Connecting utilities, regulators, policymakers, and technology providers to drive grid innovation and unlock the full potential of the electric vehicle transition.
Conference program:
Using electric mobility to build a more flexible grid
Electric vehicles and charging infrastructure are emerging as flexible, grid-connected assets that can support day-to-day grid operations and long-term system planning. This one-day conference focuses on demand-side strategies – including managed charging, demand response, and vehicle-to-grid – as practical non-wires alternatives to improve grid resiliency, support grid decarbonization, and defer traditional infrastructure investments.
Who should attend?
- Members of government who influence
and craft policy - Utility and energy leaders and team members
- Regulators
- EV industry experts
- Smart grid technology providers
Tickets are limited.
Speakers
Jeff Dahn
NSERC/Tesla Industrial Research Chair
Dalhousie University
Mabel Fulford
Managing Consultant
Dunsky Energy + Climate Advisors
Steve Cao
Senior Program Manager, Capacity Products
BC Hydro
Amy Findlay
Head of Policy
ChargeScape
Moe Kabbara
Chief Executive Officer
The Transition Accelerator
Rob Safrata
Chief Executive Officer
Fuse Power Management
Sara Ganowski
Senior Manager, Power & Utilities, Business Consulting
EY
Ilana Weitzman
VP of Strategic Initiatives, Clean Transportation
Electric Autonomy
Evan Wilson
Executive Director, Electrifying Canada
The Transition Accelerator
Alec Zaine
Program Manager, Capacity Products,
BC Hydro
Unlock the Future of Energy & Mobility
- Discover best practices for managed charging, such as EV demand-response programs, that enhance grid flexibility.
- Learn from successful policy reforms that streamline EV integration, interconnection, and grid innovation.
- Understand how V2G and V2B technologies transform EVs into grid assets, enhancing resilience and backup power.
- Connect with energy sector leaders for strategic partnerships and collaboration
- Gain insights to drive new business opportunities, such as utility-led charging networks; advance EV adoption; and shape the future grid.
Agenda
Full agenda to be announced soon
| 8:00am | Registration and Breakfast |
| 8:50am | Conference Begins Welcome, Land Acknowledgement and Introductions |
| 8:55am | Opening Remarks: Transition Accelerator |
| 9:05am | Intelligent load forecasting with flexibility This session explores how advanced forecasting models incorporate specific assets like EVs, AI data centres, home batteries and thermostats that can be curtailed, delayed, pre-consumed, or discharged, transforming demand from a fixed variable into a predictable resource. Attendees will gain insight into how utilities, aggregators and grid operators are evaluating the reliability of these capacity assets to serve the grid, and how using dynamic flexibility can reduce peak risk and unlock new operational value. |
| 9:50am | Evolving the utility tech stack to enable the next wave of electrification From Customer Information Systems (CIS) to Advanced Distribution Management Systems (ADMS), utilities are strengthening the digital foundations that connect customer programs with grid operations. Together, these capabilities are now key enablers of EV and DER integration, demand-side strategies and grid flexibility. Panelists will explore how customer and grid technologies are evolving to support modernized networks and enable electrification, how emerging platforms are expanding solution portfolios and what technology capabilities are becoming essential as electrification scales. |
| 10:35am | Networking Coffee Break |
| 11:05am | ChargeScape Presentation: Enabling utilities to tap into EVs ChargeScape, a joint initiative by Ford, BMW and Honda, is designed to simplify how utilities access and manage EV batteries at scale. In this session, Amy Findlay explains how ChargeScape enables utility programs for managed charging, demand response, vehicle-to-grid (V2G) and vehicle-to-home (V2H) by providing a consistent interface to connected vehicles while respecting customer preferences. The session includes a case study of Ford’s V2H pilot with DTE Energy in Michigan, highlighting practical lessons for utilities on program design, customer participation and operational performance. |
| 11:30am | Panel: Canada’s first vehicle-to-grid project: BC Hydro and Lynch Bus Lines BC Hydro’s partnership with Lynch Bus Lines represents Canada’s first real-world test of vehicle-to-grid (V2G) integration, with the goal of scaling from pilot to future product development. Panelists will explain the economics of the program for both the school bus operator and utility to show the possible scale of this grid resource in the near term. They’ll also dive into the operational and state-of-charge data, showing utilities what they can realistically call on during the post–school day peak. Panelists will discuss whether fleet-based V2G functions more like demand response, battery storage or a hybrid capacity resource — and what this pilot reveals about how grid value can synch up perfectly with customer needs. Come learn the ABCs of V2G! |
| 12:15pm | Lunch |
| 1:30pm | Keynote: Renowned battery expert and Tesla researcher Jeff Dahn A single EV participating in vehicle-to-grid can easily store and deliver one megawatt-hour per year. A million EVs supplying the grid could store and deliver a terawatt-hour per year. Renowned battery expert and Tesla research partner Jeff Dahn will explain the latest real-world data around battery health for these applications and the grid potential of these mobile batteries sitting in our driveways. |
| 2:00pm | Carrots and Grids: Aligning incentives with customer value in demand response programs Not all demand response delivers equal value to the grid. This session looks at how incentives can be structured to trigger customer behavior and align with system needs, ensuring demand response is available when and where it matters most, cost-effectively. Insights from Polara and other platform providers illustrate how utilities can design programs that deliver measurable and dependable grid services, while creating the right economics for participation across electric fleets and residential customers. |
| 2:40pm | Networking Coffee Break |
| 3:15pm | Closing Keynote |
| 3:45pm | Closing Remarks |
| 4:00pm | Summit Concludes |
Date: April 7, 2026
Venue: Hotel X, 111 Princes’ Blvd, Toronto, ON M6K 3C3
Hotel X is an urban oasis providing extraordinary waterfront and iconic city skyline views, located at the historic Exhibition Place.
Accommodation
A limited number of hotel rooms are available for $385 CAD per night, plus applicable taxes. This special rate is secured as part of Electric Autonomy’s EV & Charging Expo package and is available until March 11, 2026 or until rooms sell out. We encourage you to book as soon as possible to secure rooms at this rate. Book here.
Tickets
Your kWh Summit ticket grants full access to all conference panels and talks on April 7, plus breakfast, lunch, and networking coffee breaks. You can also choose to combine your ticket with an Expo Pass to the EV & Charging Expo on April 8–9—an exceptional value and opportunity to connect with broader EV industry leaders and explore the latest innovations.
kWh Summit
Government, Regulators and Utility Pass for one-day conference
Free*
($489 value)
- Includes all kWh Summit programming on April 7, 2026.
- Breakfast, lunch and networking breaks at kWh Summit.
* A limited number of passes are available to Qualified Attendees only. Maximum one free pass per organization. Apply by March 11, 2026.
kWh Summit
Industry Pass for one-day conference
$489
- Includes all kWh Summit programming on April 7, 2026.
- Breakfast, lunch and networking breaks at kWh Summit.
kWh Summit and
EV & Charging Expo Pass
Three-day ticket to both events
$659
($1,018 value)
- Includes all kWh Summit programming on April 7, 2025.
- Breakfast, lunch and networking breaks at kWh Summit
- Access to the EV & Charging Expo on April 8-9, 2026.
Sponsorship packages are available for industry-relevant organizations.
Contact us for more information.
The kWh Summit is brought to you in partnership with The Transition Accelerator
At the Transition Accelerator, we’re building tools to empower decision makers, guide industry stakeholders, and inform the public about Canada’s energy future. Grounded in leading-edge qualitative and quantitative analysis, our approach leverages sustained collaboration with power producers, regulators, system operators, industry, organized labour, Indigenous organizations, financial institutions, and civil society organizations from across Canada to share knowledge, identify challenges, and accelerate the development of an affordable, reliable net-zero electricity system.
The kWh Summit is powered by Electric Autonomy
Electric Autonomy is an independent media and events company reporting on the transition to zero emission vehicles and autonomous mobility. Its mission is to accelerate change by bringing together thought leaders across industry, government and research through editorial, events, education and other innovative programming.
