General Motors Invests in St. Catharines Plant

General Motors Canada and its partners are investing $28 million at its St. Catharines Propulsion plant. St. Catharines Mayor Walter Sendzik, Niagara Regional Chair Jim Bradley and Local MP Chris Bittle, were on hand for the announcement at the plant.

The cogeneration program is expected to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 70 per cent, and protect the plant from rising electricity and carbon costs.

“This cogeneration project demonstrates the power of local partnerships to deliver results that improve the bottom line, protect the environment and meet our sustainability targets,” said Carolyne Watts, GM St. Catharines Plant Director.

The 6.4-megawatt cogeneration project uses renewable landfill gas delivered by pipeline from a landfill to generate electricity from newly installed engines at the plant. GM will also recover thermal energy to power and heat the plant.

“Walker and IGRS are pleased to be providing long term environmental solutions to local partners by utilizing landfill gas as a renewable energy resource,” said Geordie Walker, President and CEO, Walker Industries. “We are committed to converting waste into a resource and contributing to a sustainable future.”

Partnerships with Alectra Utilities, Integrated Gas Recovery Services, and Ontario Centres of Excellence, have allowed the project to be the first complete renewable landfill gas industrial cogeneration system in Ontario delivering renewable landfill gas from an offsite source.