Last Friday, Premier Dalton McGuinty and a delegation from Ontario headed to China on a trade mission. The goal of the mission was to create wealth in Ontario by "selling environmental technologies to China".
Yesterday it was announced that a Chinese company will be investing in a biomass power plant in Ontario in partnership with a Canadian company.
Toronto-based Canadian Windfields Solar and Renewable Energy Corp will be partnering with Chinese Wuhan Liren Investment Co., Ltd to build a biomass power plant in a so-far-unspecified location in Ontario.
According to the Premier's website, the power plant will use "agricultural and forestry waste that produce virtually no emissions". There will also be investment in a manufacturing plant to support the biomass initiative.
About Biomass in Ontario
Biomass basically involves taking organic matter, and turning it into energy. The energy can be generated from matter such as forestry waste (such as sawdust), or agricultural debris such as straw. Biomass is popular in several countries in Europe, where it is used to generate power, and to heat homes.
Ontario Power Generation has been experimenting with using biomass "as a new renewable energy source for Ontario".
There has been some interest in biomass in Ontario recently. The Nanticoke Generating Station recently burned milling by-products along with coal, and the Thunder Bay Generating Station tested burning "pelletized grain screenings".
EPCOR Ontario operates the Calstock Power Plant 40km west of Hearst, Ontario. The plant burns wood waste and produces power and steam.
Texas-based Genco Corporation has also announced plans to construct a biomass facility in Melbourne, Ontario.
More information about Biomass
Image by eskimo_jo
