Scout Clean Energy kicks off Trail Road BESS construction from new office
Scout Clean Energy has begun construction on Trail Road BESS in Ottawa, also the home city of its new Canadian base of operations, which the team moved into June 9.
A 150 MW / 600 MWh lithium iron phosphate battery storage site, Trail Road BESS is also a joint venture with Algonquins from the Pikwàkanagàn First Nation. The Scout team expects the project to come online sometime in 2027, when it will provide increased capacity and grid reliability to the Canadian capital city.
Michael Rucker, founder and CEO of Scout, says the project will provide major benefits to the greater Ottawa community beyond energy, including funding for local organizations and construction employment opportunities.
“I couldn’t be more happy or proud to see the growth of our team here in Canada,” he says. “Scout is entering the Ontario and Canadian markets with a splash launching some substantial projects and fielding a seasoned team. This new office will give them the space to continue building projects locally and across the country.”
The move establishes Scout Clean Energy’s business north of the U.S. border, also giving the Boulder, Colorado-based firm a presence further east.
Building out the pipeline
Scout has built over 1 GW of energy assets that the company currently owns and operates, the firm says, and has more than 20 GW of solar, wind, and storage projects in development. About 2.6 GW of that portfolio, located all across North America, are already in the late stages of development, officials add.
At 150 MW, the Trail Road BESS project is just a small part of that portfolio, but the battery system has an outsized impact on Scout’s wider mission, according to representatives.
“Our new home here in Ottawa will serve as a central hub for Canadian development,” says Ken Little, VP of Canadian development for Scout Clean Energy. “From here, we’re building the clean power solutions and electricity infrastructure our city, our province, and our country need now and in the future.”
Stephen Lecce, Ontario’s Minister of Energy and Mines, says the project is a massive step forward for the province’s energy infrastructure. Trail Road BESS will not only power growth, but create jobs for Ottawan families, he adds.
“This 150 MW battery storage project will strengthen grid reliability and help meet fast rising electricity demand across the region,” Lecce says. “Increasing reliability, while reducing energy costs for families is a foremost priority of our government. That is why we cut the gas tax by 10 cents and launched Canada’s largest energy savings program — putting money back into your pockets as Ontarians invest in energy efficiency.”
