November 15, 2022 at 6:02 am
Huron Central Mayor Jim Jean and the company that signed a letter of intent with the city to lease the former Bluewater Juvenile Offender Center released a statement.
The company is Carlsun Energy Solutions of Port Elgin, and Ginn said they will produce hydrogen.
“In addition to hydrogen, they can also make ammonia, which is the basis of fertilizers and can also be used as fuel. So it would be clean fertilizer or fuel, mainly off-peak surplus hydropower produced at night,” Ginn explained.
Nitrogen fertilizers are currently produced mainly in Russia or China, Ginn noted, so producing them locally would be a huge advantage.
Jean said the demolition of the former Bluewater Center building would be completed soon.
“The building is scheduled to begin demolition immediately and we’re going to take six months, maybe even up to a year, to restore the site, so the timeline works for us and it works for them, so I think it’s a good one too Omen,” Gene said.
Ginn said he doesn’t expect construction on the new building to begin before March 2024.
“The plant has to be designed and engineered. I would say it’s not new technology, it’s technology that’s been around for a long time, so it’s not a question of not working. It will work. It’s just a matter of designing the plant, sizing it, ’ added Ginn.
Ginn added that they still have to go through the entire public phase, including hearing from the public and making necessary zoning changes, but he doesn’t foresee any serious issues.
Carlsun project manager Paul McCleave explained that they are researching the development of clean fuels.
“We’re looking at developing a clean fuel and clean fertilizer facility there. It’s still in the early process and there’s still a lot of evaluation to be done, but we’re very excited about the opportunities and needs that this type of facility can address,” shared McClave .
McCleave said the area around the Bluewater Centre was particularly suitable for what they wanted to do.
When we have the ability to do so, it makes sense to produce these products here rather than relying on others, McCleave said.
“Fertilizer prices started to spike around the middle of last year, and then the war in Ukraine had a huge impact on supply chain issues. It was an opportunity to bring some of that supply chain home, and in doing so, provide some security of supply to local farmers,” Mike Leaf said.
McLiffe said they are still in the early stages of a long process that includes getting public comment, getting all zoning and proper permits, so he expects it will take a few years for them to be fully operational.