Fleming College to install geothermal funded by provincial grant

Jeff Leal, MPP for Peterborough, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and Minister Responsible for Small Business, announced close to $13 million in infrastructure and research funding during a visit, Fleming College said in a news release.

“Our partnership with Fleming College ensures more opportunities for local students and businesses,” said Jeff Leal, MPP for Peterborough. “I am pleased to see the positive impact of key industry research and development collaborations across our community.”

Fleming will receive a total of $12,147,000 from the Greenhouse Gas Campus Retrofits Program (GGCRP), which includes:

• $6.209 million from the Innovation Grant Fund to fund the Fleming College Emissions Reduction Initiative
• $1.538 million from the Retrofits Grant Fund for Cap and Trade Non-Participants
• $4.4 million repayable loan from the Interest-Free Loan Fund

The $6.209 million will go toward installing a closed loop vertical borehole geothermal system and upgrades to the Kawartha Trades and Technology Centre that will include rooftop solar and wind energy as well as the implementation of new technologies such as an Internet of Things lab. The remaining funding will be used for additional GHG reducing initiatives as well as the creation of a low carbon demonstration site that will support the skills development of students. The project is expected to be completed by spring 2019.

“Fleming College prides itself on being a leader in sustainability within the communities we serve and among other post-secondary institutions. Developing these renewable energy systems will be a leap forward for us to further reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and replace aging, outdated heating and cooling systems. It will further provide valuable learning opportunities for our students,” Fleming College president Tony Tilly said.

The funding is part of Ontario’s Colleges Applied Research and Development Fund, administered by Ontario Centres of Excellence in the Stream 1 College Strategic Sector/Cluster/Technology Platform Program, the release said. The program is supported by the Ontario Ministry of Research, Innovation and Science in partnership with Colleges Ontario. The award will be combined with $500,000 in partner cash and in-kind funding.