INNISFAIL – Citizens are invited to learn more about a proposal for a waste-to-energy facility in town during a presentation this week by officials from a leading Canadian industry developer.
In a news release dated Aug. 19, the Town of Innisfail said town council was presented with an opportunity earlier this year to take the steps involved in establishing a waste-to-energy facility in the community.
The town said in the news release that representatives from Varme Energy, a leading developer in waste-to-energy and bioenergy projects in Canada, provided council with an overview of the technologies involved.
“The town now wishes to provide the regional community with the opportunity to learn more about a potential waste-to-energy facility for the region,” said the release.
The town is inviting the public to attend a free presentation at the Innisfail Library & Learning Centre on Thursday, Aug. 25. The presentation begins at 5 p.m. and is expected to conclude at around 7 p.m.
During the presentation, the company is expected to provide an in-depth scope of a potential waste-to-energy facility in Central Alberta.
“In June of this year, our council signed a letter of intent and expressed interest in learning more about the process of establishing a waste-to-energy facility in Innisfail,” said Meghan Jenkins, the town’s director of community services.
“This presentation is the next step in that process. It’s an opportunity for the company to educate us about how the facility functions, and it’s also our opportunity to ask any questions we may have.”
The waste-to-energy process involves incinerating waste – including solid household refuse collected by most municipalities – and converting it to electricity. The technology used to achieve this is already being used in other jurisdictions in Europe.
Mayor Jean Barclay said Varme Energy’s proposal has the potential to not only be good for the town but also for the whole region.
“I'm making that comment from the standpoint of landfills. Norway is an example. I understand approximately 10 to 15 per cent of their waste goes to landfills where in Canada we're up around 95 per cent,” said Barclay.
“So, it's an opportunity for us to potentially divert almost all of our land waste to a plant that would then potentially produce both heat and electricity.”
For citizens interested in attending this Thursday's presentation, no registration is required. Visit the company's website at www.varme.ca for more information about Varme Energy.
