A Regional Evaluation of Potential Bioenergy Production Pathways in Eastern Ontario, Canada

The potential for bioenergy and biofuel development is considered for five counties in the eastern Ontario region. The downward trend in Ontario's forest sector has resulted in the idling or closure of many forest products mills, creating an opportunity for bioenergy development supported by the Ontario Green Energy and Green Economy Act. In eastern Ontario, additional opportunities are afforded by the presence of a large agricultural base, which could be the source of residual as well as purpose-grown biomass feedstocks. The biological potentials of the region have been mapped and quantified. A range of scenarios for bioenergy and biofuel production based on these resources are considered, and impacts of this potential development are considered in terms of energy demand within the region. Both county- and regional-level approaches are compared to similar analyses at the provincial scale to highlight potential advantages to developing energy policy at local or regional levels. Biomass-sourced processes might be able to meet varying levels of energy demand across three major categories, including home and industrial heating, electricity generation, and production of fuels for transportation. In terms of conventional bioenergy options, the combined heat and power option can provide significant amounts of energy to the eastern region of the province while meeting most of the policy goals laid out by the Ontario government.