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YK1 efforts to go green with pellet boilers picks up steam

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Mildred Hall School. NNSL File photo
Mildred Hall School.
NNSL File photo

Things are heating up with efforts to go green while reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for Mildred Hall and Range Lake North schools.

The two facilities could get pellet boiler stoves if a planned federal grant application is successful, as Tram Do, director of corporate services explained to the Yellowknife Education District No. 1 (YK1) board on Tuesday.

The boilers burn wood pellets made from sawmill wastes and sawdust and emit fewer emissions than conventional heating systems.

On an annual basis they could reduce C02 emissions by around 578 tons, diesel oil by 209,000 litres and save $97,000, said Do.

“Overall, it's an excellent story where we're working with the Department of Infrastructure and ECE to make our environment better by going green and looking at alternative heating solutions other than diesel,” she added.

The total cost for the two boilers is estimated to be $1.2 million to $1.4 million and the grant would cover $900,000. YK1 would contribute $350,000 to $400,000.

The district will submit its application to the federal government GHG Grant Program on March 2 and is expected to hear back from Ottawa by April.

If it's approved the boilers would be installed in 2022.

There is a possibility the pellets could be sourced from the proposed Aurora Pellet Products mill in Enterprise, for which site development had begun last November.