July 7, 2011,
Maria, Que. – The Quebec government is giving financial assistance of $ 935,000 to
the Centre for Health and Social Services of Baie-des-Chaleurs to
install a 2,750 kW biomass boiler at Maria Hospital. The biomass boiler will
allow the hospital to produce a majority of the steam required for its
operations from residual forest biomass. Steam for heating, laundry, cooking,
sterilization, and hot water is currently provided by electric boilers and fuel
oil. This improvement in the hospital’s boiler system will reduce its CO2
emissions by about 183 tonnes/year, equivalent to taking about 50 cars off the
road.
Forest biomass will be provided by the Forestry Cooperative Association of St.
Elzear, located near the hospital, under an experimental license obtained from
the Ministry of Natural Resources and Wildlife.
The Ministry of Health and Human Services is providing $435,000, and the
Ministry of Natural Resources and Wildlife is providing $500,000 under the
forest biomass for heating program. The total project cost is estimated at
$2,926,215.
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