It's the first of its kind in British Columbia - and the second on such a scale in the country - and will be in full production by 2025 in what is known as the Serengeti of the North for its beauty of nature and wildlife found there.
The Tu Deh-Kah plant is thus paving the way for renewable energy by providing a clean source of electricity to communities in the northern Rockies, which currently depend only on electricity produced by fossil fuels, and by enabling more long term, a surprising production of food, including perhaps even the cultivation of mangoes.
As the Fort Nelson First Nation owns the project, the community is an integral part of it and participates in decision-making.PHOTO: RYAN DICKIE
Revolutionizing the North
The wilderness of the scenery surrounding Fort Nelson First Nation in the northern Rockies of British Columbia amazes visitors. The region welcomes, among others, caribou, beavers, bears, wolves and bison.
This natural wealth, which is one of the many resources available to this territory, is a source of pride for the Chief of the Fort Nelson First Nation and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Deh Tai Corporation, Sharleen Gale.
“We are very fortunate to have a territory as large as Switzerland. So we take on a huge responsibility”, she says.
In these magnificent lands is the second known gas reserve in the province, which means that there are many hydrocarbon wells there.
The geographic location also presents its share of challenges for the Aboriginal community, located a few kilometers from the town of Fort Nelson, as it experiences the ups and downs of the gas industry.
It was also during an economic slowdown, in 2017, that the geothermal power plant project saw the light of day.
“The idea seemed almost impossible, it was impossible to dream so big. But we did“, says Lana Lowe, a member of the Fort Nelson First Nation and director of the Fort Nelson Land Service. “People understood that there could be something better for our community and our land than oil, gas and forestry. [...] We felt that there was something here that could revolutionize the North.”
After some initial hesitation, the indigenous community, which had been active in oil and gas extraction for 50 years, chose to go for this large-scale renewable energy project.
A community-owned project
“The Fort Nelson First Nation is undoubtedly at the forefront of geothermal energy in Canada”, explains Sharleen Gale. “This project represents for us the opportunity to show Canadians that we can move forward with renewable energy projects and also to show First Nations that they can own projects like this and help work efficiently for the climate.”
The $100 million project is 100% owned by the Fort Nelson First Nation through its economic development company, Deh Tai Corporation.
Of the amount planned for this geothermal power plant, $40 million comes from the federal government, while the province has provided funding of $1 million.
By 2025, the Tu Deh-Kah plant (whose name is made up of Tu, water, and Deh-Kah, in the state of steam), will supply about 10,000 homes with electricity, according to John Ebell, the head of geothermal programs and director of Barkley Project Group.
As the community has only 400 residents, the surplus electricity will then be redistributed to the Municipality of the Northern Rockies, not connected to the BC Hydro grid, and will eliminate the use of fossil fuels.
“Geothermal energy is one of the cleanest energies humans can produce“, says John Ebell, whose Nanaimo-based company specializes in developing renewable energy.
“Its ecological footprint is small, since it does not require the use of large spaces”, according to Jasmin Raymond, professor at the Center Eau Terre Environnement, at the National Scientific Research Institute (INRS-ETE). “The amount of above ground infrastructure is very limited compared to [for example] a fleet of solar panels“, he explains.
Although this is a source available at all times, power stations of this type are still rare because the wells must be deep and the cost of installations is high.
“This is the biggest challenge in geothermal energy”, says Jasmin Raymond. “But, over the life of the system, the cost of producing electricity or heat is generally going to be lower than the cost of producing with fossil fuels”, he says.
The construction of the plant also offers young workers in the oil and gas industry the opportunity to continue to keep their jobs in the region. “The plant will provide sustainable jobs to our members and neighboring communities. And a lot of jobs in the oil and gas sector can be transferred to it“, confirms the Chief of the Fort Nelson First Nation.
“Getting involved in an extraction industry like shale gas is a very difficult compromise for our community“, explains Lana Lowe. “Geothermal energy which has a reduced impact on the environment is a better way forward.”
Another economic advantage of the plant is the reuse of inactive wells, which are numerous in the region.
This is the case of the Tu Deh-Kah site, where the gas has already been fully exploited, but the hot water will still be there, according to John Ebell. “If the plant is designed correctly, it will not stop, it is sustainable.”
Harnessing the Pacific Ring of Fire
The Pacific Ring of Fire is by far the largest tectonic plate on Earth. Combined with the porous rocks of the region, it forms the ideal recipe for geothermal energy.
It is a sustainable source of energy that feeds on the power of groundwater which would be naturally heated by the center of the Earth, a geological phenomenon that is still poorly understood.
“We are not 100% sure of the origin of this heat in the field. This is actually a very interesting science puzzle for academics. We just know that this heat is present in abundance.”
These waters, which hide deep underground, are rarely visible, but in rare places, ground pressure pushes them to the surface.
In Liard Hot Springs, on Fort Nelson First Nation territory, tourists can bathe in springs that reach 43 degrees Celsius.
These hot water pools could be incorporated into the Tu Deh-Kah plant plan, as could the Blue Lagoon, located near Reykjavik, Iceland, a country where a quarter of electricity production comes from geothermal energy.
An energy source of hope
In addition to the production of electricity, the surplus heat can have other uses: to create a spa, to heat roads and sidewalks during the winter or to set up a hundred agricultural greenhouses.
It is these greenhouses that most inspire the Chief of the Fort Nelson First Nation, who dreams of being able to pick a fresh banana, an avocado or a beautiful lettuce that traditionally grows further south, elsewhere in the world, and to make it. benefit communities further north, like hers.
Another facet of this project, the benefits of which will be felt over several generations.
“The Tu Deh-Kah plant will contribute to food security in the North, as it is generally difficult to obtain fresh produce in this region”, says Sharleen Gale, Chief of the Fort Nelson First Nation.
“We already have academics ready to do research to better understand, learn, and improve technologies”, says John Ebell.
“In Canada, we are pulling a little in terms of the development of our geothermal resources”, says Jasmin Raymond. This first test bench would therefore promote international exchanges. “We have a lot to learn from the experiences of other countries which are more advanced than us in terms of electricity production and geothermal heat”, adds the professor.
Although the Tu Deh-Kah plant is still in its infancy, expectations for this pioneering project are high. This plant represents an opportunity not only to be self-sufficient in terms of energy and food in northern regions, but also to achieve carbon neutrality in Canada by 2050.
