Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I heard a good expression on the radio this morning. They used to say that government should be leaner and meaner. Now they’re saying leaner and greener. I think that’s a great phrase: leaner and greener. I appreciate the initiatives that have been announced and undertaken by this government to look at alternate sources of energy. We heard about the biomass, about the pellet boilers. We’ve heard about electric heat from the hydro surplus in Fort Smith. I have been contacting the Minister and will be asking him again today, what has the government done to examine the potential for geothermal heat in the Northwest Territories. I have a constituent who is a third generation business owner in Hay River that would very much like to get involved in the installation of geothermal heat technology and equipment and so on in Hay River, but in order to do that he needs a building, a public building that he can use as a prototype. There are very large sums of federal money available for such a conversion and I would like to ask the Minister of ENR what work has been done on geothermal.
Question 322-16(3): Potential For Production Of Geothermal Energy
In the Legislative Assembly on March 12th, 2009. See this topic in context.
Question 322-16(3): Potential For Production Of Geothermal Energy
Oral Questions
Question 322-16(3): Potential For Production Of Geothermal Energy
Oral Questions
The Speaker Paul Delorey
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Minister responsible for Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Miltenberger.
Question 322-16(3): Potential For Production Of Geothermal Energy
Oral Questions
Michael Miltenberger Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Geothermal is one of the alternative forms of energy that is being considered. There is money in the budget to advance some of the groundwork. We are looking initially particularly in Yellowknife where they have done a lot of work already and trying to make sure that we can assist, if possible, as they look at all the mine shafts and the potential to capture some of that heat. As well, over in Nahendeh and around Simpson, in that area, Liard, it seemed to be a high potential for geothermal as well. If the Member’s constituent is interested, we have staff that are listening to this, if I can get the name later from the Member I’ll make sure we have a follow-up with this individual as well.
Question 322-16(3): Potential For Production Of Geothermal Energy
Oral Questions
Jane Groenewegen Hay River South
My constituent is assembling the equipment and the necessary infrastructure that he needs to begin these installations. I believe that Hay River is also a community that would be a good candidate for geothermal. Is there a public building in Hay River
owned by the GNWT that we could do a test pilot project on? Let me suggest the courthouse.
Question 322-16(3): Potential For Production Of Geothermal Energy
Oral Questions
Michael Miltenberger Thebacha
We are going to be investing a significant amount of money on biomass in Hay River over the next year or so. She has posed the question that she’s kindly answered for me. We’ll see where that fits. I don’t know what kind of process or cost is entailed. I know the federal government is putting together a, has a Green Fund of a billion dollars that is project based, application based. We’re waiting to see what the criteria is, to see if we could possibly access some of that money as well. I will just restate the commitment that the staff will track down the name. I’ll get the name from the Member and we’ll follow up to see what’s possible.
Question 322-16(3): Potential For Production Of Geothermal Energy
Oral Questions
Jane Groenewegen Hay River South
I’ll be happy to provide that name and I would like to ask the Minister if he or officials in his department would be willing to meet with my constituent to discuss this. I think that between some small contribution by the territorial government and a rather large contribution by the federal government we could do a prototype. The issue is that in order to do the prototype it has to be a publicly owned building. It cannot be a privately owned building. So that’s why we need some buildings that would be candidates to give this a try. Would the Minister agree to have his officials or himself meet directly with my constituent to see if a building could be identified?
Question 322-16(3): Potential For Production Of Geothermal Energy
Oral Questions
March 11th, 2009
Michael Miltenberger Thebacha
We’re looking at a number of innovative technologies. For example, an air-to-air heat exchanger that appears to be working well and has great potential applicability in the Northwest Territories, especially maybe in the southern part. I will confirm once again that I’ll have officials follow up with the Member’s constituent to get a better sense of what is being proposed, potential costs, look at something in writing so that we can do a proper kind of assessment and see what kind of support may be possible.
Question 322-16(3): Potential For Production Of Geothermal Energy
Oral Questions
The Speaker Paul Delorey
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.