6 Friday, May 7, 2021 brooklintowncrier.com Call or Text: 905.706.3131 office@tanyatierneyteam.com 49 Baldwin St. Brooklin Council Wants Elexicon To Lead District Energy Development Whitby council has asked Town staff to use Elexicon Energy as a partner in the development of a District Energy system on the tract of land that will include the new sports complex (see photo). As well, it will explore a public-private ownership as the preferred ownership model. As described in staff report CAO 13-2, "A district energy system is a small-decentralized power plant that distributes thermal energy to multiple buildings in an area or neighbourhood through an underground pipe system. End-users of District Energy include commercial buildings, condominiums, hospitals, hotels, sports facilities, universities, government complexes and residential homes." "A pre-feasibility study," the report says, "identifies that a geo-exchange District Energy system is the most viable option and has a greenhouse gas reduction potential of 84% / 1900 te CO2 per year, against a business-as- usual natural gas heating and cooling system. This is the equivalent of the removal of 350 cars." If deemed feasible, the system would require 2-3.5 years to become operational and would cost $10.624 million, with annual operational costs of $512,000. However, this system could help avoid $2.1 million in equipment costs for the Sports Complex which is striving to be a sustainable facility. It is believed that the geo exchange system would assist in achieving the goal of a net zero carbon facility. For more information, visit whitby. civic.web.net and look at the Committee of the Whole agenda for the May 3 meeting, item 9. The staff report is available there as a PDF.