A Government of British Columbia announcement today is giving UNBC theopportunity to be a showpiece for bioenergy and the first university inCanada to be heated largely with renewable energy. The University hasreceived $3.5 million from the Government’s Innovative Clean Energy(ICE) fund, the largest investment among the 15 projects announcedtoday at UNBC by Ida Chong, Minister of Technology, Trade, and EconomicDevelopment, and Richard Neufeld, Minister of Energy, Mines, andPetroleum Resources.
Link: Government of BC news release

The proposed UNBC project is intended to focus on testing the economic,environmental, operational, and industrial viability of bioenergy andbiomass fuels such as wood. The University is currently exploring thepotential of gasification technology, which converts biomass to heatand a synthetic gas. The system would be added to the UNBC Power Plantand supplement the University’s existing boilers, which currently burnnatural gas.

“In addition to reducing our dependence on fossil fuels, a bioenergysystem on campus could significantly reduce our greenhouse gasemissions and serve as a platform for expanding our teaching andresearch related to energy and community sustainability,” says IanHartley, the Acting Vice-Provost for Research and Graduate Programs atUNBC. “This is an exciting opportunity for UNBC and the North that willshowcase BC’s innovations to the world. The investment announced todayby the Government of BC is greatly appreciated.”

The University’s campus infrastructure is key to implementing a renewable energy system.

As depicted in the diagram at the top right of this screen, all of the core campus buildingslocated within the University Ring Road are connected to the PowerPlant by the Agora and a utility corridor. This is an efficientinfrastructure that also makes the campus ready for implementing newenergy systems. In the early 1990s when the campus was being built, thePower Plant was designed for expansion and to accommodate alternativeenergy systems. A bioenergy installation, for example, could beattached to the Power Plant and immediately connect to the hot waterpipes already serving the campus (see the photo with Doug Carter to the right). A bioenergy system could then provide baseheating for the entire year, and be supplemented by the existingboilers during periods of peak loads and very cold temperatures.

Contact:
Rob van Adrichem, Director of Media and Public Relations, UNBC – 250.960.5622 

 Media Downloads

Clickon a thumbnail below to access a high-resolution image showing theconnectivity of the core Prince George campus buildings to the PowerPlant.

Below: Ida Chong making the ICE announcement at UNBC.

 Below: Richard Neufeld at the ICE announcement at UNBC.

 Below:UNBC Chief Engineer Doug Carter shows the ministers where a bioenergy system canconnect to the existing campus heating system. 

 Below:(from left) Shirley Bond, Richard Neufeld, Ian Hartley of UNBC, IdaChong, Leonard Legault of Alterna Energy, and Jonathan Rhone ofNexterra Energy Corp.