Optimally sized battery banks will improve system reliability and reduce system costs by up to 20 per cent. The RTP process converts waste biomass into a renewable liquid fuel for power generation. The second project, an agreement led by Wartsila Diesel of Finland with significant involvement from the Technical Research Centre of Finland, demonstrated that diesel engines can also use the bio-oils for power generation. The company, a subsidiary of Tacke Windtechnik of Germany, is redesigning the turbine for the North American market. Two workshops were held with members of Canada s solar power and aquaculture communities, resulting in a proposal to undertake commercial-scale pilot trials of the technology with the University of Guelph s Aquaculture Research Centre.
Feasibility studies are also under way at three large salmon hatcheries in British Columbia.
A technico-economic study prepared by EDRL clearly identified potential applications for PV in the North. Over 17 MW of potentially cost-effective PV applications have been identified.