Disseminating the findings of the Opten research program

The Opten research program studies the integration of renewable energy and energy storage into off-grid systems and isolated communities. This work opens up concrete avenues for reducing dependence on fossil fuels in areas where connection to the main grid remains difficult. However, this knowledge must be shared and put to use.

That was the mission we undertook at Nergica: to raise awareness of the program’s activities and results among the communities that can benefit from them. Three key audiences were at the heart of this initiative—industry, the research community, and local communities—which we brought together around a single issue: the energy transition in remote regions.

In practical terms, we have increased opportunities for dialogue. Webinars have made cutting-edge technical topics—such as microgrids and the performance of solar photovoltaics in cold climates—accessible. Workshops and events have fostered dialogue among stakeholders. Technical and scientific publications have ensured the long-term impact of the results, well beyond the end of the program.

Each activity pursued the same goal: to transform research advances into shared knowledge that is useful in the field. By bringing together the people who design solutions and those who implement them, this outreach work helps accelerate the adoption of renewable energy in the communities that need it most.

Conducted from 2017 to 2021 with support from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, this project illustrates our belief that research is valuable only when it benefits the community.