Go with Plasco, councillor urges
A Lacombe County councillor who researched gasification technologies is recommending the municipality get behind Plasco Energy Group’s proposed Central Alberta project.
“I think that Plasco is a viable option,” said Councillor Cliff Soper Thursday.
“I believe we should encourage other members of the solid waste authority to join up.”
To the irritation of some of the politicians strongly backing Plasco’s $90 to $100 million gasification plant, Lacombe County has questioned the need to rush into the project.
Joining the group would mean a significant boost in tipping fees for county residents.
The county called for a review of all the existing information on gasification and related garbage technologies in what it called a case of ensuring due diligence before signing the 20-year deal Plasco wants from participating communities.
But Soper says much of that work has already been done.
Soper had the task of poring through a stack of literature on various garbage technologies before preparing a report for his colleagues.
Soper said Plasco offers a unique process and is the only operator in North America that can create a gasification plant of the kind it proposes.
“Plasco is way ahead of the game, and they have been for some time.”
The company uses intense heat to convert more than 99 per cent of the waste processed into valuable products, including syngas to operate engines for electricity production.
No emissions come from the conversion process, the company says.
The company’s insistence that the 15 member communities of the Central Waste Management Commission sign a long-term deal is a reasonable request because the company relies on a guaranteed supply of garbage, Soper said.
Plasco’s limited track record with the technology has been questioned by some Lacombe County councillors previously. Soper expressed confidence in the company’s process.
“In my view it does work.”
County Reeve Terry Engen said municipalities will be expected to commit to drawing up agreements with Plasco following the commission’s meeting in a week.
Engen said one of the remaining hurdles for communities is that they want to see Plasco’s Ottawa demonstration plant up and running before committing.
The company announced Jan. 24 it had taken its first 20 tonnes of Ottawa’s garbage and will take more loads throughout this month as it moves into 24-hour operation.
Contact Paul Cowley at pcowley@reddeeradvocate.com
