Phase 1 development of the Southeast False Creek Neighbourhood Energy Utility
Type of initiative
FCM Green Municipal Fund - Capital Project
Sector
Energy
Project value$26,416,000
Project Type
Capital Project
Sub Sector
District Energy – Waste energy recovery
Grant amount$0
Program type
GMF
Municipality
City of Vancouver, BC
Loan amount$5,000,000
Status
Fully Disbursed
Population
662,248
Project timeline
2006 - 2010
Project number
9780
Description
The Neighbourhood Energy Utility (NEU) — a key part of the City of Vancouver’s Community Climate Change Action Plan — will provide a low-temperature-water district energy system, using heat recovered from raw municipal sewage as the primary energy source. The NEU will be fully owned and operated by the city and will serve the Southeast Falsecreek (SEFC) and Olympic Village neighbourhoods. Future phases will likely involve expansion into other neighbourhoods. This is the first such application of this particular energy technology in North America (there are overseas applications in Oslo, Norway; and Tokyo, Japan) and the first time it will be integrated with a new municipal pumping station. The NEU will result in significant reductions in GHG emissions and will protect the buildings connected to it from fluctuations in energy markets. It is designed to adapt to different waste energy sources and to new technologies as they become available.
Project results
Environmental outcomes
- Renewable energy generation
- Reduced or avoided GHG emissions
Social outcomes
- Improved service delivery and/or level or service
Economic outcomes
- Increased job creation or retention
- Increased tourism
- Partnership development
Lessons learned
- Stakeholder and community engagement
- Council support/buy-in
- Data and reporting
- Resources
Applicant
City of Vancouver, BC