SaskPower To Use Biogas To Create Electricity

REGINA, SK -- - SaskPower and Clear-Green Environmental Inc. will partner in a two-year demonstration of technology that uses animal manure to generate heat and electricity.

'This demonstration project reflects the commitment of both the provincial government and SaskPower to minimize the impact electrical generation has on the environment,' said Hon. Maynard Sonntag, Minister of Crown Investments Corporation. 'Using the biogas created from manure to produce power has tremendous economic and environmental potential within our province's growing hog industry.'

The biogas will be produced at a hog facility near Cudworth using a digester process, which relies on bacteria to break down the manure in a large enclosed tank. The biogas will be drawn off and piped into four microturbines, which will generate enough electricity for about 30 homes.

'Clear-Green is at a very exciting time in its lifespan. We have been working hard on the development of our company and this demonstration project. We have had such strong support from our investors, strategic partners and suppliers - especially SaskPower,' says Ben Voss, President and CEO, Clear-Green Environmental Inc. 'My team and I are all very excited about the prospects for the future and the opportunities in the emerging organic waste utilization industry, and are negotiating with several future sites that could be future sources of green power.' The Clear-Green technology can also be used with food processing and slaughter plant waste, all forms of manure, and municipal waste streams.

'This latest alternative energy demonstration project is a forerunner to SaskPower's plans to solicit proposals for environmentally preferred power later this year. Increased use of small scale, environmentally sensitive electrical generation is integral to SaskPower's recently announced Green Power portfolio of initiatives, ' said John Wright, President and CEO, SaskPower.

SaskEnergy and SaskPower already partner with Flatland Exploration Inc. in a demonstration project testing the feasibility of using flare gas to power two microturbines; SaskPower and SaskEnergy also partner in a demonstration project at the Regina General Hospital that uses microturbines to generate heat and electricity.