TheĀ Northeastern Ontario Municipal Association is not pleased the Cochrane biomass power facility was ignored as part of a new project to bring renewable energy projects to Ontario. NEOMA says the Independent Electricity System Operator was only looking at building new facilities, and wouldn’t let current ones apply for one of 16 spots in the Large Renewable Procurement Process.
Chair of NEOMA, and Timmins city councillor, Mike Doody saysĀ many Toronto-based bureaucratsĀ seem to only look as far as their desks. He says energy planners are so blinded by their own processes, they see nothing but their desireĀ for shiny new power projects.
Cochrane has been looking for a use for their biomass power facility since it was shut down last May. Doody says giving the town a bid for this project has multiple benefits for all of Ontario. He says the lumber industryĀ would have received millions of dollars a year in revenue by supplying Cochrane PowerĀ with lumber waste, and at least 12 MW off carbon-Ā offsetting biomass would be generating power, immediately.
Doody says the plant is ready to go, the forestry and agricultural industries are ready to fuel it, and yet they are being ignored by the province.
The 16 contracts that were awarded include:
- 5 wind contracts totalling 299.5 MW
- 7 solar contracts totalling 139.885 MW
- 4 hydroelectric contracts totalling 15.5 MW