Torontoâ€™s renewable energy plans

It is Canada’s largest city with a population of about 2.6 million people. Like several big cities in the world, it is looking for ways to hurl itself toward a more sustainable future. With that objective in mind, â€œthe City of Torontoâ€™s Executive Committee approved a staff report seeking authority to implement a biogas utilization system that would convert biogas produced at the Cityâ€™s Green Lane Landfill into renewable energy, specifically electricity and heatâ€, according to information published on the Cityâ€™s website.

â€œSustainability and the conservation of non-renewable resources should be the cornerstone of all our major initiativesâ€, said Mayor David Miller, Executive Committee Chair. Still according to the website, the energy would be used to heat a nearby greenhouse operation, one of the largest in Ontario. The project would involve Toronto partnering with Toronto Hydro Energy Services Inc. (THESI) and Ontario Plants Propagation Limited (OPPL).

It is estimated the project will produce up to 138,000 megawatt-hours (MWeh) annually, enough to power 1,200 Toronto homes and displace approximately 15,000 tonnes CO2 emissions annually in grid electricity â€“ thatâ€™s roughly 4,545 cars removed from the road.

THESI and OPPL intend to sell the electricity produced from the landfill biogas to Ontario Power Authority under its Feed-in Tariff (FIT) Program for renewables.

Construction is projected to take place in 2011 and 2012. The operating date for the co-generating plant is anticipated for July 2013.