November 2, 2023:

The District of Sicamous Community Bio-Heat Facility is officially commissioned and fully operational! The bio-heat facility is intended to supply cost-effective alternative energy to industrial park properties.

Currently, the facility has one customer who has reported that the system is working very well and demonstrates huge improvements to the previous system. As more properties are developed in the industrial park, the District hopes to connect more customers.

District staff and council conducted a walkthrough of the facility on October 27, 2023, where they observed the system in operation, including the feed system augers, the warmth of the boiler, the energy distribution valves for the energy loop and the automated control system.

Fink Machine, based in Enderby, is under contract to operate the system for the next two years, including the supply of fuel in the form of clean, dry chipped wood. The District is seeking a reliable and sustainable fuel source, which is clean chipped wood. The fuel must be clean, with no dirt or rocks, not too much rot or bark and within a specific range of moisture content.

July 25, 2023:

The District of Sicamous Community Bio-Heat Facility is nearing completion! A temporary soft start was completed and the system will be fully operational and in service for the upcoming cool season.

Thinking about connecting? The District has the capacity to supply energy to a building from the Community Biofuel Facility in the form of hot water having a temperature between 60 and 80 degrees Celsius; and at a flow rate of 35 m³/hour. The base energy rate is anticipated to be $0.12/kWh.

Important measures have been put in place to ensure the system is fully functional if the boiler is down for any reason, including a full propane backup and backup generator to keep mainline pumps running. The entire system can function during a power outage.

Some minor adjustments to the Community Bio-Heat Facility will occur over the summer of 2023 and into the fall.

If you have any questions or want to connect, please contact the Public Works Department at 250-836-4105.

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