Biomass heating through the use of woodchips will provide sustainable and renewable energy to Prince County Hospital and Summerset Manor.
"Construction of this plant reflects our commitment to using sustainably-sourced and locally-produced renewable energy," said Minister of Transportation, Infrastructure and Energy Paula Biggar. "This project will reduce our carbon output, limit our exposure to rising and falling energy prices, and encourage local economic activity."
Prince Edward Island has been converting the heat systems for a number of facilities from oil to biomass since 2012. In that time, they have cumulatively displaced approximately 2.4 million litres of fuel oil. When all the biomass heating plants currently covered by contracts are operational in 2016, they will displace approximately 3.3 million litres of fuel oil per year and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 9,000 tonnes per year.
"The provincial government is taking a leadership role in the way we heat our public buildings, many of which are health facilities," said Health and Wellness Minister Robert Henderson. "Using biomass, or locally produced wood chips to heat the PCH and Summerset Manor, will displace 450,000 litres of fuel oil per year, which is good for the environment, our Island forests and the local economy."
ACFOR Energy will build, own and operate the new biomass heating plant for Prince County Hospital and Summerset Manor. The biomass heat contracts for the facilities will be for a 20 year period and require that government purchase the biomass heat, providing it is available, over that period of time. Combustion emissions from the biomass heat plants will comply with or exceed environmental regulations, while reducing the emission of greenhouse gases from heating the hospital and manor.
ACFOR completed installation in 2015 of biomass heat systems at Wedgewood Manor, Elm Street and Miscouche schools and École sur Mer. The systems installed by ACFOR are operating successfully.
Mathieu LeBlanc, president and CEO of ACFOR Energy, says biomass energy can be an important ingredient in sustainable forest management.
"Having healthy forests in the Maritimes is a top priority for me. ACFOR is committed to forest practices that protect and improve our woodlands, and to biomass facilities that reduce production of greenhouse gases when compared to other heat sources," he said.
Burning fuel oil releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which contributes to global warming; however, burning wood chip biomass fuel is carbon neutral, due to the capture of the carbon dioxide by the trees growing to replace the wood fibre harvested for biomass fuel.
Nineteen facilities provincially-owned facilities currently use biomass heat: Western Hospital, Maplewood Manor, Community Hospital, Miscouche School, Wedgewood Manor, Elm Street School, Ecole Sur Mer, Summerside Intermediate School, Athena School, Three Oaks Senior High School, Bluefield High School, East Wiltshire School, Eliot River School, Provincial Correctional Center, the new Prince Edward Home, Beachgrove Manor, Stonepark School, Souris Regional School and Souris Hospital.
Biomass heat installations will be completed in 2016 at Morell High School, Prince County Hospital and Summerset Manor.
