CBC
Summary
Conversion to district heating intended to help forestry sector, reduce fuel costs
The Nova Scotia government's most tangible effort to diversify the forestry sector since the closure of Northern Pulp happened Monday with the awarding of contracts for six district heating projects. But the move also underscores how much work remains.
The contracts are for designing, building and operating boilers that use wood chips to heat public buildings, and include long-term agreements to source the chips from private woodlot owners and sawmills.
They are:
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Mira Forestry Development Ltd. will convert Memorial High School in Sydney Mines and Riverview High School in Sydney.
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Wood4heating Canada Inc. will convert Perennia Park Atlantic Centre for Argi-Innovation and Hants East Rural High School.
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Spec Resources Inc. will convert the Nova Scotia Community College's Centre of Geographic Sciences.
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ACFOR Energy Inc. will construct a two-building district heating network for the Bridgewater provincial courthouse and local NSCC campus.
The projects are expected to be in place during this heating season. They are being constructed in exterior buildings to allow for potential future expansions.
A news release from the province said additional sites are being considered for expanding the program. Lands and Forestry Department officials have previously said they have a list of about 100 public buildings that have been deemed good candidates for conversion to wood heat, a move that's intended to lower fuel costs while providing new opportunities for local forestry operators.
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