ENMAX Energy Corporation (ENMAX Energy), through a wholly owned subsidiary, has proposed the construction and operation of a 165 megawatt (MW) natural gas-fired facility in southeast Calgary. The Bonnybrook Energy Centre will be a cogeneration or combined heat and power (CHP) facility, generating electricity and capturing waste heat to be used by Canada Malting Co. Limited (Canada Malting) and other businesses in their processes.
“Building generation plants closer to where the power is needed most makes good economic and environmental sense,” says ENMAX Energy CEO, Gary Holden. “The facility will be close to downtown, so minimal electricity will be lost in comparison to plants that require lengthy transmission lines. Bonnybrook will also capture waste heat for use by nearby industry, offering considerable benefits to the environment overall.”
The proposed facility will eventually be able to provide heat for downtown buildings through a network of underground insulated pipes. This system of thermal energy output is more efficient than traditional heating systems which have separate boiler systems built into every building.
To further increase environmental benefits, a new water reclamation facility will be constructed to recover the malting process water for use by the Bonnybrook Energy Centre and the wastewater storage lagoon currently in use by Canada Malting will be eliminated.
Proposed Project Schedule
This facility will require regulatory approval from federal, provincial and municipal regulators and is anticipated to take six to 12 months. If successful, construction will start in the second quarter of 2010 with commercial operation by the fourth quarter of 2011.
Location
The proposed location for this 5 to 7 acre facility is on the Canada Malting site, east of Ogden Road (3316 Bonnybrook Road S.E.). The site is close to existing gas pipelines and electricity transmission lines. A transmission line will be required to connect the facility to the electrical grid.
Project Benefits
The Bonnybrook Energy Centre will offer a number of benefits including:
· Reliable, cost-effective source of new electricity supply for southern Alberta;
· Maintaining lower electricity costs for ENMAX Energy retail customers by reducing exposure to volatile energy markets;
· Reduced line losses from long-distance transmission lines by locating generation close to customer demand (ultimately reducing greenhouse gas emissions by not having to generate more electricity to make up for the lost electricity);
· Enhanced local and regional power supply;
· Job creation;
· Removal of a wastewater storage lagoon from an industrial site; and
· Use of wastewater from the Canada Malting facility in place of fresh water.
Commitment to Community
A comprehensive program has been developed for interested parties to become engaged in the project through information packages, community open houses, and personal meetings.