A local business feeling the pinch of the carbon tax will be able to reduce its reliance on natural gas with seed money from the province.
Millson Forestry Service is getting $500,600 to create a compost heat recovery system, which will allow the second-generation forestry company in Timmins to heat one of its buildings and sell some of the compost.
The funding is one of 12 projects in the northeast getting a cut of $6.1 million through the third phase of the Ontario forest biomass program. Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry Graydon Smith was in Timmins on Friday (March 1) to make the announcement, which includes an additional $60 million for the program over the next three years. Timmins MPP and Minister of Mines George Pirie and Timmins Mayor Michelle Boileau also took part in the event held at Millson's.
Biomass uses under-used parts of wood and mill byproducts to generate energy. The projects announced this week, said Smith, are a "diverse range of research, innovation, and modernization initiatives that will help develop the potential of Ontario's forest biomass resources."
Jenny Millson is excited about the new cash.
“We are going to be setting up a compost heat recovery system. We generate some biomass from our firewood operation so we’ll be using the biomass to compost and in doing so with the heat recovery system be able to use the heat generated from the compost to heat one of our growing structures,” she said.
The project will reduce the operation's reliance on natural gas, extend its season in the greenhouse, and potentially allow them to sell the compost generated locally.
The federal carbon tax has had a significant impact on Millson Forestry's operations, she said.
"Anything we can do to reduce our natural gas usage is going to be helpful,” she said.
The other projects receiving funding are:
- Hornepayne Power - $2.5 million for a feasibility study of on-site hydrogen production using forest biomass to modernize its power plant and diversify operations.
- Commercial Bioenergy in Kirkland Lake - $1.6 million to buy and install equipment to build and operate two wood-chipping sites.
- ICS (Lacroix) Lumber in Hallébourg - $62,500 to install a second wood pellet press to its production line.
- Apitipi Anicinapek Nation - $250,000 to build community readiness to take part in forest biomass opportunities.
- Batchewana First Nation - $250,000 to assess the business potential of a proposed forest biomass conversion company to supply low-carbon renewable fuel and biocoal.
- Wikwemikong Unceded Indian Reserve - $250,000 to look at the feasibility of an advanced biochar/biocoal product that would be developed at a proposed pellet plant facility.
- Wahkohtowin Development GP Inc. - $188,00 to study the financial and logistical needs for the community to undertake management of a forest biomass yard.
- Daki Menan Lands and Resources Corporation - $146,500 to recruit and train local Indigenous youth for a project.
- Missanabie Cree First Nation - $130,000 to identify forestry-related development opportunities.
- Greenfirst Forest Products in Kapuskasing - $120,000 for a detailed engineering feasibility study to determine the financial requirements to develop a new, modern co-generation plant.
- Walker Environment Group - $100,000 to explore cost-effection options to use biomass as a source of renewable natural gas and other low-carbon energy products.
