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Biomass bucks for research centre, wood pellet maker

Confederation College in Thunder Bay received almost a half-million dollars from a forestry innovation organization to develop a bio-energy learning facility.

Confederation College in Thunder Bay received almost a half-million dollars from a forestry innovation organization to develop a bio-energy learning facility.

CRIBE (Centre for Research and Innovation in the Bio-Economy) is providing $467,212 to the college for its Bio-Energy Learning and Research Centre. 

The facility will house a fuel testing lab and demonstration space with a separate 150-kilowatt boiler dedicated for research on emissions monitoring equipment.

An Aug. 23 release from CRIBE said this new centre is critical in sharing knowledge and training students for many upcoming biomass projects across Ontario, and for remote First Nation communities in moving away from diesel-powered fuel generation toward biomass power-generation.

CRIBE is also providing $70,839 in funding to Atikokan Renewable Fuels, a future wood pellet maker, that has set up shop in Atikokan. The company has aims to secure supply agreements with Ontario Power Generation and off-shore utilities in Europe.

In working with Lakehead University, the company will use the money to test various natural additives to wood pellets to manufacture a high quality pellet that will feed biomass energy plants.