Pyrocal PTY Ltd. of Australia would supply the technology for a plant that burns biosolids at high temperatures.
The Capital Regional District has named an Australian engineering company as the preferred partner to convert biosolids from wastewater treatment into biochar.
Pyrocal PTY Ltd. would supply the technology for a plant that burns biosolids at high temperatures.
The end products are biochar, a charcoal substance that can be used to improve soils by helping them retain moisture and nutrients, as well as bio-oil and syngas, both of which can be captured and used as fuel to create heat or electricity.
Biochar production as an end game to the region’s sewage system has been a long-term goal for the CRD, but will have to go through a lengthy public-engagement process and environmental regulations before any plant is approved.
The CRD said it would be the first plant of its kind in Canada. The proposed system would be designed as an added component to the Residuals Treatment Facility at Hartland Landfill to process all class A biosolids emerging from sewage treatment.
The production of biochar is expected to offset the technology’s operating greenhouse-gas emissions, providing permanent carbon capture and storage, according to the CRD.
Regional district board chair Cliff McNeil-Smith said in a statement Thursday that the selection of Pyrocal PTY Ltd. marks a “significant milestone.”
“The advanced technology and infrastructure that Pyrocal provides will not only enhance our biosolids management capabilities but also contribute to the long-term environmental benefits for our community.”
The CRD is currently mixing almost all of its biosolids with sand and shipping them to a Lafarge Canada Inc. quarry in Cassidy, south of Nanaimo, for mine reclamation. Some smaller amounts are being used as fuel for a Lafarge cement kiln in Richmond.
The CRD is paying for the transportation costs for the biosolids, said a spokesperson.
Options to sell the biochar as a new revenue stream are being explored.
The CRD said costs of biochar production using Pyrocal’s technology are expected to be competitive with the regional district’s “current out-of-region management options.”
Staff are expected to return to the CRD board with financial analysis, an operations plan, a project agreement and a proposed approach to seek elector approval for financing before seeking direction to commit to the full project costs.
Public engagement will include local events about the proposed plant. The project will follow required provincial and local regulatory approvals for air emissions under the Environmental Management Act, which is anticipated to take up to two years.
The CRD said it will invite First Nations to review the project and provide any comments or concerns, and collaborate to develop mitigation measures for identified impacts.
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