Across Canada the range of technologies collectively called bio-energy is coming into its own. Although forestry-based biomass has been the source of substantial volumes of power for years in Canada, other forms of bio-energy have remained relatively small scale – until now. Today, a wider range of technologies are showing significant commercial potential. While power generation from forest waste is expected to grow under the FIT program, significant short term growth is also expected in bio-gas technologies which rely methane produced from biological sources. In the story below, a German company plans to build numerous facilities in Ontario with over 30 MW of power generation, in addition to their other capabilities. Later in this issue we report on how a town in Quebec plans to use municipal waste to produce a form of biogas. In April we reported on proposals for a “Greener Gas Grid.” And in the international section, we include reports from GE Jenbacher on the progress of some of its bio-fuel power projects worldwide.
Largest biogas plant in North America
Farm-based biogas to produce baseload power under FIT program
German genset maker MWM announced December 10 that it is moving ahead with several farm-based biogas power generation projects in Ontario.
Three facilities, Petrocorn Inc., Kirchmeier Farms and Maryland Farms will use farm waste – manure, waste silage, and the like, plus some urban green bin waste – fats and oils from restaurants, burning the gas in 500 kW gensets manufactured by MWM in Germany. The fuel is to be processed in digesters supplied by CHFour Biogas Inc. The power will be sold as baseload to the Ontario Power Authority under the FIT program, with the units running a planned 8200 hours a year. One of the operations uses high-grade exhaust heat for cogeneration.
The company is also developing an agreement with the town of Cobourg, where MWM Canada has its headquarters, for a similar operation using green bin organic waste.
A fifth project in the works is with Kawartha Ethanol, under construction and expected to be up and running in June. Production of grain ethanol results in large amounts of “wet cake,” the drying of which is a major cost. The facility will use material to generate over $13 million a year worth of electricity, and use the waste heat to dry the cake.
The process will also produce $6 million worth of fertilizer a year, from waste that would previously have had to be land-filled. The facility will be the largest biogas plant in North America, MWM Canada Vice President Derek Neill said in a telephone interview, and among the top three in the world. And he is working on plans for two more bio-ethanol plants, for a total potential generation capacity of 30 MW.
MWM Canada has a total of 15 gensets operating in Ontario, using a variety of fuels. A 1.1 MW unit running on natural gas is at GO Transit’s energy centre in Toronto.
MWM claims more than a thousand biogas engines installed worldwide. “We are pleased to bring our experience and knowledge to these projects in Canada", says Neill.
MWM is just one of several companies developing on-farm biogas in Ontario. See “Biogas generation gains a foothold in Ontario,” IPPSO FACTO, February 2008.
See also http://www.mwm.net/modules/ .
See related stories in this issue:
Promising electricity supplier for the future: Biowaste
Turning waste into Energy in Thailand's palm fields
Farm-based biogas to produce baseload power under FIT program: Largest biogas plant in North America