Prince George, B.C.- Prince George is not alone in moving forward with the development of  a Downtown District Energy System, the city of Quesnel is working on a similar project .

Jim Savage of Savage and Associates of Quesnel, says the Quesnel plan calls for an agreement with West Fraser to use the residue from the sawmill for a bioenergy system. This system would  carry heat through 5kms of pipe to  the downtown of Quesnel where a 3 km loop of pipe will be used to heat some 14 buildings.

Savage says the system will also be able to create just under 2 mw/h of electricity.

This is an effort to diversify the economy of Quesnel says Savage “Just burning wood is not in the long term interest of the community , it just doesn’t create enough jobs.” He says there are also concerns about the ecological impact of “vacuuming the forest floor”.

The overall project is expected to cost about $14 million dollars, $4.13 million has been secured from the Innovative Clean Energy fund, and a further $10 million may be available from Terasen gas.

Savage says the project is now entering the final feasibility and agreements stage. He expects the project to move into the design stage this fall, with project completion in late 2012.

Savage envisions a system that will later be expanded to industrial use adding greenhouses and a food processor, which would lead to  use of a biogas digester   that would create more energy  “We are thinking 10-20 years ahead here.”