Ontario First Nation to create wood pellet and biomass plants

Mar 04, 2009. /Lesprom Network/. Whitesand First Nations Chief Allan Gustafson announced a community sustainability project that will include a small value added sawmill, wood pellet manufacturing plant and a combined heat and power biomass plant, as the CKPR informed Lesprom Network. “This project will serve as a model to other northern communities wishing to develop long-term employment opportunities and energy self sustainability,” said manager of Confederation College’s forestry centre, Brian Kurikka, in a news release. “'We are excited to be involved in this unique and forward thinking initiative.” The proposed pellet plant could produce as much as 88 thousand tonnes of wood pellets annually, in a combination of industrial and residential pellets. The project is designed to provide electricity for the communities of Whitesand First Nation, Armstrong, and, Namaygoosisagagun. A four megawatt biomass powered co-generation plant will be constructed to shift the three communities away from diesel powered electricity generation. It is expected that the heat from this plant will be used to dry lumber and wood pellets. Project partners include Armstrong Resource Development Corporation, Confederation College Forestry Centre, Lakehead University Faculty of Forestry and the Forest Environment, FPInnovations, and noteworthy others. The new company, which has yet to receive a name, will manufacture the fuel wood pellets that will be suitable for use in residential pellet stoves, industrial boilers, and to replace coal used in electric power generation. The small sawmill will produce value added wood products to be primarily used within the communities.