Leahy Orchards is investing some $4.7 million to maximize the energy efficiency of its facilities on route 209 in Franklin.
The project, which was announced Friday morning in the presence of Minister Pierre Arcand, consists of building a new thermal power plant that runs on residual forest biomass. It will include a power supply and dust collection system.
The Government of Québec is covering half the bill and providing $2 370 060 in financial assistance paid out of its Green Fund. This grant comes from the Programme de biomasse forestière résiduelle (Residual Forest Biomass Program) which is part of the 2013-2020 Climate Change Action Plan.
« We are replacing fuel oil with wood chips to ensure the energy conversion of the business, » noted Michael Leahy, Director of the company which has over 300 employees.
By replacing the current consumption of fossil fuel in their oil furnaces with forest biomass, the family business, which specializes in agri-food processing, will be able to reduce their green house gas emissions by 1990 tonnes of CO2 per year. This decrease is the equivalent of taking some 585 cars off the road yearly.
Leahy Orchards should save from $150 000 to $200 000 in terms of energy costs thanks to the new power supply system. Work began last spring and the system is expected to be in operation by the end of November.
« We are proud of being able to rely on a Quebec business that participates fully in the energy transition which we hope will modernize the Quebec economy, » stated Pierre Arcand, ministre de l’Énergie et des Ressources naturelles.
« By reducing their green house gas emissions and consumption of fossil fuels, Leahy Orchards is making a significant contribution to the air quality in the Montérégie region. Of course, the local workforce benefits from this kind of project, » added Stéphane Billette Deputy for Huntingdon and Chief Government Whip.
Leahy Orchards processes a daily average of 500 000 lbs of fruit and vegetables which are distributed to Canadian, American and overseas markets. Established in 1980 by James R. Leahy, the business was motivated by the idea of finding an outlet for apples and fruit that are excluded from the retail market. The original idea was to use apples for apple sauce and the business created its own national brand; Applesnax.
