Chatham-Kent council will consider funding opportunities for a proposed waste-to-energy facility at their meeting tonight.
Council, along with the Chatham-Kent Public Utilities Commission, will likely give the rubber stamp to support Greenfield Global to apply to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities for a grant and loan funding opportunity to a maximum of $10 million. Successfully obtaining this funding will likely ensure the viability of the project. In a report to council, administration said it is anticipated that the Chatham-Kent project is a very good candidate for funding. The report said the project remains viable and is proceeding to more detailed design and engineering stages.
The proposed facility has been in development between the municipality and Greenfield Global since 2021. Greenfield Global has operated an alcohol production facility on Bloomfield Road since 1998. Chatham’s wastewater plant is next door to Greenfield Global, which makes a waste-to-energy facility a good fit for the site.
The Chatham-Kent Waste to Energy Project proposal includes an industrial anaerobic digester built to process industrial organic wastes that would otherwise be disposed of in a landfill and turn waste into renewable natural gas. Greenfield Global currently operates a similar plant in Quebec.
It is anticipated that a final go/no go decision to move ahead with the waste-to-energy facility will be presented to the PUC and council in late May or June of this year, with construction expected to be completed in early 2027.