Enderby could get into the energy business.
City council has instructed staff to do a market analysis of the sale of wood waste-generated heat from its biomass facility at the public works yard.
“We will examine the possibilities about extending it to nearby commercial buildings and selling them heat,” said Mayor Howie Cyr.
The city’s biomass boiler has about 100 kilowatts of available capacity that could possibly be sold.
“Neighbouring industrial properties would typically use around 50 kilowatts each, which could be viable,” said Tate Bengston, chief executive officer, in a memo to council.
The market analysis will identify potential customers, and a business case could be the next step.
“The business case will need to determine the cost-benefit for extending the pipes in terms of risk, price points and anticipated payback period,” said Bengston.
Any revenue from the sale of energy would go into city coffers.
The biomass energy system currently heats the city’s public works shop,. sewer treatment facility, dog pound and several support buildings.
“Biomass energy heating systems have high thermal efficiency, low particulate emissions and carbon neutral energy output,” said Bengston.
While the system could be initially expanded to nearby businesses, Cyr has a long-term vision.
“I would like to see us eventually heat A.L. Fortune Secondary,” he said.
