City of Greater Sudbury - Green Mines Green Energy: Biomass to Biofuels
Type of initiative
FCM Green Municipal Fund - Plans, Studies, Pilots
Sector
Brownfield
Project value$470,000
Project Type
Pilot Project
Sub Sector
Remediation and risk management initiatives
Grant amount$150,000
Program type
GMF
Municipality
City of Greater Sudbury, ON
Status
Fully Disbursed
Population
166,004
Project timeline
2008 - 2011
Project number
9537
Description
The Mining Innovation, Rehabilitation and Applied Research Corporation (MIRARCO), formed through a collaboration between Laurentian University’s Mining Research Centres and the private and public sectors, will lead a multi-stakeholder three-year field test, in partnership with the City of Greater Sudbury, to demonstrate that papermill biosolids and municipal compost can be used to convert mine tailings sites into agricultural land that can grow feedstock for biofuel production. To date, no concrete example exists in Canada of tailings sites being reclaimed for productive land use. The field test will be conducted on three different sites in Sudbury and Timmins in order to test different organic materials applied to assorted types of tailings. Information obtained will provide the level of evaluation necessary to determine how well this integrated approach can be applied to other mining communities across Canada to rehabilitate tailings sits to grow “energy crops” such as canola, corn, and soy. If successful, the project will contribute towards the long-term sustainability of a proposed biodiesel facility in Sudbury. This plant would support the City’s economic development strategic plan, which identifies Sudbury as a model for eco-industry and renewable energy.
Applicant
Laurentian University, ON