Wawa-news.com You can't hear the 'big picture'!
Chapleau is initiating the Chapleau District Heating Project, in partnership with Commercial BioEnergy Inc., a Northern Ontario biomass energy company dedicated to assisting communities in reducing their dependence on fossil fuels. The Chapleau District Heating Project will determine the feasibility of constructing a centralized biomass fuelled heating plant to deliver heating to potentially seven public buildings within the community. This will involve converting existing heating sources from propane or electricity to biomass generated heat, using locally sourced wood chips.
This innovative project will be the first project in North America of this scale. “Chapleau is very excited about the project. The Chapleau District Heating Project has the potential to pave the way for alternative heating sources for the community. Not only will the project reduce our carbon footprint and energy costs; but also, it will be creating job opportunities and contributing to sustainable economic development through the use of locally sourced wood products.” Said Chapleau’s Mayor Ryan Bignucolo.
Bignucolo added that, “the Chapleau Project anticipates a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of up to 90% for all targeted buildings combined. That’s huge and in addition to a significant step towards positive efforts to mitigate climate change, it provides our community the beginning of true energy security and self-reliance.”
Chapleau CAO Judith Meyntz stated, “There are many great aspects to this project, but one that is particularly exciting for us as a forestry community is the dependency on using our wood chips for the heat plant. It creates the opportunity for the wood co-products to be used from our local mill.”
When asked about the project, Robert Manseau, President of Commercial BioEnergy Inc. stated, “We are proud to be partnering with Chapleau on this significant project. This project will demonstrate the viability of biomass as an alternative to fossil fuels, which is critical for rural communities like Chapleau, and remote communities; and provide support to the area’s forest industry in consuming surplus wood chips. These Northern communities are bound by fossil fuels dependency and their high costs.”
The Chapleau District Heating Project is currently in the feasibility phase which will determine the potential for the project’s implementation in 2026. The feasibility study will include a community consultation and stakeholder engagement process, which the project team anticipates beginning soon.
This project is being made possible with financial assistance from the Green Municipal Fund, a Fund financed by the Government of Canada and administered by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. For more information on the Green Municipal Fund and their goal of helping Canadian municipalities becoming resilient, net-zero communities please visit greenmunicipalfund.ca
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