The Southern Alberta Energy from Waste Association (SAEWA) has identified the Newell Regional Landfill in the Brooks Region as the preferred site for their energy from waste (EFW) facility.

Southern Alberta Energy from Waste Association (SAEWA)

SAEWA is a non-profit coalition of municipal entities and waste management jurisdictions in southern Alberta committed to the research and implementation of energy recovery from non-recyclable waste materials that will reduce long-term reliance on landfills. The coalition is in their final planning stages to develop an EFW facility that will handle the conversion of municipal and other sources of solid waste into energy.

“The response to SAEWA’s Request for Expressions of Interest (REOI) for potentially suitable EFW sites demonstrated a strong positive interest and support for a Southern Alberta EFW facility among the potential host communities and yielded several excellent options to site the future facility,” said SAEWA in a media release.

Evaluation Criteria for choosing Brooks Region

The future site is located in the County of Newell and the landfill had been submitted as a possible location. All of the potential EFW sites were evaluated against one other using constraints-based analysis which included combining desktop studies, field reconnaissance and GIS data and analysis. According to SAEWA, the evaluation included consideration for potential environmental impacts, site configuration, access to utilities, access to transportation, proximity to incompatible land uses, waste availability, potential energy users and transportation and logistics.

The next phase in SAEWA’s process will include confirmation of potential energy users, more detailed business case analysis and review of financing options, securing waste supply and initiating the facility/technology procurement process. Numbers presented in SAEWA’s 2014 business plan suggest that there will be 300 to 400 jobs during the construction period and may require a full-time staff of 40 to 50 personnel for facility operations. Project costs are estimated to be over $400 million depending on the technology chosen.

Brooks Region actively working to attract EFW facility

The Brooks Region has been actively pursuing an EFW facility and has completed extensive studies that support the emerging industry. More information on these efforts can be found by clicking here.

More information on the SAEWA project can be found online at www.saewa.ca or by contacting:

Paul Ryan
SAEWA Vice Chair & Project Lead
403-609-7465