontario's power, other sources—such as natural gas—provide the flexibility to ramp up and down with increases in demand on days consumers need it most.

“Natural gas' importance to our energy supply can be summed up in the way that the IESO refers to the fuel,” says Walsh. “It plays an essential role in helping with 'peak generation' and is relied upon to meet the highest demand days of the year. On the days we need energy most, natural gas steps up—something no other fuel can do effectively.” As of January 2014, natural gas provides roughly one-third of the province's installed energy capacity (second only to nuclear). Other key sources include hydroelectric energy and intermittent renewables such as solar and wind power.

It's a point the Ontario Ministry of Energy has taken to heart, as evidenced by its reference to natural gas in Achieving Balance - Ontario's Long Term Energy Plan. The plan, unveiled late last year, recognizes the fuel as playing “an essential role in the daily lives of Ontarians.”

According to the Ontario Natural Gas Alliance, natural gas remains Ontario's most affordable energy option, with access to abundant supplies equating to low and affordable prices for decades to come.

For more information, visit www.cleanandaffordable.ca

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