March 29, 2010
M. McKinnon
The fruits of the Atikokan Bio-Energy Research Centre were detailed Tuesday at OPG’s Atikokan Thermal Generating Station by about a dozen academics from all over Ontario.
And it appears to be a rich harvest: so far two patents have been filed for technology developed as a direct result of the program (at least three more are possible), and new potential has been exposed in areas ranging from the use of bio-mass fly ash, to the remediation of peat lands after wet harvest, to the use of forest bio-mass to provide heat and power in Ontario’s remote First Nation communities.
When the province first indicated its intention to end coal-fired generation in Ontario in 2003-04, Atikokanites responded by creating an ad-hoc energy committee to explore ways to save the $800 million Atikokan Generating Station. Research was one of many proposals they pursued, and that led to a special $4 million commitment by the province in its 2006 budget. The Atikokan Bio-Energy Research Centre (ABERC) was officially launched in 2007, and the Ontario Centre for Excellence in Energy (OCEE) was hired to guide its development. The OCEE, working in consultation with the Atikokan committee and OPG, eventually chose six projects for ABERC support.
The projects involved six post-secondary institutions (Lakehead, Confederation College, University of Toronto, McMaster, Western Ontario and Queen’s), 29 professors and 87 students. Just as important were the private sector contributions – all told they came to $4.5 million, exceeding the provincial commitment – from 29 partner organizations. The research has already made its way into over 70 papers and conference proceedings, and more than 50 conference presentations.
Tuesday, about 60 people gathered at the ATGS to hear final, summary reports from each of the research teams. And while some of the resulting work will have wide application in a variety of industries, much of that work specifically investigated how to turn forest bio-mass into an economically viable energy source.
The work of Profs. Reino Pullki (Lakehead) and Brian Kurikka (Confederation) is especially promising in regard to the latter. They looked at the potential for biomass as a replacement for shipped-in diesel fuel in remote communities, and studied everything from how to harvest it to best to use it in power generation.
That work is leading to the development of a decision support system for harvesters and developers (essentially a guide to how to most efficiently collect and transport slash and other material left by harvesting operations), and included a comprehensive proposal for a project at Whitesand First Nation (at Armstrong). It showed it would be cost-effective to collect 55,000 tonnes a year of forest biomass to fuel a three megawatt boiler that would provide power and community heat. A small sawmill (140,000 cubic metres of hardwood) would be included in the project, which would create 74 full-time jobs and 64 seasonal jobs.
The work of Prof. Chandar Shahi (Lakehead) complemented that study; he and his students looked at the gasification of biomass – likely the most efficient way to exploit its energy potential. Their work suggests such facilities would be most attractive to small, remote communities that rely now on diesel.
Prof. Charles Xu of Lakehead’s chemical engineering department studied the co-firing of biomass with coal, which is already occurring at over 100 sites around the world. In most cases though, the biomass component is 10% or less, but with the Ontario commitment to eliminate coal altogether, he extended his work to look at up to 100% biomass.
Other highlights include:
• A Queen’s University project led to the development of a wood pellet that will enhance storage, handling and the heating value of biomass. The new pellets are easier to ship and handle, water resistant and do not release volatiles or dust that cause explosions. The design is the subject of a patent application and may contribute to growing interest in establishing a pelletizing industry in northern Ontario.
• A Lakehead University project determined that by-products of the biomass burning process could be used in the management of reactive mine tailings and as a mineral admixture for cement.
• A Lakehead University – Confederatiom College project investigated the wet harvesting of peat and remediation of the land following extraction. The project was successful in demonstrating that wild rice, blueberries and cranberries can be grown on harvested peat lands in northern Ontario. Spin-off companies could be established to cultivate these high value food crops. Proposals have been submitted to the Ontario government for developing blueberry production. A new wild rice development proposal is also being prepared with an Ontario company.
• The two patents filed already include one for a real-time mercury detection device (U of T work, with a private company, Resonance Ltd. of Barrie); the other is for a catalyst to purify gas for electricity generation.
• The OCEE noted that AbitibiBowater, in both Thunder Bay and Fort Frances, is already applying some of the information on biomass developed at the Centre to improve its ongoing operations and develop future bio-economy projects.
Next steps
Atikokan’s ad hoc energy committee is working with the OCEE, a number of the academics and the provincial government to make sure the Centre and the work so far completed isn’t the end of the project. An implementation committee is being formed.
CRIBE – the Centre for Research and Innovation in the Bio-Economy – will be able to play a role in the future development of bio-mass usage here. Its director, Lorne Morrow, gave the group gathered at ATGS last week a quick overview of how it operates. Focused specifically on Northern Ontario and its forest resources, its mandate is to develop and promote a sustainable, profitable Ontario bio-economy.
CRIBE has $25 million in provincial funding (over four years), plus another $10 million from the feds, and is working to commercialize innovative bio-mass related research, to diversify the ways bio-mass is used, and to work with the forest industry – including new businesses – as it changes with the development of the bio-mass sector.
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