Enwave CEO Carlyle Coutinho Named 2026 Ontario Energy Association Leader of the Year, a First for District Energy

October 20, 2026

TORONTO, Oct. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Carlyle Coutinho, Chief Executive Officer andBoard Director of Enwave Energy Corporation (Enwave), has been named the 2026 Ontario Energy Association (OEA) Leader of the Year, becoming the rst CEO of a dedicated district energy company to receive the honour. The recognition re ects Coutinho’s leadership in advancing innovative, large-scale energy solutions and in elevating the role district energy can play in meeting Ontario’s and Canada’s energy needs.


The OEA Leader of the Year award, one of the highest honours in Canada’s energy sector, recognizes individuals who demonstrate vision, innovation, collaboration and a strong commitment to customers.


Under Coutinho's leadership, Enwave has recently delivered several major projects that highlight the value of district energy in Ontario's energy system:


Expanded Enwave's Deep Lake Water Cooling (DLWC) system through the construction of a fourth intake pipe, increasing the system's cooling capacity by approximately 60%. The DLWC system eliminates approximately 50 MW of electrical demand relative to a business-as-usual commercial of ce chiller plant.


Commissioned the Enwave Green Heat™ Plant at Pearl Street Energy Centre, where largescale heat pumps recover waste heat from district cooling customers and reuse it to provide low-carbon heat to other district-connected buildings. The facility can also reduce its grid electricity draw by up to approximately 6 MW during peak demand periods by dispatching non-electrical, on-site energy sources, without interrupting hot water service.


Developed a large-scale thermal battery at The Well, a mixed-use development in downtown Toronto, which stores heating and cooling energy for use when it delivers the greatest bene t to customers and the electricity system.


“I’m honoured to receive this recognition from the OEA, and proud to share it with the Enwave team. Their expertise and commitment, together with the collaboration of our customers and partners, make these achievements possible,” said Carlyle Coutinho, CEO of Enwave and past Chair of the International District Energy Association. “District energy has an important role to play as the need for reliable, affordable and secure clean energy grows in Ontario and around the world. By recovering heat, storing energy and sharing it across buildings, we can deliver cost-effective heating and cooling while helping ease demand on the electricity grid.”


As electricity demand and building electri cation grow, Ontario will need solutions that make more ef cient use of existing and new energy infrastructure. By serving multiple buildings through shared equipment, recovering otherwise wasted heat from hospitals, data centres and other district cooling customers, and shifting electricity use away from peak periods, district energy offers a practical path to electrifying heating and cooling.


Looking ahead, Enwave is bringing its district energy model to more communities. In 2027, the company plans to commission two new systems in Ontario, at Lakeview Village in Mississauga and the Etobicoke Civic Centre in Toronto, extending district heating and cooling to new customers while supporting grid reliability. Enwave is also constructing an upgraded energy-from-waste facility in Prince Edward Island, intended to double the waste processing capacity of its existing district energy system there.


About Enwave


Enwave is one of the largest commercial owners and operators of community-based district energy systems in North America. The company develops reliable energy solutions at scale, tailored to the unique needs of municipalities, commercial developments, universities, hospitals, data centres and residential communities. Enwave provides thermal energy services to over 100 million square feet of mixed-use space across Canada using technologies including Deep Lake Water Cooling, waste heat recovery, thermal storage, geoexchange, biomass and energy-from-waste. Enwave is owned by Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan and IFM Investors, which acquired the company in 2021.


https://www.enwave.com


For more information or interview requests, please contact:

Molly McCarthy

Associate, Communications & Campaigns Sussex Strategy Group mmccarthy@sussex-strategy.com

Media Contact

Amy Jacobs

SVP, Commercial Operations

Recent Posts

January 30, 2026
Our very own Carlyle Coutinho, CEO of Enwave Energy Corporation, was featured on Pitching Progress, a global podcast series highlighting leaders who are shaping the future of business and infrastructure. In this episode, the conversation explored Canada’s renewed presence on the world stage—a country driven by inspiring leadership, open for investment, and eager to partner in building a more sustainable future. Against that backdrop, Enwave was recognized as a true Canadian jewel. Carlyle shared how Enwave’s innovative district energy system is already delivering real‑world climate solutions at scale—most notably through Deep Lake Water Cooling, which draws cold water from Lake Ontario to heat and cool Toronto’s downtown core. This breakthrough approach isn’t theory or future aspiration—it’s operational, proven, and powering a major global city today. What resonated most in the discussion was Enwave’s ambition and readiness for growth. Our model is scalable, exportable, and uniquely positioned to expand into dense urban centres across global markets—an energy platform designed for climate impact, resilience, and long‑term value. The episode underscored what we at Enwave already know: Companies like ours—innovative, pragmatic, and climate‑focused—are exactly the type of platforms global investors are looking to support. We’re incredibly proud to see Carlyle’s leadership and Enwave’s work recognized on an international stage. This spotlight reflects the dedication and ingenuity of our entire team. 🎧 Catch the full conversation here: Spotify: https://lnkd.in/d3D52P9p Apple: https://lnkd.in/dVQvs438
Enwave Breaks Ground on New Energy-from-Waste District Energy Heating Facility article
September 10, 2025
TORONTO, Sept. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Enwave Energy Corporation (Enwave) celebrated the groundbreaking of a new waste processing facility in Prince Edward Island today at PEI Energy Systems in Charlottetown.
Enwave Green Heat™ Plant Commissioned at Pearl Street Energy Centre article
September 3, 2025
TORONTO, Sept. 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Enwave Energy Corporation (Enwave) commissioned its new Enwave Green Heat™ Plant during a ceremony at the Pearl Street Energy Centre in Toronto today.
Enwave Announces Expansion of Energy from Waste District Heating Facility
May 12, 2025
TORONTO, May 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Enwave Energy Corporation (Enwave) has announced today the commitment to build a new waste processing facility in Prince Edward Island, beginning this fall. The facility will be in operation by 2028 and will replace the existing end-of-life system. Enwave, in partnership with the Province of Prince Edward Island, has proudly undertaken this expansion to address the growing need to identify sustainable waste solutions in the province.
Mississauga, Region of Peel, Enwave and Lakeview Village break ground on energy project article
October 21, 2024
MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, Oct. 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, the City of Mississauga , Lakeview Community Partners Limited (LCPL), Enwave Lakeview Corporation and the Region of Peel celebrated the groundbreaking of a new district energy system at Lakeview Village. Once fully operational, the Lakeview Village district energy system is positioned to be the first of its kind in Ontario and the largest in Canada.
Enwave Commissions Expansion of World-Renowned Deep Lake Water Cooling System article
August 29, 2024
TORONTO, Aug. 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Enwave Energy Corporation (Enwave) commissioned the Deep Lake Water Cooling (DLWC) System’s fourth intake expansion during a ceremony at their John Street Energy Centre today. Enwave, in partnership with Toronto Water, is proud to provide more buildings, owners, and operators in the city the opportunity to connect to Enwave’s sustainable energy system.
Insights & Aspirations from Enwave at the IDEA2024 article
June 16, 2024
Our team at Enwave believes in the importance of bringing people and organizations together to develop partnerships that can drive positive impact on the world. Each year, we attend the International District Energy Association (IDEA) conference, which brings together industry leaders in the energy transition to share, learn, and collaborate together. This conference presents an opportunity for Enwave to learn about innovative low carbon technologies being deployed across the world, how we might be able to apply new models in deploying low carbon energy systems, but also gives Enwave an opportunity to share learnings from our projects and our vision for the future. 
OLG SELLS ENERGY ASSETS IN WINDSOR TO ENWAVE article
November 14, 2023
Toronto, ON – Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) today announced it has finalized an agreement with Enwave Windsor Holdings Limited Partnership (Enwave) to provide long-term energy reliability for the Windsor casino.
Show More