News » General news » Hamilton to harness ‘green’ technology
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11/12/2014 |
Hamilton to harness ‘green’ technology |
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Canada’s Port Fuels and Materials Services Inc is to build a plasma gasification energy-from-waste facility at the Port of Hamilton, which it hopes will lead the way in ‘green’ energy in the sector.
Plasma gasification is a non-combustion process that converts non-hazardous organic matter into synthetic gas, which is then used to feed turbines, which in turn produce electricity.
The new facility, which will be built at the Port of Hamilton’s Pier 15, will use waste produced by port tenants and nearby businesses to produce the ‘green’ energy that can be used locally.
“We believe the proposed facility offers a clear benefit to the port and its users,” said Bruce Wood, president and CEO, Hamilton Port Authority. “Furthermore, it represents a special opportunity for Hamilton to establish itself as a leader in clean technology, with new investments and new, clean-tech related businesses fuelled by this anchor investment.”
Hamilton Ports Authority says it supports the project, which will provide a cost-effective waste solution for port tenants, and will reduce the port’s overall environmental footprint by treating waste close to source, while creating clean energy.
While plasma gasification technology is used elsewhere in the world, including the United Kingdom and Finland, the project is said to be the first of its kind in Canada.
Since ports offer a container loop of industrial activity, waste and energy use, Port Fuels says they are the ideal place for the first facilities to be established in North America.
It will enable the port to offer a source of competitively-priced green energy – something which is a significant cost for businesses in the Ontario province – as well as enhancing its own value and attractiveness to future tenants and other port users.
“There is significant momentum behind the adoption of plasma gasification as the global standard in diverting waste from landfill, and processing it close to its source. Ten years from now, energy-from-waste will be the default preference, rather than landfilling,” added Robert Clark, chief operating officer of Leveraged Green Energy, the US parent company of Port Fuels.
Port Fuels add that it hopes this latest facility will position Hamilton at the forefront of this technology in the region, and encourage other ports around the world to follow suit.
source: GreenPort |
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