Manitoba Hydro has introduced five new bioenergy demonstration projects that will be conducted at various locations throughout Manitoba in 2010, as part of its Power Smart Bioenergy Optimization Program.
The initiative is a collaboration between Manitoba Hydro and five of its commercial customers aimed at advancing renewable and clean energy technologies. The demonstration program also recently qualified for funding through the Government of Canada’s Clean Energy Fund-established in 2009 to support demonstrations of renewable and clean energy technology in Canada.
The first project will demonstrate the use of bio-oil as a replacement for heavy fuel oil in a large-scale industrial application and will enlist the services of two outside companies. Ensyn Technologies, headquartered in Ottawa, will showcase the potential of using biomass liquid fuel at Tolko Industries’ kraft paper mill in The Pas. Known as pyrolysis oil and derived from woody biomass-it will replace standard fuel oil in one of the plant’s steam boilers to test its efficacy. The first component of the testing process is scheduled for late April.
The second demonstration will be hosted by Pineland Forest Nursery in Hadashville and involves the conversion of biomass to syngas. At the nursery, waste wood from nearby sources will be converted into a combustible gas and then used to power an engine-driven generator on site. This particular application is believed to have widespread potential and could impact any commercial business with large quantities of waste wood. This project is scheduled to get underway in the summer of 2010.
A third project-also making use of waste wood-will be demonstrated at Spruce Products Ltd. in Swan River. Using what’s called an organic Rankine cycle, waste wood is burned and then used to heat a refrigerant to run a small turbine-generator. The device operates in a manner similar to a refrigeration cycle, except in reverse. This demonstration is particularly relevant because of its application to many industries where waste heat is readily available. This project is also scheduled for summer 2010.
The anaerobic digestion of “wet biomass” is the fourth demonstration project in the wings. Through the use of specialized equipment, livestock manure is digested and converted into a treated effluent and biogas. Primarily intended for dairy operations, the digested manure can be used in the traditional way as an enhanced fertilizer and the biogas for heat and power. The host site being proposed for the project is Sweetridge Farms near Winkler. The 200-cow dairy farm is seeking better manure management alternatives. The project should be underway by the summer of 2010.
The fifth and last demonstration project will be sited at Elie and will use a process known as torrefaction, or carbonization, to convert wood chips and crop residues into an alternative to coal for space and process heating. The coal alternative, or biocarbon, will be tested at sites that currently rely on burning lignite coal. Heat recovered from the conversion process will also be used for community heating. This project is also scheduled to get underway in the fall of 2010.
Manitoba Hydro President & CEO Bob Brennan said, “We’re very proud of our role as an acknowledged utility leader in the promotion of bioenergy alternatives. The demonstration of the viability of these new technologies fits with our mandate of providing clean, renewable, and affordable energy.”
All five of the projects will be evaluated over the next two years and are expected to have real-world applications-enhancing the operational efficiencies of several Manitoba commercial businesses and raising the profile of bioenergy technologies.
