Seven awards presented during Energy Storage Canada Conference: The Storage Advantage

TORONTO, Sept. 25, 2026 /CNW/ -- Energy Storage Canada (ESC) recognized the organizations and individuals helping advance Canada's energy storage sector as part of the 2026 Energy Storage Canada Awards.

Presented at Energy Storage Canada Conference: The Storage Advantage, the annual awards celebrate leadership, innovation, research and achievement across Canada's energy storage industry. This year's recipients reflect the breadth of work underway to strengthen electricity systems, introduce new technologies and applications, improve grid reliability and support the continued growth of energy storage across the country.

Energy Storage Canada's awards program is technology agnostic and recognizes accomplishments from across the sector, including generators, developers, utilities, regulators, researchers, manufacturers and technology and service providers.

The 2026 Energy Storage Canada Award recipients are:

• Grid Management Storage Award: BluWave-ai
  For the second consecutive year, an ESC Awards first, BluWave-ai is being honoured for its innovative approach to grid management using energy storage. The recognized project leveraged AI-driven platforms to coordinate stationary energy storage and electric vehicles as a single, grid-aware flexible resource, including one of Canada's first AI-driven, multi-manufacturer electric vehicle demand-response events.
• Foundational Research in Energy Storage Award: Mohamad Shamelstein, Independent Electricity System Operator
  This award recognizes research that advances current and emerging areas of interest in Canada's energy storage industry. Mohamad Shamelstein demonstrated how energy storage assets supporting large data centres can provide services to the broader electricity system without compromising essential IT infrastructure.
• Landmark Application of Energy Storage Award: AlumaPower Corporation
  This award recognizes a new energy storage technology or an innovative application of an existing technology. AlumaPower was honoured for its off-grid microgrid demonstration using solid recycled aluminum, which demonstrated a pathway beyond the traditional single-use model of aluminum-air energy storage.
• Energy Storage Milestone Award: NextStar Energy
  This award recognizes a company or organization for achieving a significant milestone in energy storage development, with a clear path toward realizing its broader benefits. NextStar Energy was honoured for the grand opening of its battery manufacturing facility in Windsor, Ont., which strengthens Canada's domestic battery supply chain and the North American energy storage ecosystem.
• Energy Storage Trailblazer Award: Lesley Gallinger, Past President and CEO, Independent Electricity System Operator
  This award recognizes an individual selected by ESC's Board of Directors who has demonstrated exceptional leadership and contributed to the development of energy storage above and beyond the promotion of their organization. During her tenure as CEO of Ontario's Independent Electricity System Operator, Lesley Gallinger oversaw the procurement of more than three gigawatts of utility-scale storage projects in the province, helping establish energy storage as a critical component of Ontario's evolving electricity system.
• Energy Storage Trailblazer Award, In Memoriam: Jim Fonger
  This award recognizes an individual selected by ESC's Board of Directors who demonstrated exceptional leadership and contributed to the development of energy storage above and beyond the promotion of their organization. Jim Fonger believed in the potential of energy storage and, through his leadership and commitment, helped move the industry forward. His impact extends well beyond his own work, and his legacy remains part of the industry being built today.
• Friend of Energy Storage Award: The Honourable Stephen Lecce, Ontario Minister of Energy and Mines
  This award recognizes an individual outside the energy storage sector, selected by ESC's Board of Directors, who has supported the industry through endorsement of the sector, affirmation of its technologies or approval of policy enabling energy storage integration. Minister Lecce is being recognized for his continued commitment to the role of energy storage, most notably through the launch of the Long Lead-Time Procurement, in the ongoing modernization and expansion of Ontario's electricity system.

Quotes

The Honourable Stephen Lecce, Ontario Minister of Energy and Mines

"At a time when President Trump's tariffs threaten Canadian workers and businesses, Ontario is using every tool in the toolbox to protect our economy, build out our electricity grid and strengthen made-in-Canada supply chains. From nuclear and hydro to battery storage, we are harnessing every resource to keep the lights on and our economy moving. This work has seen over 1,200 MW of battery storage capacity come online to help offset peak demand times, and I am proud to champion the technologies that continue to deliver reliable, affordable electricity to Ontario."

• Honourable Stephen Lecce, Minister of Energy and Mines, PC Party of Ontario

NextStar Energy, recipient of the 2026 Energy Storage Milestone Award

"This award is a tremendous recognition of what our team has accomplished in such a short time. The grand opening of our Windsor facility was the culmination of hard work, dedication and ambition in the face of a changing industry. While this is an important milestone, it is only the beginning: we are committed to Canada and proud to be building advanced battery solutions here in Ontario."

• Danies Lee, Chief Executive Officer, NextStar Energy

AlumaPower Corporation, recipient of the 2026 Landmark Application of Energy Storage Award

"This award is a significant milestone for AlumaPower and for the broader advancement of long-duration energy storage in Canada. Our team has demonstrated that recycled aluminum can serve as a reliable energy carrier, enabling clean, grid-independent power where resilience matters most. We look forward to bringing the platform to market in telecom and military applications and ultimately scaling it to support utilities and data centres."

• Rob Alexander, CEO and Co-Founder, AlumaPower Corporation

BluWave-ai, recipient of the 2026 Grid Management Storage Award

"Canada's fastest-growing storage assets are the millions of EVs, home batteries, commercial BESS, and data centre storage systems already installed behind the meter. In 2026, behind-the-meter stationary battery storage in Canada is approaching 2 GWh, and there are already one million EVs on the road. BluWave-ai's own platform analysis shows that when just one-third of Canada's EV fleet participates in a managed charging program, it can deliver roughly 2.5 gigawatts of power capacity and 20 gigawatt-hours of stored energy to the grid, many times larger than all currently installed grid-connected battery storage in Canada. The opportunity is to use AI to turn those distributed assets into one coordinated dispatchable and configurable load in real time. At BluWave-ai, that is exactly what we are doing with EV Everywhere, Energy Storage Autopilot, and Data Center Autopilot."

• Devashish Paul, CEO and Founder of BluWave-ai 

Mohamad Shamelstein, recipient of the 2026 Foundational Research in Energy Storage Award

"I'm honoured that Energy Storage Canada has recognized my research on using energy storage to mitigate the reliability risks large data centres can pose to power grids. Recent incidents involving sudden losses of data-centre demand following grid disturbances highlight the importance of fault ride-through, while rapidly fluctuating AI workloads can excite power oscillations that may stress or damage grid equipment, including generators. My research explores the potential of coordinated battery-storage control within data centres to mitigate both risks while maintaining power to critical computing loads."

• Mohamed Shamseldein, Principal Power System Engineer, Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO)  

Lesley Gallinger, recipient of the 2026 Energy Storage Trailblazer Award

"I am honoured to receive the 2026 Energy Storage Trailblazer Award. Energy storage has moved from the technology of tomorrow to an essential part of Ontario's grid and Canada's electricity future.  I am grateful to have contributed to this remarkable journey."

• Lesley Gallinger, Past President and CEO, Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO)

The Energy Storage Trailblazer Award, In Memoriam, honouring Jim Fonger

"Jim Fonger was a true trailblazer whose vision and leadership helped lay the foundation for Energy Storage Canada and the growth of the sector nationwide. His legacy lives on in the momentum he helped create and in all of us who continue advancing the storage advantage."

• Justin Rangooni, President and CEO, Energy Storage Canada

About Energy Storage Canada

Energy Storage Canada is the national voice for the energy storage industry. ESC works with members and stakeholders to advance energy storage as a key component of a reliable, affordable and modern electricity system across Canada. For more information, visit www.energystoragecanada.org.

SOURCE Energy Storage Canada