Nova Scotia government awards contracts to build wood chip heating systems

The province of Nova Scotia has selected four companies to convert fossil fuel heating systems at six sites to wood chip heating systems.

According to a government press release, the companies will design, build and operate new boilers. The contracts include long-term agreements to source wood chips from private woodlots and sawmills.

The contracts have been awarded as follows:

• Mira Forestry Development Ltd., based in Albert Bridge, N.S., will convert the fossil fuel heating systems at Memorial High School in Sydney Mines, N.S., and Riverview High School in Sydney, N.S.
• Wood4heating Canada Inc. in Charlottetown, N.S., will convert the systems at Perennia Park Atlantic Centre for Agri-Innovation in Bible Hill, N.S., and Hants East Rural High School in Milford, N.S.
• Spec Resources Inc. in Church Point, N.S., will convert the system at Nova Scotia Community College Centre of Geographic Sciences in Lawrencetown, N.S.
• Finally, ACFOR Energy Inc., based in Cocagne, N.B., will convert the fossil fuel system at the Bridgewater Provincial Court.

The province has also announced a district heating network will be created at Perennia Park and three buildings will be heated by the new boiler. Bridgewater Provincial Court and Nova Scotia Community College’s Lunenberg campus will form a two-building district heating network.

“These projects help us progress towards a greener economy and reduce the carbon footprint of government buildings by replacing fossil fuels with a renewable resource,” said Nova Scotia lands and forestry minister Iain Rankin in a statement. “Using lower grade wood for heat will create new and stable markets for Nova Scotia’s wood chips and opportunities for private woodlot owners and sawmills to sell lower grade wood locally.”