Winfield, Mark S.Hurtado, Cristian2019-12-112019-12-112019Major Paper, Master of Environmental Studies, Faculty of Environmental Studies, York Universityhttp://hdl.handle.net/10315/36863This research paper explores the potential for transactive energy systems (TESs) and blockchainenabled microgrids (BEMs) to be integrated into Ontario’s existing electrical grid as a sustainable energy solution for climate change, while also delivering economic and reliability benefits to consumers and other stakeholders. The multi-layer perspective (MLP) framework is applied to assess whether or not a socio-technical transition is possible and/or likely in Ontario, and how this transition might occur. These questions are answered by relying primarily on industry and academic literature in the form of technical whitepapers, academic journal articles and theses. Several case studies are also presented to show how TESs and BEMs have been integrated into existing grids in a variety of jurisdictions around the world. Areas of future research are presented following the case studies to highlight important yet unexplored topics concerning TESs in Ontario. The paper concludes that the blockchain component of BEMs is unnecessary, given Ontario’s incompatible cultural and political context with the technology’s value proposition. However, the paper finds that TESs are likely to be adopted in Ontario, and in some cases, they already have been to a limited extent, as can be seen in the cases of Alectra Utilities and Opus One Solutions. This adoption of TESs in the province is considered to be the beginning of the reconfiguration path transitional pathway, as identified in the MLP literature.enMajor paper