PETERBOROUGH LANDFILL GAS GENERATION PROJECT. Peterborough Utilities Inc.

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1 PETERBOROUGH LANDFILL GAS GENERATION PROJECT Peterborough Utilities Inc. 1

2 Project Proponent Peterborough Utilities Inc. (PUI) will be the owner and operator of the proposed landfill gas generation project. PUI has a long history of renewable energy (electricity generation) projects. PUI sees electrical generation as a key area of growth and is pursuing projects with a focus on renewable and clean energy resources including solar, hydropower, and landfill gas. Since 2000, PUI has managed electrical generation and retail services under the umbrella of the Peterborough Utilities Group of companies. PUI currently owns and operates three hydroelectric generating stations (London Street GS, Campbellford-Seymour GS and the recently completed Robert G. Lake GS) and the recently commissioned Lily Lake solar farm. 2

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4 Making Ontario Greener Ontario has firm targets to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to 6% below 1990 levels by 2014, 15% by 2020 and 80% by Ontario is the only jurisdiction to regulate a phase-out of coal-fired electricity. This bold action represents one of the largest single GHG reduction measures in North America and will reduce our carbon footprint from electricity generation by 75%. The Green Energy and Green Economy Act (2009) was created to support these targets and has made it possible to more quickly replace coal-based electricity with renewable sources. Peterborough Utilities Inc. has obtained a contract for the sale of electricity from landfill gas with the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) through the Province s Feed-in-Tariff (FIT) program (enabled by the Green Energy and Green Economy Act). 4

5 The Proposed LFG Project PUI has entered into agreements with the Corporations of the County of Peterborough and the City of Peterborough to lease lands within the Peterborough Landfill site to generate electricity from landfill gas. What is Landfill Gas? Landfill gas (LFG) consists primarily of methane (45-60%) and carbon dioxide (40-60%) and is produced in three ways: Bacterial decomposition of organic wastes Volatilization of liquids/solids to gas Various chemical reactions Where Does It Go? Currently, at the Peterborough Landfill, only a portion of the LFG is collected and burned using an on-site flare. This is to reduce odours and contribution to Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. (Note: when burned, methane converts to carbon dioxide, which is about 22 times less effective than methane in causing a greenhouse effect). 5

6 The Proposed LFG Project The facility will use landfill gas from the South Fill Area to generate 15,000 MWh of electricity annually, which meets the electricity needs of 1,500 homes a year. What is the Proposed Plan? As much LFG will be captured as possible and turned into useful energy in the form of electricity. Benefits include: Reducing odourous emissions and improving general air quality in the area Generating power from an otherwise waste stream Displacing approximately 2MW of electricity that may otherwise have come from coal generation thus helping to improve regional air quality. When will the Project Start? It is expected that the construction phase would start in early 2012 and continue for a duration of 6-9 months. 6

7 Proposed Location 7 Proposed Location of the Peterborough Landfill Gas Generation Project

8 Proposed Location The proposed project site is located within the existing active landfill between the scale house and the new north fill area, adjacent to the existing LFG flare. The facility would be situated on only hectares of the total 25.7 hectare landfill. 8 Proposed Location of the Peterborough Landfill Gas Generation Project

9 View of the Project Site 9

10 Technology and Process 1. Landfill gas is extracted from within the Peterborough County/City Landfill and transferred through a series of pipes to the LFG Generation Facility. 2. The collected gas is treated to remove moisture. The condensate is discharged to the existing landfill leachate collection system. 3. The treated gas is fed into two reciprocating engines that are directly coupled to a generator that will produce electricity at 600 V. Total capacity is 2 MW. 4. Additional flare capacity burns excess gas as needed. 5. A transformer steps up the electrical energy from 600 V to 27.6 kv for distribution. 6. A short length of new 27.6 kv line will connect the generating facility to the Hydro One distribution system. Cooling System 7. The operation of the facility will be monitored 24x7 at the Peterborough Utilities operations control centre. Source: GE Jenbacher GmbH & Co OHG,

11 Representative Projects Landfill Gas (LFG) generation projects use proven technology and are common in Europe and North America. Projects in Ontario that are similar to the proposed LFG generation project include: Beare Road Landfill, Toronto (1996, 5.7 MW) Waterloo Landfill (1999, 4.6 MW) Brittania Road Landfill, Mississauga (5.5 MW) Aurora Landfill (2005, 1.1 MW) Trail Road Landfill, Ottawa (2006, 5.3 MW) Eastview Landfill, Guelph (2006, 2.4 MW) Halton Region Landfill (2007, 2.1 MW) Blackwell Road Landfill, Sarnia (2007, 1.6 MW) Sudbury Landfill (2007, 1.6 MW) East Landfill, Niagara Falls (2007, 1.0 MW) 11

12 Representative Projects 2.4 MW Eastview LFG Project 2.1 MW Halton Region LFG Project 1.6 MW Sudbury LFG Project 12

13 The REA Approval Process Ontario s Green Energy and Green Economy Act (2009) has changed the way renewable energy projects are approved. Renewable energy projects are now subject to the Renewable Energy Approvals (REA) process - Ontario Regulation 359/09 - under Part V.0.1 of the Environmental Protection Act. This new process coordinates approvals across government ministries to encourage renewable energy while ensuring that the environment, health and natural resources are protected. REA applications are submitted to the MOE and will be posted on the Environmental Registry ( for public review and comment. For more information on REA visit:

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15 REA Requirements The complete REA submission package to the MOE for the Peterborough LFG Generation Project includes the following reports: Project Description Report Construction Plan Report Design and Operations Report Decommissioning Plan Report Consultation Report Odour Study Report Noise Study Report Emission Summary and Dispersion Modelling Report Natural Heritage Assessment Water Assessment Archaeological Assessment Cultural Heritage Screening Letters of Confirmation from the MNR and MTC Draft versions of the reports (excluding the Consultation Report) were made available to the public 60 days prior to the second public information centre on the project website and via hard copies for review at the Township and County offices, Peterborough Library and PUI s Head Office. Review copies are available on the display table. 15

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17 Facility Design Facility Design and Components 17

18 Facility Operation Daily Operation The renewable energy facility is designed for unmanned operation. The operating staff will be able to monitor the equipment remotely (start, shutdown, and modulation of load) and will be able to receive event alarms via pager or smart phones. The LFG facility will operate continuously to consume the maximum generation of LFG at the Peterborough County and City Waste Management Facility. If the production of LFG is greater than the facility can consume (not expected), the flare will burn the excess. When the engines are down for maintenance the flare will assist in burning the excess LFG. The rest will be stored or transferred to the existing flare. Stormwater Management An existing Stormwater Management Plan (SWM) for the landfill covers the portion of the landfill that will be occupied by the LFG Generation Facility. A small increase in stormwater runoff can be expected in this area as a result of soil compaction during construction and the addition of some impermeable surfaces (e.g., concrete foundations for the gensets). Stormwater will drain into the existing ditch that currently transfers stormwater runoff to the stormwater pond located south of the proposed facility. Calculations based on information in the existing SWM plan conclude that even if the entire area occupied by the LFG facility were impervious, the existing stormwater management pond is adequately sized. No additional equipment will be installed. The concentration of key contaminants in the stormwater is expected to be similar to that currently collected. Once the stormwater enters the existing stormwater management system it will be treated as per the requirements of the Peterborough County and City Waste Management Facility. Maintenance An operator will visit the site once per day to take readings and complete inspections. A truck will visit the site approximately every 3 months for replacement of used oil with fresh oil. The majority of the maintenance activities are associated with the gensets. Vegetation control around the site fence will be done at least twice during the growing season. Inspection of all underground piping, which includes the LFG supply pipe and the condensate drains, will be done annually. The stormwater drainage system will be inspected for any changes or obstructions during the daily routine inspections. 18

19 Construction Plans Construction activities will take approximately 3-6 months and will involve the following: Site Mobilization, Preparation and Clearing 2 weeks Construction of Access Roads 2 weeks Construction of Equipment Foundations 4 weeks Installation of Landfill Gas and Leachate Lines 2 weeks Installation of Equipment (generators, transformer, etc.) 5 weeks Construction of Transmission Line 8 weeks Interconnection of Wiring and Piping 5 weeks Final Site Grading 2 weeks Testing/Commissioning of Systems/Equipment 2 weeks Waste Management and Site Remediation 1 week In general, the raw materials for construction include standard building materials: concrete, wood, aggregate, and metal. To the extent possible, these materials will be procured from local and/or regional sources where they are available in sufficient quality and quantity, at competitive prices. Excavation and fill requirements for the Project are minimal. Any excavated materials that cannot be reused on the construction site will be reused by the landfill operator. The landfill can reuse the material as landfill cover or for the adjustment of existing grades. The landfill operator will designate the location for depositing excess excavated soil and management of this resource will fall under the care of the landfill. Construction equipment and vehicles, including those that transport materials, will access the sites via existing or constructed roads. It is expected that yard dump trucks will transport all materials and equipment to the site. All construction activities that result in noise will be conducted in accordance with the municipality s noise by law. 19

20 Noise Study The dominant noise sources at the Peterborough Landfill are the generator sets, landfill gas flare system, landfill gas blower and transformer. A detailed noise impact assessment assumed a worstcase noise emission scenario and modelled noise levels at eight nearby noise receptors. Results indicate that upon implementation of noise mitigation measures, the predicted receptor sound levels will be less than the minimum performance limit of 40 decibels for a Class 3 Area (defined as a rural area with an acoustical environment that is dominated by natural sounds and having little or no road traffic). The Project The Peterborough Landfill Gas Generation Facility will be in compliance with the MOE noise requirements at all times 20

21 Odour Study Identified Odour Receptors Relative to Peterborough Landfill Odourous emissions from the landfill are mainly a result of hydrogen sulphide and mercaptans at levels that can be detected by the human nose. They are typically from fugitive emissions. The proposed facility will capture and thermally treat the landfill gas, including gas that would otherwise have been released as fugitive emissions. A screening level assessment of odour in a worstcase scenario was conducted for the nearby receptors and indicates levels that are approximately two order of magnitude (i.e. 100 times) less than the odour criterion set by the MOE. Therefore it is not anticipated that there will be any odour impacts at the receptors associated with the operation of the proposed facility. In fact, the proposed project will significantly reduce fugitive emissions and reduce odour impact from the landfill. 21

22 Emissions Study The proposed waste-to-energy project will use landfill gas as its sole fuel source for generating electricity. The gensets and flare system will mainly emit conventional air contaminants associated with fuel combustion. These include: NOx Nitrogen oxides CO Carbon monoxide SO2 Sulphur dioxide PM Particulate Matter CH4 Methane Other minor contaminants To assess the air quality impacts of the proposed facility, the maximum point of impingement (POI) concentrations for relevant contaminants were determined using MOEdeveloped dispersion modelling. A total of 49 contaminants were assessed for maximum predicted offproperty concentrations associated with the operation of the proposed project for pollutants over a ½ hour averaging period. A worst-case operating scenario was used, resulting in the maximum emission rates of relevant contaminants from the two generators and the flare system and maximum landfill gas flow rates. Results show that predicted concentrations are below their corresponding criteria, limits and guidelines at and beyond the property line of the facility. 22

23 Archaeology and Cultural Heritage In 1999, a Stage 2 Archaeological Assessment was conducted for the Peterborough County Landfill. Based on the mapping provided in this assessment, the landfill gas project would be located within the lands assessed for archaeological and cultural resource potential. The assessment determined: A total of 57 artifacts, all representative of the late historic period, was retrieved from a small locus, Operation 1, within the northwest corner of the site. This assemblage is considered to represent an undetermined scatter or dump subsequently dispersed by ploughing activities. No further cultural material or other evidence of archaeological significance was identified in this assessment No further archaeological investigation of the subject property is required. Given that the landfill gas project will be located within the existing landfill, for which a Stage 2 Archaeological Assessment has been conducted, no further study was deemed necessary. The original assessment and Ministry of Culture confirmation letter have been included in the draft REA package. O. Reg. 359/09, Sections 19 and 20 require that the proponent determine whether: the project location is on or abuts a protected property as designated by the Ontario Heritage Act or whether any protected property may be negatively impacted by the project regardless of distance from the project location engaging in the project may have an impact on a heritage resource at a location other than a protected property If, as a result of an initial screening, there is no possibility of impact on a resource or a protected property, the proponent is not required to conduct a full Cultural Heritage Assessment. The screening for the proposed landfill gas facility, which involved site visits, aerial photos and consultation with the Township, Ontario Heritage Trust and Ministry of Culture did not reveal the presence of any cultural heritage features or protected properties that could be impacted by the project and a full Cultural Heritage Assessment was not conducted. 23

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25 Natural Heritage Assessment Natural Features within 120 m of the project location were assessed and evaluated according to the MNR s Natural Heritage Assessment Guide (2010). A 37.7 hectare Significant Woodland associated with the Crystal Springs non-provincially significant wetland complex is located within 120m of the project location (see previous panel). There are no other significant features (e.g., ANSIs, valleylands, wetlands, wildlife habitats, provincial parks, conservation reserves, etc.) as defined by Ontario Regulation 359/09, within 120 m of the project location. There is no water body (e.g. lake, permanent/ intermittent stream and seepage area), as defined by Ontario Regulation 359/09, located within 120m of the project location. The project will not involve direct effects to the Significant Woodland south of the project location. The project will not alter the ecological connectivity within the natural heritage system. 25

26 Potential Negative Effects Construction Phase Natural Environment Construction activities have the potential to negatively impact the natural environment. Dust created from soil excavation has limited potential to deposit on the edge vegetation of the woodland. Exposed soils could erode and cause an increase in the suspended sediments that are released to the woodland through overland flow, resulting in dieback of vegetation. The potential release of contaminants such as oils, gasoline, grease or other materials could contaminate a headwater area. Surface water could be impacted by the migration of storm water during the construction phase. Mitigation measure to minimize / eliminate such impacts are provided on the next panel. Air, Odour and Dust Emissions associated with construction activities are dust and typical exhaust emissions from construction equipment such as CO, PM, NOx and SO2. No odour is expected from construction activities with the exception of localized diesel fumes from construction equipment. Noise During the construction phase noise will be generated from construction equipment including excavator, transport trucks and contractor vehicles. Provincial and Local Infrastructure Local and provincial roads may experience additional wear from heavy construction loads. Connection of the 27kV electrical line with Hydro One s existing distribution line along Bensfort Road may result in some temporary power outages of short duration to local customers. Periodic traffic disruptions are possible. No impact is expected to the following: Cultural heritage and archaeological resources Land uses and resources Public health and safety Areas protected under provincial plans and policies 26

27 Mitigation, Monitoring and Safety Environmental Mitigation & Monitoring Plans Mitigation measures during construction activities will include silt fencing to control the flow of suspended solids, the collection of stormwater through existing drainage ditches and the stormwater pond, minimizing the area and duration of soil exposure, wetting exposed soils and access roads to control dust and restricting construction activities to specified locations. Based on the separation distance between natural features and the Peterborough LFG Generation Facility, no direct or long-term adverse environmental effects are anticipated during the operation phase. Secondary containment will be built to reduce potential negative environmental effects from any possible contaminant leaks. As such, ongoing mitigation measures or a post-construction environmental effects monitoring plan will not be required. The Emergency Response and Communication Plan prepared for the Peterborough LFG Generation Facility will include provisions for mitigating the potential negative effects associated with the potential release of contaminants to the environment through the implementation of an Emergency Spill Response Plan. Emergencies and Communication Prior to construction, PUI will establish a detailed Emergency Response Plan (ERP) for the Landfill Gas Generation Facility that is consistent with the Emergency Response Plan of the County and Municipal Emergency Plan of the Township. The ERP will then be submitted for review and comment to the Township of Otonabee-South Monaghan, the County of Peterborough and the Otonabee Region Conservation Authority. A final version of the plan will be prepared and posted on the project website ( An Emergency Communications Plan will be included in the Emergency Response Plan. It will contain a description of the chain of communications between PUI and relevant responders under emergency scenarios applicable to the project. Construction Noise and Dust The hours of construction will conform to the City of Peterborough Noise By-Law and will occur during daytime hours. Dust suppression methods will be used such as on-site watering, sweeping of paved areas, limiting travel speeds on nearby roads, etc. 27

28 Next Steps We will respond to your comments, questions and concerns and these will be incorporated into the Consultation Report, which will be finalized. All draft REA reports presented here today will be finalized. No significant changes will be made to the documents. A complete REA submission will be made to the MOE (expected date: July 2011). The MOE will review the submission for completeness and once accepted, will begin the 6-month approvals review period by posting all documents on the Environmental Registry: PUI will publish a newspaper notice within 10 days of the EBR posting to notify the public of the MOE s review of the application. You can download all final reports from the EBR. Final MOE approval and a Notice to Proceed from the OPA is expected by March

29 Thank You for Attending this Information Centre Before you leave: Please help yourself to handouts on the information table Sign the attendance sheet Ask any questions you may have about this project (just look for someone with a nametag). We would like to hear from you! Comment sheets are available at the sign in table. Please fill in your thoughts, ideas, concerns and questions about this project and information night. If you would like to be included in our mailing list please leave us with the necessary information on the comment sheet and/or sign-in sheet. Please provide all comments by June 25 th. Contact Information Kevin McKeown Project Manager, Generation Peterborough Utilities Inc Ashburnham Drive Peterborough, ON, K9J 6Z5 Phone: (705) ext KMcKeown@pui.ca Amir Iravani REA Project Manager Dillon Consulting Ltd. 235 Yorkland Blvd, Suite 800 Toronto, ON, M2J 4Y8 Phone: (416) ext airavani@dillon.ca 29