BIOMASS update CANADA TO REGULATE COAL POWER The government of Canada is moving forward with regulations on coal-fired electricity generation to reduce green-house gas (GHG) emissions in the electricity sector. About 13% of Canada's total GHG emissions come from coal-fired electricity generating units. The proposed regulations will apply a stringent perfor-mance standard to new coal-fired electric-ity generation units, as well as coal-fired units that have reached the end of their economic life. Canada's fleet of coal-burning electric-ity plants comprises 51 units, with 33 coming to the end of their economic life by 2025. The gradual phase-out of tradi-tional coal-fired electricity generation is expected to reduce emissions significantly. This policy is expected to reduce emis-sions by about 15 megatonnes, equivalent to eliminating 3.2 million motor vehicles. Draft regulations to reduce GHGs from the electricity sector are expected to be published in the Canada Gazette early in 2011, with final regulations published later that year. This will allow time for consultations and outreach with industry and other stakeholders. Regulations are scheduled to come into effect on July 1, 2015. IN BRIEF... Quality pellets, guaranteed. For perfect pellets the entire produc-tion system must work together flawlessly. Buhler enables total process control by providing a complete process design package and key equipment for drying, grinding, pelleting, cooling, bagging and loading. This, combined with Buhler’s integrated automation system, unrivaled after sales support and training provides a seam-less solution, guaranteed. Buhler Inc., 13105 12th Ave N., Plymouth, MN 55441, T 763-847-9900 [email protected], www.buhlergroup.com Two separate items by Dan Schell in the Bancroft newspaper Bancroft this Week indicate that this central Ontario town may soon be showcasing two new biomass projects. A local school is preparing to install a wood pellet boiler to provide heating as one of four schools taking part in the Green Schools Pilot Initiative through the Ontario Ministry of Education. A deadline of September 2010 has been set for the installation. In addition, two investors from County Power Corporation have proposed a state-of-the art biomass power plant, with waste heat to be used in an associated pellet plant. The electricity generated would be provided to the province through the feed-in tariff program, but would require an excep-tion to the rules, allowing the plant to supply 15 MW, rather than 10 MW, of power. The solution behind the solution. Nexterra Systems Corp. has won the Best Application of Technology Award from the British Columbia Technology Industry Association (BCTIA). The award recognizes Nexterra’s biomass gasification system at Kruger Products LP’s New Westminster tissue mill. The system converts wood resi-due into syngas that is being fired directly in a boiler to generate 40,000 pounds/hour of process steam, replacing about 400,000 gigajoules/year of natural gas consumption. This application of Nexterra’s gasification technology demonstrates the company’s ability to retrofit existing natural gas-, fuel oil-, or coal-fired boilers to run on syngas. Repurposing of existing equipment will cut the capital cost of implementing biomass energy systems at industrial and institu-tional customer sites. 6 CanadianBIOMASS JULY/AUGUST 2010
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