Biomass power generation is considered to be carbon neutral. That’s because the amount of carbon dioxide arising from combustion is equal to what would be emitted if the wood waste was to decompose naturally. As a result, biomass power is an environmentally-friendly form of electricity generation.
In 1997, Whitecourt Power became the first power generation facility in Canada to earn the EcoLogo™. Whitecourt Power’s EcoLogo™ certification reflects the quality of the facility and its leadership and contribution to the environment and human health through the efficient, controlled deployment of wood waste.
In addition to generating an environmentally-friendly form of electricity, Whitecourt Power also delivers significant agricultural benefits to Alberta farmers with the waste, or fly ash, that biomass combustion produces. Whitecourt Power produces about 8,000 tonnes of fly ash every year, which is used by local farmers to help improve crop production. Fly ash raises the alkalinity, or pH, of soil, which contributes to a more favourable environment for soil microbiological activity and alters the soil’s chemistry, thereby boosting the availability of several nutrients that plants need to grow.
For information about the Canadian federal government’s EcoLogo™ program, visit www.ecologo.org.
