Biomass projects to join Hydro grid

By Scott Simpson
Vancouver Sun
August 5, 2009

Four projects that will burn wood waste to generate electricity have the green light to join BC Hydro's power grid, the Crown corporation announced on Tuesday.

The biomass projects, which will generate enough to power more than 52,000 homes, were the winners in Hydro's phase one bioenergy call for power, and have now received formal approval from the B.C. Utilities Commission, Hydro said in a news release.

The projects are Canfor Pulp Ltd. Partnership's project in Prince George; PG Interior Waste to Energy Ltd.'s project also in Prince George; Domtar Pulp and Paper Products Inc.'s project in Kamloops; and Zellstoff Celgar Ltd. Partnership's project in Castlegar, Hydro said.

The bioenergy facilities will use forest-based biomass, including sawmill residue, logging debris, trees killed by mountain pine beetle and other residual wood to generate electricity. Two of the projects -- Canfor's and Domtar's -- are expected to begin supplying electricity shortly, while the other two projects are under development, the release said.

© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun

Bioenergy projects given green light to start producing clean, made-in-BC energy

News Release
BC Hydro
August 4, 2009

VANCOUVER – The British Columbia Utilities Commission has accepted the utility's electricity purchase agreements with four biomass projects, BC Hydro announced today.

The four projects were successful proponents in phase one of BC Hydro's Bioenergy Call for Power. They are: Canfor Pulp Ltd. Partnership's project in Prince George, PG Interior Waste to Energy Ltd.'s project also in Prince George, Domtar Pulp and Paper Products Inc.'s project in Kamloops, and Zellstoff Celgar Ltd. Partnership's project in Castlegar.

Together, the four projects will generate a total of 579 gigawatt hours of electricity annually, or enough to power more than 52,000 homes.

"Bioenergy will contribute to the province's goal of achieving electricity self-sufficiency by 2016, while at the same time provide an opportunity to create new jobs and diversify the forest economy through the better use of residual wood that currently goes to waste," said Blair Lekstrom, Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources.

"These bioenergy projects will provide firm electricity year-round by utilizing a carbon-neutral fuel – giving us another reliable, clean energy supply option to help serve our customers," said BC Hydro president and CEO Bob Elton.

The bioenergy facilities will use forest-based biomass, including sawmill residue, logging debris, trees killed by mountain pine beetle, and other residual wood, to generate electricity. Two of the projects – Canfor's and Domtar's – are expected to begin supplying electricity shortly, while the other two projects are under development.

The first phase of the Bioenergy Call for Power was open to projects that did not need new forestry tenure. In March, BC Hydro launched the second phase of the Bioenergy Call, which will include projects utilizing wood waste sourced from new forest tenure.

Contact:

Susan Danard
Media Relations
Phone: 604 623 4220

Link: http://www.bchydro.com/news/articles/press_releases/2009/bio_energy_projects.html