Biofuels what PEI needs: committee

The province (Prince Edward Island) should pursue measures that encourage expanding biofuels projects, says an environmental committee tasked by government to assess the potential of local biofuels development.

In its final report to cabinet recently after over a year of research on the issue, the Environmental and Renewable Industries Committee (ERIC) said this is key in reducing the provinces dependence on imported oil and in establishing new industry.

Government has accepted all eight of the committees recommendations, one of which included promoting governments piloting of demonstration projects that use biofuels as a way of leading by example in the renewable energy field.

That's good news for Bruce McCallum, chair of the Maritime Bioenergy Working Group.

He submitted a proposal to the province several months ago calling for the use of low-grade wood, straw and energy crops such as high-fibre grasses, as well as crop and animal wastes, for heat and power production.

We in particular are looking for the province to convert their public buildings either to woodchips or pellets, depending on suitability.

Bioenergy technologies for domestic and commercial heating are well developed, efficient and clean-burning, McCallum said of the alternative energy.

He believes the province has great potential to further develop larger district heating systems like Charlottetowns energy from waste plant, or woodchip and wood pellet burners in Island homes and businesses.

We have the potential to do this, he said. It would be very helpful in displacing our fossil-fuel usage, reducing our carbon emissions and producing long-term employment.

Were interested in doing this is to generate a market for bulk woodchips and pellets. We already have woodchip production right now. Theres a potential for a lot more.

McCallums group has already submitted its proposal to the Department of Environment and Forestry for consideration as it drafts an energy policy for the Island.

But with these newly approved recommendations from ERIC, a new evaluation committee has been struck to assess these types of biofuel proposals and set project priorities.

Now theres a policy structure in place and theres a committee in place to handle proposals of any kindwhether it be ethanol, biodiesel, biomass combustion and so on, said Gordon Cobb, a spokesperson for the Department of Development and Technology.

Some projects are big, some are small, but they all have to be looked at through the lens of this evaluation criterianow that weve done the study and understand the area.

The Island currently imports $334 million of petroleum-based energy annually into the province.

With the promotion of new biofuels projects, the hope is to reduce this cost while also reducing the provinces environmental footprint, Cobb added.

We look to the future of biofuels that PEI can produce in a sustainable and environmental manner to replace some of that huge amount of money were spending on importing oil-based energy.

The province has already received a number of proposals like the one submitted by McCallums group.

With ERICs recommendations having been approved by government, the Intra-Departmental Committee can begin its work evaluating all the proposals.

We know why we should go forward with biofuels, Cobb said.

We know we would do it to replace the huge cost of oil products. We would do it to fight climate change and we would do it to help the economy.

(This article was originally published in The Guardian.)