Spring 2020 earliest Sussex could see geothermal heating
More than 50 people attend a public meeting on the energy potential of a closed potash mine
While the potential for geothermal heating may exist inside the Picadilly mine outside Sussex, the actual harnessing of the energy is still some time away.
It will take at least two years before the decommissioned mine can supply any part of Sussex with energy, a town official told townspeople at a meeting this week.
And while residents at the meeting seemed to think it's worth a try, money, ownership and science have to be figured out first before the project will be "shovel ready."
"You're probably looking at no sooner than the spring of 2020," said Scott Hatcher, chief administrative officer for the town of Sussex. "So there is work to do here tonight."
More than 50 people walked through the door of the Sussex & Area Seniors' Centre Monday night to hear about the feasibility study the town commissioned last summer on using the mine for energy.
Uses Earth's internal heat
Geothermal heating would involve extracting the heat from the water deep inside the mine.
The mine was allowed to flood after its operations stopped in early 2016.
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"The inside of the Earth is very, very hot," said Vernon Banks, spokesperson for the engineering and project management company Amec Foster Wheeler, which did the study. "As hot as the sun in the very centre and radiates outwards."
A utility or other company could cheaply use that heat, making Sussex and its surrounding communities more attractive to new industry.
More funding needed
But according to Hatcher and other town officials, it's not as simple as it may sound.
Money is one factor that could delay the project, which could require an investment of $11.3 million by the town.
Although the feasibility study had funding, Hatcher said any further action would require additional backing.
During the presentation, he suggested the region could look at applying for federal money.
"If you can position a project for funding, let's just say infrastructure funding," Hatcher said, "[the federal government] has announced a portion of it would be green-type infrastructure.
"In rural communities the announcement two weeks ago was federal funding, areas of our size — basically most of New Brunswick — would see funding in an amount, for certain kind of projects, as much as 60 per cent."
An additional $98,000 will need to be budgeted annually to cover maintenance, should the town decide to go ahead.
Science needs verifying
Some assumptions also had to made for the feasibility study to proceed, including how much water there is in the mine and its temperature at a certain level.
These assumptions were needed to, "assess feasibility and to undertake the necessary steps to secure regulatory approval to gain access to extract the brine from the mine workings."
"It's necessary to verify the key assumptions to validate the study," Hatcher said. "We're in the process of producing a business plan."
This plan will set the stage for a funding application to bring the project to a "shovel-ready scenario" and better define the profits of such a project should a utility wish to take it on, Hatcher said.
Property needs sorting
Sussex Mayor Marc Thorne also suggested difficulties may arise since the mine is privately owned by Nutrien, the company that PotashCorp merge with Agrium to create.
He said the region will need to work with property owners, not just Nutrien, if the project is to progress.
"The property is privately owned by the good people of Cardwell and Penobsquis area. Any development would involved the properties there," he said. "It's their property to do with as they please."
But overall, the attendees seemed to welcome the idea of tapping into green energy.
"For something in the beginning stages, there's lots to go forward on," said resident Tyrell Pearson.
"I know that they can put equipment in there that will do that job," said former MLA LeRoy Armstrong. "I think there's money to be saved here. We need that."