Bioenergy

The production of fuels and energy using biomass is an interesting avenue for Canada to explore. Currently, Canada uses biomass to meet approximately 6 percent of the national demand for primary energy. Yet this resource is often under-used and requires specific technologies for energy conversion.

The processes of bioenergy production in Canada are direct combustion, anaerobic fermentation, mixed combustion, rapid pyrolysis, gasification, and biofuels. Projects that make use of biomass can be sustainable and profitable, because they rely on biological (renewable) feedstocks and can be designed to produce heat as well as electricity. In addition, bioenergy offers a potential solution to the disposal of municipal solid waste by converting solid waste to energy.

Some Important Facts about the Industry

• The single largest consumer of industrial biomass is the paper and pulp industry.
• In general, industrial biomass applications emphasize the combustion or fermentation of solid waste (wood waste, pulp and paper waste, municipal solid waste or household garbage) to produce heat (for both ambient heating and industrial use), while also producing electricity for the local energy production system.
• According to an inventory of existing forest biomass, Canadian forest biomass resources in 1993 amounted to more than 26 billion dry tons – the equivalent of 82 million barrels of oil, or enough to meet Canada’s oil needs for 151 years (at 1993 consumption rates).
• Per capita, Canada has access to more biomass resources than any other country in the world.
• Typical employment in the biomass industry (with the exception of administrative positions) is as follows, in order of decreasing prevalence:
  
  • Retailer or supplier of wood stoves or pellet stoves
  • Plant maintenance technician (steam and fuel)
  • Technical sales
• The Canadian bioenergy industry can be broken down into four subsectors: residential wood stoves or pellet stoves, industrial combustion or anaerobic fermentation, centralized and municipal heating and energy production facilities, and biofuels.

Bioenergy Technology – Subsector: Residential wood stoves or pellet stoves

• This subsector includes companies that manufacture, sell (retail), or install wood or pellet stoves.
• The sector involves 1500 to 2000 jobs, primarily in retail sales and installation.
• Approximately 1.65 million Canadians use non-decorative wood-fired heating devices, though only 8 percent of them use advanced models.

Bioenergy Technology – Subsector: Industrial combustion and anaerobic fermentation

• This subsector includes manufacturers, engineering consultants, and certain independent suppliers.
• This sector involves fewer than 250 jobs. Please note, however, that this figure is only approximate, since no in-depth study on the size of the industry has been conducted to date.
• Three distinct technologies are found in this subsector: zero-emission combustion, anaerobic fermentation, and rapid pyrolysis.
• One of the largest biomass energy production facilities in North America, with a capacity of 66 MW, is located in Williams Lake, British Columbia.
• Certain Canadian communities have neighbourhood energy systems that use wood waste from urban lumber yards to meet their needs for electricity and heating.
• The first co-generating facility using bio-oil from rapid pyrolysis is currently operating in the Ontario village of West Lorne (West Lorne BioOil Cogeneration Plant). Once fully operational, this plant is expected to generate up to 2.5 MW of electricity.

Bioenergy Technology – Subsector: Centralized and municipal heating and energy production facilities

• This is an up-and-coming segment of the industry, currently numbering only a few facilities.
• The number of jobs is estimated to be under 200 in Canada; however, the potential for growth over the next five years is considerable, given the federal and provincial/territorial support for municipal “green programs,” the financial incentive to reduce energy costs, and the interest in eliminating greenhouse gasses, all to respect the environment by taking advantage of landfill gas and wet waste.
• In 1999, there were 16 facilities using landfill gas to produce a total of 85.3 MW of electricity in Canada.
• The Keele Valley landfill site, located in Vaughan, Ontario, is one of the world’s largest gas-to-energy projects. This facility provides nearly 33 MW of continuous energy to the Ontario energy network.

Bioenergy Technology – Subsector: Biofuels

• The 2000 Climate Change Plan for Canada set the following production objectives: 1.4 billion litres of ethanol by 2010 (compared to 200 million litres in 2001) and 500 million litres of biodiesel by 2010 (compared to practically zero in 2001).
• Biofuels are sold at more than 1000 points-of-sale in Canada, selling in excess of 240 million litres each year.
• The Ethanol Expansion Program (EEP) aims to increase the production and use of ethanol-based fuel in Canada. Specifically, the goal is to increase the percentage of ethanol-gas blend users in Canada from 7 percent 100 in 2003 to 35 percent in 2010. Two phases of the EEP were launched in 2003 and 2004, with the following results:
  
  • Phase 1 (announced in February 2004) - Seven proposals were accepted for the construction of ethanol production facilities, representing a total investment of C$78 million from the Government of Canada.
  • Phase 2 (announced in July 2005) - Five proposals were accepted for the construction of ethanol production facilities, representing a total investment of $46 million from the Government of Canada.
  • Projects from these two phases are expected to produce 1.2 billion litres of ethanol each year between now and the end of 2007.
• Biodiesel is widely used in Europe and, to a lesser extent, in the United States. In Canada, biodiesel is still in the development stages. Currently, Toronto Hydro uses biodiesel to run more than 400 cars and trucks in its vehicle fleet. Other fleet and bus demonstration programs have taken place in cities across Canada.
• Canada's biodiesel production is currently about 10 million litres per year. With the construction of two new facilities underway, production is expected to reach 100 million litres in 2006.