Grant helps Biomass Centre build industry

Aug. 10, 2011, North Bay, ON – The Biomass
Innovation Centre at Nipissing University has been awarded a $75,000 Education
Grant from the Community Energy Partnerships Program to help develop
sustainable energy projects within the Blue Sky Region of Northern Ontario.

In partnership with Transition Town North Bay and Algonquin Agro Energy, the
Biomass Innovation Centre will use the funding to create toolkits, training
modules, and other instructional materials. The partners are looking to
engage municipal leaders, community stakeholders, and community residents by
using publications to build awareness, inspire action, and increase capacity
for the development of sustainable energy projects.

“Our goal with this funding is to implement a local renewable energy project
and to see the eventual creation of a Blue Sky Energy Co-op,” says Megan Smith,
project manager at Nipissing’s Biomass Innovation Centre. “With the expertise
that exists at the university, as well as the knowledge and experience that our
partners bring to the table, we are well-poised to achieve great success with
this grant and with the overarching goal of building a biomass-centred economy
in this region.”

The Biomass Innovation Centre launched in 2009 with the goal to assist in the
development of a robust biomass industry in northern Ontario. The centre works
with organizations and individuals to identify biomass supply opportunities,
support projects that transform biomass into fuels and high-value products, and
develop market capacity and demand for biofuels and biorefinery products.