A Government of British Columbia announcement today is giving UNBC the opportunity to be a showpiece for bioenergy and the first university in Canada to be heated largely with renewable energy. The University has received $3.5 million from the Government’s Innovative Clean Energy (ICE) fund, the largest investment among the 15 projects announced today at UNBC by Ida Chong, Minister of Technology, Trade, and Economic Development, and Richard Neufeld, Minister of Energy, Mines, and Petroleum Resources.
Link: Government of BC news release

The proposed UNBC project is intended to focus on testing the economic, environmental, operational, and industrial viability of bioenergy and biomass fuels such as wood. The University is currently exploring the potential of gasification technology, which converts biomass to heat and a synthetic gas. The system would be added to the UNBC Power Plant and supplement the University’s existing boilers, which currently burn natural gas.

“In addition to reducing our dependence on fossil fuels, a bioenergy system on campus could significantly reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and serve as a platform for expanding our teaching and research related to energy and community sustainability,” says Ian Hartley, the Acting Vice-Provost for Research and Graduate Programs at UNBC. “This is an exciting opportunity for UNBC and the North that will showcase BC’s innovations to the world. The investment announced today by the Government of BC is greatly appreciated.”

The University’s campus infrastructure is key to implementing a renewable energy system.

As depicted in the diagram at the top right of this screen, all of the core campus buildings located within the University Ring Road are connected to the Power Plant by the Agora and a utility corridor. This is an efficient infrastructure that also makes the campus ready for implementing new energy systems. In the early 1990s when the campus was being built, the Power Plant was designed for expansion and to accommodate alternative energy systems. A bioenergy installation, for example, could be attached to the Power Plant and immediately connect to the hot water pipes already serving the campus (see the photo with Doug Carter to the right). A bioenergy system could then provide base heating for the entire year, and be supplemented by the existing boilers during periods of peak loads and very cold temperatures.

Contact:
Rob van Adrichem, Director of Media and Public Relations, UNBC – 250.960.5622 

 Media Downloads

Click on a thumbnail below to access a high-resolution image showing the connectivity of the core Prince George campus buildings to the Power Plant.

 

 

Below: Ida Chong making the ICE announcement at UNBC.

 

 Below: Richard Neufeld at the ICE announcement at UNBC.

 

 Below: UNBC Chief Engineer Doug Carter shows the ministers where a bioenergy system can connect to the existing campus heating system. 

 

 Below: (from left) Shirley Bond, Richard Neufeld, Ian Hartley of UNBC, Ida Chong, Leonard Legault of Alterna Energy, and Jonathan Rhone of Nexterra Energy Corp.