Wekweètì’s senior administrative officer is seeking funding from the territorial and federal governments to back a biomass district heating project in the community. Fred Behrens is aiming to secure financing from the territorial government’s GHG Grant Program and the federal government’s Build Communities Strong Fund for this initiative.
The project entails establishing a heat plant opposite the community government office in Wekweètì, located 200 kilometers north of Yellowknife and housing around 100 residents. The facility will house three 300-kilowatt biomass boilers that will distribute heat to 44 homes and 11 institutional buildings through an underground network of pipes.
Behrens explained that the system will be powered by material obtained from forest thinning and wildfire prevention efforts in the vicinity. Additionally, the biomass boilers will be linked to the community’s diesel generators, utilizing their exhaust as an additional heat source.
The biomass district heating project aims to provide heating to 95% of the community, potentially saving $200,000 annually in heating fuel costs. The estimated project cost ranges between $15 million and $20 million, with a target completion timeline of 2028.
Behrens highlighted the uniqueness of the project, emphasizing the utilization of wood chips instead of pellets due to the absence of commercial-scale wood pellet production in the N.W.T. He mentioned the need for 200 cords of wood annually for heating, with potential sources identified from fire prevention activities and areas affected by wildfires.
The initiative received praise from community members like Benjamin Pea’a and Trent Rabesca, who recognized the benefits of the district heating system. Pea’a, involved in fire prevention work, expressed enthusiasm for the idea of utilizing the gathered material for community heating in the future.
Behrens presented the project to the N.W.T.’s economic development and environment committee, emphasizing the need for capital funding to advance the nearly shovel-ready initiative. Discussions around the affordability of heat from the district heating system compared to traditional fuel costs were also raised during the meeting.
MLA Julian Morse inquired about alternative funding approaches, prompting considerations of utilizing infrastructure funding and user fees. Behrens acknowledged the option but highlighted the lengthy timeframe it would require to cover the project cost through such means.
Overall, the project has garnered support and excitement, with stakeholders expressing optimism about the potential benefits and sustainability of the biomass district heating system in Wekweètì.