OEB Innovation Sandbox Challenge

The OEB is providing $1.5 million and regulatory guidance to support innovative projects.


Introduction

The OEB is holding an Innovation Sandbox Challenge, a one-time opportunity to provide $1.5 million and regulatory guidance to support innovative projects. The funding comes from administrative monetary penalties collected by the OEB regarding compliance matters.

The Challenge is in response to stakeholder feedback during the OEB’s consultation to renew the Innovation Sandbox that related to the need for funding for innovation. The consultation culminated in the launch of OEB Innovation Sandbox 2.0 in January 2022.

What is the Innovation Sandbox Challenge?

The Innovation Sandbox Challenge is an opportunity for innovators in Ontario to submit proposals for solutions that advance the energy sector’s understanding of how innovation can benefit consumers.

Proposal submissions will be accepted during a dedicated intake window in 2023 and will be evaluated against each other by an evaluation committee using publicly available evaluation criteria. Rather than an open invitation for innovative projects, the Innovation Sandbox Challenge will support projects addressing a specific theme(s).

The OEB is providing $1.5 million and regulatory guidance to support innovative projects.


Introduction

The OEB is holding an Innovation Sandbox Challenge, a one-time opportunity to provide $1.5 million and regulatory guidance to support innovative projects. The funding comes from administrative monetary penalties collected by the OEB regarding compliance matters.

The Challenge is in response to stakeholder feedback during the OEB’s consultation to renew the Innovation Sandbox that related to the need for funding for innovation. The consultation culminated in the launch of OEB Innovation Sandbox 2.0 in January 2022.

What is the Innovation Sandbox Challenge?

The Innovation Sandbox Challenge is an opportunity for innovators in Ontario to submit proposals for solutions that advance the energy sector’s understanding of how innovation can benefit consumers.

Proposal submissions will be accepted during a dedicated intake window in 2023 and will be evaluated against each other by an evaluation committee using publicly available evaluation criteria. Rather than an open invitation for innovative projects, the Innovation Sandbox Challenge will support projects addressing a specific theme(s).

  • OEB supports six projects through its Innovation Sandbox Challenge

    The OEB has selected six projects to receive one-time total funding of $1.5 million to support innovation in the energy sector as part of its Innovation Sandbox Challenge.

  • Watch the Innovation Sandbox Challenge Proponent Webinar

    On March 29, 2023, the OEB provided an overview of the Innovation Sandbox and walked potential proponents through the Innovation Sandbox Challenge Proponent Guideline.

    If you were unable to attend this session, the materials shared on March 29 are now available for review:

  • OEB announces call for submissions to Innovation Sandbox Challenge

    The OEB is inviting submissions to its Innovation Sandbox Challenge, which will focus on two themes: how to move pilots to broader implementation and innovative strategies to enhance consumers’ understanding of their role in the energy transition.

    The first step is to submit a Statement of Interest (SOI). Please refer to the Proponent Guideline for more information on the themes, process, timelines and evaluation criteria. Please use the SOI template for project submissions .

    SOIs will be accepted from April 3, 2023, to May 1, 2023. If you have any questions related to the Proponent Guideline, the SOI or your project idea, please email innovation@oeb.ca.


  • Register now! Innovation Sandbox Challenge webinar on March 29, 2023

    A webinar is being held on March 29, 2023 from 10 - 11 a.m. EST to provide an overview of the Innovation Sandbox and walk potential proponents through the Innovation Sandbox Challenge Proponent Guideline. To register for the webinar, please send an email to innovation@oeb.ca.

  • How the OEB chose the Innovation Sandbox Challenge themes

    In November 2022, the OEB held a poll to seek public input on the theme of the Challenge. Four options were presented. Respondents also had an opportunity to raise new theme ideas.

    Most respondents chose “Innovative strategies to enhance consumers’ understanding of their role in the energy transition,” followed by “Innovation in digitalization and data use” and “Moving from Pilot to Implementation.”

    Suggestions on other themes included topics such as grid services, alternative utility practices, regulatory reform, energy management and deep retrofit technologies. These suggestions have been incorporated into the theme descriptions, where appropriate, and can be incorporated by proponents as part of the scope of the project.



    Rather than selecting one theme for the Challenge, the OEB has decided to give proponents the opportunity to select between the two Sandbox Challenge themes.

    The OEB has decided to pursue “Recommendations for how to move from pilots to implementation based on past and current Ontario pilot projects” in response to stakeholder feedback expressing the need to ensure that innovative arrangements that provide benefits to consumers have the opportunity to scale up, and that barriers to implementing innovative solutions beyond the pilot stage should be identified. In addition, the OEB is aware that other funding programs already exist to support projects that may test digitalization and data use (e.g., Grid Innovation Fund, Sustainable Development Technology Canada).

    The OEB looks forward to reviewing the proposals.


Page last updated: 18 Jan 2024, 03:13 PM