UNBC receives funding for sustainable bioenergy system

The University of Northern British Columbia has received $1.1 M from the provincial government to support the expansion of its bioenergy heating system. The funding was announced as part of UNBC’s 25th-anniversary celebration, which began on Tuesday. The contribution will enable the institution to connect its student residences, Enhanced Forestry Lab, and daycare facility to a new district energy system, reducing the campus’s reliance on fossil fuel for heating. Currently, close to 75% of heating on UNBC’s Prince George campus is drawn from locally sourced biomass. The Omineca Beetle Action Coalition and the TransCanada Corporation have also partnered in supporting the project. “UNBC is seen as an innovative leader in the clean energy field and as a driver of economic development to create jobs and opportunities for British Columbians. Extending the bioenergy system is great for students, future generations of British Columbians, the community and our province,” said BC Minister of Advanced Education Amrik Virk. BC News Release