By Oxford County To Engage In A Renewable Energy Project

Woodstock Wastewater Treatment Plant Biogas Utilization Project

Oxford County is undertaking a biogas utilization upgrade at the Woodstock Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) as part of the County’s 100% Renewable Energy Plan. This project will implement a Combined Heat and Power (CHP) system to generate heat and electricity from biogas produced at the WWTP, thereby decreasing the WWTP’s dependence on the energy grid.

Oxford County is planning to engage in a renewable energy project in respect of which the issuance of a renewable energy approval is required.

This notice of a proposal to engage in this renewable energy project and the project itself are subject to the provisions of the Environmental Protection Act (Act) Part V.0.1 and Ontario Regulation 359/09 (Regulation). This notice is distributed in accordance with Section 15 of the Regulation prior to an application being submitted and assessed for completeness by the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP).

Project Location

The Woodstock Wastewater Treatment Plant is located at 195 Admiral Street,  Woodstock, Ontario. The fenced portion of the WWTP site is 4.79 hectares and contains buildings associated with the WWTP (including settling and aeration tanks and other associated infrastructure supporting wastewater treatment processes), paved and unpaved access roads, a parking lot, and a photovoltaic (PV) system for electricity generation from sunlight. The map provided in this proposal notice outlines the project’s location.

Project description

Pursuant to the Act and Regulation, the facility, in respect of which the project is to be engaged in, is considered to be an Anaerobic Digestion Facility Class 3. If approved, this facility would have a Combined Heat and Power (CHP) system total maximum name plate capacity of 250 kW.

This new CHP system will offset 40% of the grid electricity used at the WWTP, and 39% of the heat energy requirement at WWTP. This project will reduce the annual greenhouse gas emission for heat and electricity at the WWTP by 58%.

Documents for public inspection

The project is being proposed in accordance with the requirements of the Act and Regulation. This is the second public meeting to discuss the Draft Project Description Report (PDR) and all other technical reports developed to support the Renewable Energy Approval Application. All the technical reports with more project details and the draft PDR have been made available for public inspection as of December 18, 2024, at www.speakup.oxfordcounty.ca/woodstock-wwtp-biogas. You may also request a print copy from the project contacts.

The proposed CHP system will be situated within the current footprint of the WWTP, specifically at its northeast corner. The project does not involve any modifications or upgrades to existing digesters or other active components of the WWTP. Instead, the proposed CHP system will exclusively utilize biogas already produced from existing digesters.

The introduction of a CHP system at the Woodstock WWTP is anticipated to yield significant environmental benefits. By harnessing renewable energy sources for electricity production, the project aims to mitigate the facility’s carbon footprint, alleviating pressure on the energy grid and consequently reducing greenhouse gas emissions from conventional power generation facilities. Moreover, the facility’s emphasis on utilizing biogas for heat generation, rather than relying on natural gas combustion, further enhances its sustainability efforts and contributes to the reduction of its overall carbon footprint.

Map of Project location. Please refer to the Draft Project Description Report for an enlarged depiction of the project location.

We want to hear from you

Public, Indigenous communities, and agency consultation are key components of the renewable energy approval process, and input will be sought throughout the project implementation.

A second public meeting to share information about the project will be held:

Tuesday, February 25, 2025 | 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Presentation: In person and online at 6:30 p.m.
Oxford County Administration Building – Council Chamber
21 Reeve Street, Woodstock

This is the second in-person meeting with ability to join virtually (online) to view the presentation and ask questions from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. For log-in details visit www.oxfordcounty.ca/speakup

Project contacts

To learn more about the project proposal or to ask a question, please contact:

Nathan Gerber
Coordinator, Energy Management | Oxford County
519-539-9800 ext. 3240
ngerber@oxfordcounty.ca

Sean Speer
Senior Environmental Engineer
J.L. Richards & Associates (JLR)
226-770-5120
sspeer@jlrichards.ca

Kerry Tuyen
Director, Innovation, Technology and Alternate Delivery
Ontario Clean Water Agency (OCWA)
905-301-1957
ktuyen@ocwa.com

Information collected will be used in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. With the exception of personal information, all comments will become part of the public record.

This notice first issued on December 20, 2024