Canadian Biomass Magazine

CRIBE invests $500,000 in biomass research, projects

August 30, 2012
By CRIBE

cribeAugust 30, 2012, Thunder Bay, ON – The Centre for Research and Innovation in the Bio-Economy (CRIBE) announced it is providing $467,212 to a partnership with Confederation College to develop the Bio-Energy Learning and Research Centre (BLRC) which will contain a fuel testing lab, demonstration space, and a separate 150 KW boiler dedicated to research and learning with associated emissions monitoring equipment.

August 30, 2012, Thunder Bay, Ont. – The Centre for Research and
Innovation in the Bio-Economy (CRIBE) announced it is providing $467,212
to a partnership with Confederation College to develop the Bio-Energy
Learning and Research Centre (BLRC) which will contain a fuel testing
lab, demonstration space, and a separate 150 KW boiler dedicated to
research and learning with associated emissions monitoring equipment.

According to CRIBE, the centre will be the first facility in Ontario to provide hands-on training to students in this emerging bio-energy field. Being able to train students and share knowledge here in the north will be integral to the success of many upcoming small to mid-size biomass projects in Ontario.

“The impact these kinds of projects could have on remote First Nations, mostly off-the-grid and dependent on costly diesel generators, is significant,” stated the announcement. “In fact a few First Nations communities are currently moving forward with plans for small scale biomass power-generation. They will now be able to receive training to set up and run these facilities much closer to home.”

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madder_and_gravelle  
 Michael Gravelle, Minister of Natural Resources, (left) and Jim Madder, Confederation College President, announce the development of a new
learning and research facility. (CRIBE)


 

The emission monitoring equipment will also provide the Ministry of Environment (MOE) with much-needed data on smaller scale projects.

CRIBE is also providing $70,839 in funding to Atikokan Renewable Fuels (ARF) to begin testing various natural additives to wood pellets (to be used for biomass) to improve their performance in cooperation with Lakehead University. It is an important first step in helping ARF produce high quality pellets that will feed biomass energy facilities, said CRIBE.

"The new Bio-Energy Learning and Research Centre here at Confederation College will help our students become part of a new skilled work force in the emerging field of bio-energy”, said Michael Gravelle, Minister of Natural Resources. “With important hands-on training they will certainly prove invaluable as our government helps the forest industry transition to the new bio-economy. This will benefit a number of upcoming projects, including First Nations' as they become more involved in their own biomass initiatives."

“Creating a knowledge-based bio-economy hub here in Thunder Bay is one of CRIBE’s most important mandate items,” said Lorne Morrow CEO of CRIBE. “Northwestern Ontario was so hard hit by the downturn in the forest industry, we really needed to refocus on our strengths. With this announcement we’ve succeed in creating the linkages that will support the new bio-economy industry in Ontario."


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