Biofuels
Farming the benefits of biogas at Ledgecroft
Eastern Ontario AgriNews / December 2011
Two years ago, Ledgecroft Farms installed a biogas plant that generates methane gas from manure and off-farm source material, mainly fats, oils and greases (FOGs) from restaurant grease traps. Today it supplies enough electricity to the Hydro One grid to power 400 homes and provides heat to the farm and biogas system.
Not only does the process convert methane into electricity, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but it also results in a residual digested material that is virtually odour- and pathogen-free that can be used as an organic soil amendment.
It is this digestate that is spread on the fields at Ledgecroft Farms, on the over 800 acres used to produce grains for its herd. "We're spreading today and you can't smell it," says Glenn Green.
Webinar: Biogas News and Opportunities
In this webinar, participants will learn about developments in the biogas industry to help them plan for the future.
. A short video introduction
. A biogas strategy for Ontario
. How much energy can we get from biogas?
. Role of municipalities, food processors
. What the Ontario government is saying about biogas
. FIT price review
. Environmental approvals – process to streamline applications
. Grid connections update
. Time for questions and answers
Date: Thursday, January 26, 2012
Time: Noon-1:30 pm
Registration: Free of charge; go to www.apao.ca for details and to register
Hosted by the Biogas Association (APAO) with funding support from the Ontario Power Authority through the Community Energy Partnership Program. Such support does not indicate endorsement of the material by the Ontario Power Authority or the Province of Ontario.
Webinar: Introduction to Biogas
In this webinar, participants will gain an understanding of the biogas opportunity in Ontario.
. Introduction to biogas, the technology, and benefits
. Examples of working Ontario projects
. A short video
. Financial overview and financing options
. What's stopping you? A look at a few considerations
. Size matters
. Connecting to the grid
. Environmental approvals
. Planning with safety in mind
. An overview of coops
. Time for questions and answers
Date: Thursday, January 19, 2012
Time: Noon-1:30 pm
Registration: Free of charge; go to www.apao.ca for details and to register
Hosted by the Biogas Association (APAO) with funding support from the Ontario Power Authority through the Community Energy Partnership Program. Such support does not indicate endorsement of the material by the Ontario Power Authority or the Province of Ontario.
Second-generation ethanol processing is cost prohibitive
Queen's University News Centre / 21 November 2011
Costs for second-generation ethanol processing, which will ease the stress on corn and sugarcane, are unlikely to be competitive until 2020, according to a unique Queen’s University study.
“This study really lays out in black and white where we are and where we are going,” says Warren Mabee, an assistant professor in the School of Policy Studies and Department of Geography. “It should prompt companies to reassess (their processes going forward).”
The researchers found that building large scale facilities for second-generation ethanol production will be more costly than building plants for first-generation production. One reason is the extra infrastructure necessary for significant and costly pre-treatment of items like wood residue and waste paper. These replacements for corn and sugar cane contain multiple kinds of sugar while corn starch consists of pure glucose.
One solution to the high processing costs is companies responsible for just one part of the process, not building huge plants responsible for the entire process, Dr. Mabee said. This will reduce costs by spreading out the costs between more companies.
“This is a real opportunity to reduce the cost of production,” says Jamie Stephen, a Fellow at Queen’s University Institute for Energy and Environmental Policy.
Blended with gasoline, ethanol has the potential to reduce dependency on fossil fuels, but utilizing corn and sugarcane to create ethanol is putting stress on these commodities.
The study was recently published in the journal Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining.
Ontario: Biomass fuel will come from sustainably managed forests only, OPG emphasizes
Atikokan Progress / M. McKinnon / 15 November 2011
Chris Fralick, Ontario Power Generation plant manager for its Northwest Thermal operations, emphasized last week that the company is actively working to ensure the biomass repowering project at the Atikokan Generating Station is undertaken in an environmentally sustainable manner as coal is phased out by the end of 2014.
He was, in part, responding to the report issued by Greenpeace earlier this month, Fueling a Biomess, which questions the sustainability of forest-based bio-energy.
His comments reflected work OPG has been engaged in since it started considering forest bio-mass as an option to coal some three years ago.
Most importantly, OPG will require that biomass fuel suppliers demonstrate third party verification that wood fibre is sourced from sustainably managed forests. Fuel supplies must also meet the UN definition of renewable biomass.
North Bay: Grant helps Biomass Centre build industry
Transition Town North Bay / Press Release / 09 August 2011
The Biomass Innovation Centre at Nipissing University has been awarded a $75,000 Education Grant from the Community Energy Partnerships Program (CEPP) to help develop sustainable energy projects within the Blue Sky Region of Northern Ontario.
In partnership with Transition Town North Bay and Algonquin Agro Energy, the Biomass Innovation Centre will use the funding to create toolkits, training modules and other instructional materials. They are looking to engage municipal leaders, community stakeholders and community residents, using the publications to build awareness, inspire action and increase capacity for the development of sustainable energy projects.
"Our goal with this funding is to implement a local renewable energy project and to see the eventual creation of a Blue Sky Energy Co-op," said Megan Smith, project manager at Nipissing's Biomass Innovation Centre. "With the expertise that exists at the university, as well as the knowledge and experience that our partners bring to the table, we are well-poised to achieve great success with this grant and with the overarching goal of building a biomass-centred economy in this region."
APAO Biogas Tour
Come tour a biogas facility and learn about what this amazing technology can do for you!
This free tour provides you with a chance to see the equipment and operations up close. Get an introduction by the APAO, and have a chance to ask the farmer host questions. Printed materials will be on hand to help you learn more.
Organized by the AgriEnergy Producers' Association of Ontario
WHERE: Ledgecroft Farm, 354 Back Street, Seeley's Bay
