Community Grid-connected? First Year of Biomass Operation Fuel Displaced Heat only or CHP? Total Installed Thermal Capacity District heating? Biomass Fuel Used 1. Teslin Tlingit First Nation, Yukon 2. Kwadacha Nation, British Columbia 3. Gitxsan Nation, British Columbia 4. Northlands Denesuline First Nation, Manitoba 5. Oujé-Bougoumou Cree Nation, Quebec 6. Whapmagoostui Cree Nation, Quebec 7. Wiikwemkoong First Nation, Ontario 8. Tłıchq Community Government of Whatì, Northwest Territories 9. Ka’a’gee Tu First Nation, North-west Territories Yes No Yes No No No Yes No No 2019 2018 2020 2019 1992 (updated 2020) 2019 2019 2018 2016 Heating Oil Diesel, propane Propane Diesel Diesel Diesel Heating Oil Heating Oil Heating Oil Heat CHP Heat Heat Heat Heat Heat Heat Heat 1,200 kW 324 kW 800 kW 1,500 kW 3,250 kW 600 kW 800 kW 150 kW 60 kW Yes Yes No Yes Yes No No Yes Yes Wood Chips Wood Chips Wood Pellets (currently) Wood Chips Sawdust Black (Torre-fied) Pellets Pellets Pellets Pellets has developed plans or taken actions to overcome these challenges. What follows is a summary of the factors that led to success in these communities and lessons other remote communities can draw on. 1. FINANCIAL SUPPORT of federal and provincial programs. 2. INVOLVE EXPERTS IN DESIGN 3. FUEL AND SUPPLY CHAIN Biomass energy systems, and all of the auxiliary equipment related to biomass fuel supply, require higher capital than small communities have available. Government funding programs for financial support are therefore critical. All of the communities interviewed received funding to help cover the capital cost of the biomass systems; most received more than 50 per cent of the capital. Funding came from a variety There is a lack of expertise in remote communities to size and design mechanical and electrical aspects of biomass and (low temperature) district heating systems. Engineers that do not have specific experience with bioenergy tend to over-engineer and over-complicate system designs. District heating networks must also be appropriately sized for the heat loads of the buildings to maintain pressure and temperature differentials. It is therefore crucial for communities to seek the support of bioenergy and district heating experts in system design. The decision on what type of biomass fuel to use lies with the community and depends on local availability. For very remote communities, it also depends on delivery frequency and the fuel’s storage characteristics. Regardless of the fuel being used, quality and consistency are key to successful boiler operation; supply chain and quality control must be planned from the outset of the project. If there is an active forest industry in the region and sawmill or harvest residues can be sourced, this is generally the lowest cost feedstock. Communities that have access to bulk wood pellet distribution (but not residues) will generally choose to use pellets over establishing their own wood chip supply chain as the cost of the latter ends up being higher. Communities without access to forest residues or bulk pellets have established their own local wood chip supply chains. For communities above treeline and accessible by winter road only, torrefied pellets may be an option because of the improved storage characteristics. 4. TECHNICAL SUPPORT When sourcing the boiler/CHP equipment, it is important to consider the training and technical support that the supplier or contractor will provide. In most communities interviewed, the equipment supplier (and/or contractor) involved locals in the installation of the system and provided initial operational training. Some also provided follow-up training and on-going technical support, while other communities now rely on technical support from manufacturers in Europe. 20 Canadian BIOMASS 2014-11-18 2:22 PM SUMMER 2020 allied blower biomass novdec14.indd 1
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