News Releases and Media Advisories
7 November 2011
DIGBY, Nova Scotia - Digby is rethinking the way it uses energy, with support from the Government of Canada.
"Our government is pleased to support Digby's study of a more efficient energy management system," said Greg Kerr, Member of Parliament for West Nova, on behalf of the Honourable Bernard Valcourt, Minister of State for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and La Francophonie. "Our investment supports a project with the potential to generate local economic development, decrease energy costs and promote environmental sustainability."
The investment will enable the Annapolis Digby Economic Development Agency (ADEDA) to determine the technical and financial feasibility of a central biomass combined heating/cooling and power plant (CHP). The plant would serve various heating and cooling loads in Digby, including its hospital, schools, libraries and arenas—as well as future industry that could be established in the Digby area. The study will be undertaken by Lockheed Martin.
"This investment will help the Digby area control energy costs, and capitalize on its position as an emerging leader in alternative energies such as tidal and biomass," said Jim Morton, Member of the Legislative Assembly for Kings North, on behalf of Economic and Rural Development and Tourism Minister Percy Paris. "By doing so the province is enhancing the community's ability to attract investment and create good jobs which is what jobsHere, our strategic plan to grow the economy, is all about."
"A heat network would enable valuable energy" which is often wasted in power generation processes—to be harnessed and delivered to the Town of Digby and surrounding communities," said Elizabeth Barry Morine, Managing Director of the Annapolis Digby Economic Development Agency (ADEDA). "This project has the potential to significantly improve local infrastructure—attracting new business and economic development opportunities to Digby."
"We see an enormous potential in Nova Scotia to develop innovative, sustainable green energy projects like the one this study is examining," said Steven Marsden, Senior Program Manager of Renewable Energy Systems, Lockheed Martin Canada. "A project like this has the potential to help communities like Digby enhance their own economic development potential."
>The Government of Canada's $86,036 investment, through ACOA's Innovative Communities Fund (ICF), is in addition to Nova Scotia Economic and Rural Development and Tourism (NSERDT)'s contribution of $28,678.
FOR BROADCAST USE:
West Nova MP Greg Kerr today announced that the Government of Canada is investing more than $86,000 to help the community of Digby explore new, high-efficiency energy options. The investment will enable the Annapolis Digby Economic Development Agency (ADEDA) to determine the technical and financial feasibility of a central biomass combined heating/cooling and power plant (CHP) facility to serve the Municipality and Town of Digby. MP Kerr said that ACOA's investment supports a project with significant potential to generate local economic development, decrease energy costs and promote environmental sustainability.
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Christopher Brooks
Manager, Communications and Outreach
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
902-426-4790/902- 789-5184 (cell)
Email : Chris.Brooks@acoa-apeca.gc.ca
Toby Koffman
Economic and Rural Development and Tourism
902-424-4482
E-mail: koffmatg@gov.ns.ca
Elizabeth Barry Morine
Managing Director
ADEDA
902-638-3490
Email : lmorine@annapolisdigby.com
Steve Marsden
Senior Program Manager, Renewable Energy Systems
Lockheed Martin Canada
902-468-3399, ext. 5035
Email: steven.marsden@lmco.com
