The Townships of Georgian Bluffs and Chatsworth are opening up ownership and partnership proposals for the Derby BioGrid biodigester.
Jointly owned by both townships since 2010, the township councils decided to accept proposals for alternative ownership opportunities following a joint council meeting in December 2022, to make better use of the facility and generate further profit, says Georgian Bluffs.
Georgian Bluffs Mayor Sue Carleton says she believes the feeling from both municipalities, is continuing to operate the biodigester the way it is now is not sustainable and how it is not the best use of the facility.
She adds the biodigester is costing each municipality about $100,000 annually to operate.
“What we are really asking our staff to do is run a business for us kind of off the side of their desk and that is not what we hired our staff for. What we are looking for, is someone who has the expertise to come in an either partner with us, may be we outright sell it, we are open to anything that someone wants to come along with that will take that cost off of both municipalities each year,” says Carleton.
The facility currently uses methane gas from septage waste to generate electricity.
Carlton says using septage as the main product is not the best use of the facility, and should be separated into categories like organics and grease.
She says in the past when issuing a request for proposal, the township would limit who could reply. With the biodigester, however, the request is open ended and available to anyone.
“Bring us what would work for you, and our hope is that out of that, there will be somebody or something that will work for everyone,” says Carlton.
“The BioGrid could support local efforts in waste diversion for a broader range of municipalities, private industry, and other public sector organizations under a new operating model,” says Georgian Bluffs.
A request for proposal will be available until March 24 at 1 p.m. and can be submitted on the Georgian Bluffs website here.
