If Peat Resources (CDN) is successful in securing private sector financing, the company will construct a $4.5-million pilot plant to produce tonnage-scale quantities of peat fuel. Peat President Leon LaPrarie says the federal and Ontario governments have agreed to chip in a total of $2.3 million for the plant if the private sector contributes the rest. He says at least one major corporation is prepared to donate a portion of the seed capital.
To be built in the midst of prime bog land, about 35 miles northwest of Thunder Bay, Ont., the plant would test a process for producing high calibre industrial peat fuel. With a heating value comparable to bituminous coal, the fuel could be used as an environmentally sensitive alternative to coal in coal-fired generating stations.
In a recent burn test completed by Ontario Hydro, Peat’s fuel produced less than 5% ash. A mixture of coal and peat fuel reduced sulphur dioxide emissions by the percentage of peat used in the mixture.
Data collected from the pilot plant operation would be used to design a $95-million commercial plant capable of producing one million tons of peat fuel per year.
Peat Resources, which has been developing the peat fuel process since 1984, has applied for a Canadian patent.
Be the first to comment on "Pilot plant next step for Peat"