Vancouver gets new renewable energy system up and running

Renewable energy system provider Nexterra claims to have completed North America’s first commercial demonstration of a transformative energy-from-renewable-waste CHP system.

The system combines Nexterra’s gasification and syngas conditioning with partner GE’s Jenbacher internal combustion engines and it is based at the University of British Columbia’s (UBC) Vancouver campus.

It is believed that GE’s gas engine will produce 2MW of renewable electricity that will offset UBC’s existing power consumption, with the Nexterra system generating 3MW of thermal energy, enough steam to displace up to 12% of UBC’s natural gas consumption.

Overall the system will help reduce UBC’s greenhouse gas emissions by up to 5,000 tonnes per year.

Funding to support the project was provided by the Government of Canad, the Province of British Columbia, Sustainable Development Technologies Canada, the BC Bioenergy Network and FP Innovations.

‘Our government’s approach to resource development means investing in the development of innovative renewable energy technologies that create jobs and generate new economic opportunities,’ says Wai Young, MP for Vancouver South. ‘This announcement demonstrates our tangible support for renewable energy projects that increase energy efficiency and drive innovation.’