Investment Helps Local Company Go Green by Reusing Waste Heat

With the help of $169,250 in funding from the Newfoundland and Labrador Green Fund, Icewater Seafoods Inc. of Arnold's Cove will recover waste heat from its current refrigeration system. Through a heat pump system, waste heat generated from refrigeration equipment currently in use will be captured, upgraded to a higher temperature, and then used to heat the facility and supplement fish thawing processes.

"Every time a source of waste can be reused or redirected, it is a positive move for the environment," said the Honourable Charlene Johnson, Minister of Environment and Conservation. "This innovative project will take a heat byproduct that is now being vented into the atmosphere and reuse it to heat the plant and make processing more efficient. Overall, the initiative will result in a reduction in greenhouse gases of approximately 500 tonnes per year."

Icewater Seafoods Inc. currently uses an industrial ammonia refrigeration system for ice making, freezing fish fillets, freezing fish offal for use in the pet food industry, and maintaining cold storage temperatures. The space and process heating requirements at the facility are met by two oil-fired hot water boilers. The estimated annual fuel reduction for the facility is estimated at approximately 160,000 to 180,000 litres.

"The funding for Icewater Seafoods will help them make the environment a part of their day-to-day operations," said Calvin Peach, MHA for Bellevue. "Whenever we can find a means of combining sound environmental approaches with local industries, it benefits the area."

"Through this initiative, we will be able to take heat that is already being produced through the refrigeration process at the plant and re-use it where it is needed," said Bruce Wareham, President of Icewater Seafoods Inc. "This will reduce the demand on our boilers and greatly reduce the fuel required to operate these, thereby making a difference to our environmental footprint."

The project highlights the many ways businesses in the province can become more environmentally friendly.

"We continuously encourage businesses to implement measures to reduce their carbon footprint, and this project is a wonderful example," said Minister Johnson. "Every action, whether it's a business, a group or an individual, collectively makes a positive impact on our environment. This investment demonstrates how our government values such projects, and we commend Icewater Seafoods Inc. for taking this innovative approach."

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2010 07 05                                                    2:45 p.m.