McMaster Innovation Park - District Energy System Expansion, Hamilton Utilities Corporation

Hamilton Community Energy, a subsidiary of the municipally-owned Hamilton Utilities Corporation, wishes to study the feasibility of expanding the district energy system at McMaster Innovation Park (MIP). Expansion of the MIP will involve new geothermal fields, solar thermal absorption chillers, solar PV electric-driven chillers, upgraded distribution infrastructure and additional conventional backup. The added technologies will enhance the MIP’s district energy system of solar hot water thermal panels, a solar-heated air wall, geothermal wells and conventional backup. If successful, the expansion will supply heating, cooling and electricity for the next phase of the MIP development. The study is directly linked to the City of Hamilton's Vision 2020 Plan, its Strategic Plan and the MIP Master Plan. The initiative will generate estimated annual emissions savings of 1,500 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) compared to a conventional energy system. This brightfield district energy system expansion is one of the first of its kind in Canada. As a result, the knowledge gained through the feasibility study and final project execution can be used by other Canadian municipalities to evaluate the viability of various renewable technologies with a district energy system. The feasibility study has been awarded to Doherty Engineering Inc and work began in coordination with MIP in February 2016. The pre-feasibility study evaluating possible technologies and combinations of technologies to meet demands for heating and cooling for this phase of MIP’s Expansion is progressing on schedule. (As per April 22, 2016 announcement)