CSA TS-117:23

Preface

This is the first edition of CSA TS-117, National technical specification for terminology for the decentralized energy industry in Canada. This Document is not a consensus product; that is, it is not a Standard and it has not been formally reviewed or approved by a CSA Technical Committee. In a decentralized energy system, energy is produced in proximity to where it is utilized. This is the opposite of a centralized energy system in which energy is produced at a distant location. Decentralized energy has several potential benefits including a) it reduces transmission and distribution costs; b) it supports the transition from carbon-intensive to renewable generation; and c) it contributes to the electrification of society. Canada has committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. Decarbonizing initiatives via electrification of the Canadian economy will be a significant part of the solution. Supporting this move away from a carbon-intensive centralized energy system will require cleaner, more efficient, and more decentralized energy systems. The development of a technical specification (TS) for terminology for the decentralized energy industry in Canada will provide a foundation for a common understanding of terms used in the energy sector, improve communications, and raise the effectiveness of information exchange. It also serves to provide accepted terminology for use in subsequent related standards-based solutions. CSA Group acknowledges that the development of this Document was made possible, in part, by the financial support of the Standards Council of Canada. This Document was prepared and reviewed by the Technical Committee on National Technical Specification for Terminology for the Decentralized Energy Industry in Canada.

Scope

The purpose of this Document is to develop, publish, and distribute a TS that provides terminology for the decentralized energy industry in Canada per Standards Council of Canada (SCC) requirements. This Document aims to provide a foundation for a common understanding of terms used by industry partners in the sector. This will facilitate improved communications and raise the effectiveness of information exchange. In the future, this TS could serve as a starting point for the development of an accredited national standard for terminology for decentralized energy. It also provides accepted terminology that could be used in subsequent standards-based solutions related to decentralized energy.