Zoo’s Poo Could Fuel a New Toronto Biogas Facility

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The Toronto Zoo says their 5,000 animals produce enough dung to easily cover the costs of the proposed $13 million biogas-to-power facility within five years.

The plant would produce enough electricity for not only the zoo, but thousands of Toronto households. Similar operations that convert farm animal and human waste into biogas are already in place across the world.

But where does a zoo come up with $13 million dollars?[social_buttons]

“It’s clean, green energy, pollution-free energy, and we hope we might actually be able to make a little bit of money out of it as well,” said city councilor Glenn de Baeremaeker. But the city’s Budget Director says money for the plant probably won’t be available due to debt, despite the promised return on power.

Instead, the zoo is looking to an outside private financier for the project and still hoping to begin construction by next year. In Texas, the Dallas Zoo dreamed of a biogas plant last year, but it as well has faced financial hurtles and it has yet to be built.

Photo Credit: Seabamium on Flickr under Creative Commons license.


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4 thoughts on “Zoo’s Poo Could Fuel a New Toronto Biogas Facility

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  • Powerful Ontario

    Oh for the rights to Toronto’s humanure! I’d be an energy mogul in my own time! The assholes at Hydro Ontario are red taping to death an honest pig farmer’s attempt to produce electricity in Ironprior as we speak! The arrogant assholes still think huge nuclear developments are within their reach, even with GM Canada dumping its expensive employees on the government welfare roles and going for GM, China’s new Buick LeSabre or Cherry, sold at Walmarts near you, soon and only $6000.00 a copy! If the current Ontario government can get energy anywhere, it better scramble for it! They have no oil, little undeveloped Hydro, no solar and scarce wind power available! Pig shit and zoo shit are the big-times for this energy poor province, and the sooner they realize it the better!

  • Powerful Ontario

    Oh for the rights to Toronto’s humanure! I’d be an energy mogul in my own time! The assholes at Hydro Ontario are red taping to death an honest pig farmer’s attempt to produce electricity in Ironprior as we speak! The arrogant assholes still think huge nuclear developments are within their reach, even with GM Canada dumping its expensive employees on the government welfare roles and going for GM, China’s new Buick LeSabre or Cherry, sold at Walmarts near you, soon and only $6000.00 a copy! If the current Ontario government can get energy anywhere, it better scramble for it! They have no oil, little undeveloped Hydro, no solar and scarce wind power available! Pig shit and zoo shit are the big-times for this energy poor province, and the sooner they realize it the better!

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