Dear Ministry of Energy and…

Dear Ministry of Energy and Electrification,

Please find our submission attached.

Key points:

Biomass CHP is Ontario's largest energy opportunity but is omitted from the IERP.

The IESO is treating biomass CHP like an intermittent renewable and not recognizing the value it provides in the form of heat and avoid electricity load.

Importing natural gas from the United States is costing $1.7 B annually (net). The Government of Ontario must prioritize made-in-Ontario fuel to avoid this cash drain. This means biomass.

The Government of Ontario does not need to provide capital support but it must prioritize, via policy, use of made-in-Ontario fuel, biomass CHP access to the electricity grid, avoided electricity load with bioheat, and district heating system development.

Expansion of natural gas lines only benefits Enbridge's shareholders and US natural gas producers. District heating + biomass CHP benefits communities, the Government of Ontario, rural regions, woodland owners, and Ontario pension funds.

The Government of Ontario OWNS the largest energy resource in the province - its forests. Of the 16 pulp and paper mills operating in Ontario in 2000, 13 are now closed. Sawmills cannot produce lumber for housing without a market for residues and low-grade wood. Closing sawmills is not good for housing. Without pulp and paper, the only proven option is biomass CHP. Ontario has allocated $80 M to the Ontario Biomass Program but the primary biomass opportunity in Ontario is combined heat and power, which is NOT recognized in the current document. Electricity grid access is extremely challenging. This lack of coordination between ministries - Energy and Electrification, Natural Resources, Municipal Affairs and Housing - is a major problem.

Kind regards,

Jamie Stephen