Nov 17, 2005
Garbage Dump Gas No Pipe Dream
The Regina Leader-Post
Neil Scott
Plans to use solar energy and waste gases from the Regina dump to
produce hydrogen gas that could be sold commercially are being
made by city officials in conjuction with various partners.
While many details remain to be finalized, a motion is expected to
be made at Monday's meeting of city council to authorize city
officials to begin the project with Saskatoon-based Solar Hydrogen
Energy Corporation (SHEC).
Several other companies would be involved in the $6 million
demonstration project, along with federal government agencies and
possibly SaskEnergy.
The city's involvement would consist of construction of a gas
collection system at the Fleet Street dump at a cost of $1.9
million.
But the city would be in a position to share in the revenues
generated from the project and would potentially receive
environmental credits, in terms of meeting its target for
reducing emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
"As I see it, it is a good partnership," said David Calam, the
city's director of engineering and works.
The motion that will be considered by city council will be
designed "to get the process underway," and facilitate further
details in the development of the project Calam said.
The matter has already been considered by the works and utilities
committee at city council, which is recommending that city
council approve continuing work on executing agreements to allow
the project to proceed.
Background information in a report released at the works and
utilities committee said the proposed project would be a
demonstration project, which would be followed by a commercial
scale project to produce salable hydrogen.
Gases from the dump would undergo a cleaning process to purify it
into methane gas and carbon dioxide which would be used to form
hydrogen gas and carbon monoxide.
"This project represents a significant new technology for the
production of hydrogen," the report to be submitted to city
council says.
