By Veronica Beltran

-44 but still going strong

Record-breaking cold didn’t stop the City’s Renewable Energy System

Jan 22, 2020 | 1:07 PM

PRINCE GEORGE–It didn’t crack under pressure.

The Downtown Renewable Energy System operated at it’s highest level ever last week, during our cold winter spell.

The system takes wood chips and shavings from Lakeland Mills and uses them to heat water, providing heat and hot water to several downtown buildings including City Hall, the Library, Two Rivers Gallery, the Four Seasons Pool, and the RCMP detachment.

With temperatures dropping below average last week, even breaking a 41-year-old record, sitting at -44 on Jan.15th. The system did not teeter and continued to heat the connected buildings across Prince George, without the assistance of back-up heaters that burn natural gas.

“There are only a handful of municipal district heating systems in Canada that primarily use a renewable fuel source and for Prince George to be able to operate at 100% through such a cold period is certainly a positive achievement,” says Raymond Boulter, a national expert on community energy systems with Natural Resources Canada. “It shows that renewable, low-carbon heat is possible even in Canada’s northern communities.”

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The Downtown Renewable Energy System also provides heat and warm water to the courthouse and the Wood Innovation and Design Centre. The centre is producing 95% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than if it was heated with natural gas.

According to a release from the City, having the system has saved the province around $175,000 in carbon offsets and natural gas purchases.

Both provincial and federal governments, along with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, provided funding of around $11 million towards the construction of the Downtown Renewable Energy System, almost a decade ago.