MacKenzie Green Energy Centre

The Mackenzie Green Energy Centre is a proposed 65 MW (thermal equivalent) BioEnergy Generation facility located in Mackenzie, British Columbia. This project will harness energy from woodwaste and produce thermal energy for the adjacent pulp mill, while producing 50 MW of electricity for the BC Hydro grid. The Mackenzie Green Energy Centre is an innovative woodwaste project that contributes to environmental sustainability, increased economic development and provides a souce of green energy to British Columbia.

Biomass as a Sustainable Energy Solution

The Mackenzie Green Energy Centre has been awarded a long-term contract from BC Hydro to supply clean power as a result of their 2006 Call for Tenders. Pristine Power, Harbert Power and Balanced Power Engineering are developing an economically, environmentally and socially sustainable solution to meet BC's urgent need for new sources of electricity while using creative means to help mitigate the impact of the Pine Beetle epidemic.

The Mackenzie Green Energy Centre will harness energy from woodwaste in BC's northern interior to produce enough green electricity for up to 50,000 homes per year, provide an economic source of steam to the Pope & Talbot mill through co-generation, facilitate the closure of beehive burners and contribute to improved air quality.

The Mackenzie Green Energy Centre

The Mackenzie Green Energy Centre is an excellent northern economic development opportunity for British Columbia:

  • The project is $225 million dollar investment that will create 28 permanent, high quality jobs.
  • Approximately 200 new jobs will be created during construction of the project, over a 24 month period.
  • The project will also reduce Pope & Talbot's reliance on natural gas, thereby reducing their operating costs and increasing the competitiveness of their operations.
  • It will provide millions of dollars in new revenues for local businesses in northern BC communities through the supply of materials and services during the construction and operation of the plant.

Using woodwaste to create green electricity, the Mackenzie Green Energy Centre will help protect our environment:

  • The project will consume approximately 1 million tonnes of woodwaste, including Pine Beetle woodwaste, per year.
  • It will facilitate the closure of up to six beehive burners.
  • The elimination of beehive burners will reduce the amount of smoke and particulate pollution in the region's airshed, a win for public health and the environment.
  • In addition to reducing smoke and particulate emissions, the state-of-the-art Mackenzie Green Energy Centre will reduce GHG emissions and the consumption of non-renewable natural gas at the Pope & Talbot mill, thereby further contributing to GHG reductions in the surrounding airshed.
  • This innovative woodwaste-to-energy project will produce 59 MW of clean, green electricity, enough to power 50,000 homes.

Environmental Assesment Report

The Mackenzie Green Energy Centre's Environmental Assesment is available here.