Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Given the increasing cost of heating our homes and the importance of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, wood pellet heating is an economically and environmentally friendly alternative. This week, October 3 to 4, the Arctic Energy Alliance, in partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, is hosting the Wood Pellet Fair in the Greenstone Building in Yellowknife.
Wood pellets are a Canadian renewable resource made from forest industry waste wood and are used in wood pellet stoves, boilers and furnaces. Burning at a very high temperature, wood pellets eliminate the waste product often associated with wood heat. A 40 pound bag of pellets produces only three ounces of ash. Burning wood pellets does not contribute to ozone or greenhouse gas levels.
Wood pellet costs are stable. They are not subject to the whims of foreign producers and can reduce home heating bills by up to 50 per cent. Wood pellet heating has been endorsed by the Environmental Protection Agency in the United States as one of the cleanest burning, most renewable energy sources on Earth. Wood pellet heating is becoming more popular in the Northwest Territories as advances in new technology bring new furnaces and boilers to market to replace or augment oil as a fuel source in central air furnaces and boilers.
Last year we paid out more than $27,000 in rebates for wood pellet stoves and boilers through the Energy Efficiency Incentive Program. We expect an increase in applications this year. This technology works for small and large applications. A homeowner could install a small supplementary heater. Large boilers can also be installed to heat our large institutional buildings, as has been shown in an installation at the North Slave Correctional Centre. There is also potential for wood pellet technology to be used in generating electricity in those communities currently relying on diesel generation.
The Wood Pellet Fair is an excellent opportunity for residents to learn more about this technology and how it can reduce both the cost of heating our homes and greenhouse gas emissions. A number of local and national exhibitors are attending the fair to explain the benefits of wood pellet heating technology and answer any questions. I encourage anyone interested in learning more about wood pellet heating to attend the fair.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.
