Would it make economic sense to burn wood waste in the North Thompson Valley to produce electricity or heat large buildings or neighborhoods?
District of Clearwater will work with District of Barriere, Simpcw First Nation, Wells Gray Country (Area A), Thompson Headwaters (Area B), and Lower North Thompson (Area O) to find out, according to chief administrative officer Leslie Groulx.
The various local governments are working together to produce a green energy scan of the North Thompson Valley, she said.
The scan will look at the potential in the valley for biofuels such as wood waste, as well as solar, wind, geothermal, small-scale hydro and other alternative sources of energy.
In the fall of 2011, the Southern Interior Beetle Action Coalition (SIBAC) sent out a request for qualifications (RFQ) for the “Green Energy as a Rural Economic Development Tool Project” to solicit interest from qualified consulting groups/companies with skills/expertise in the clean energy sector.
In mid-January SIBAC and the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation received a proposal from the Community Energy Association of BC to carry out the work identified for the North Thompson Green Energy Opportunities Scan Project.
SIBAC and its funding partners, through the Green Energy as a Rural Economic Development Tool Project, will cover the full cost of this contract.
The green energy scan project should get underway soon, said Groulx.