Welcome to
Heat New Glasgow
**UPDATE 2025** The Town of New Glasgow received Provincial funding in late 2024 through the Sustainable Communities Challenge Fund, administered by the Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities (NSFM), to continue advancing the Heat New Glasgow Project. These funds will support further work on biomass CHP design, establishing an ownership model, and engaging further with potential biomass suppliers.
Explore this website to learn more about the proposed community-wide Biomass District Heating system in the Town of New Glasgow.
Affordable
Low carbon
community heat
A Feasibility Study
In line with the Town of New Glasgow’s Climate Action Plan, TorchLight Bioresources has been awarded funding to carry out a feasibility study for a community-wide biomass and electricity powered district heating system (DHS) in collaboration with the Town.
The DHS could eventually connect to more than 90% of the buildings in the Town of New Glasgow and would be owned by the community, providing affordable, reliable, low carbon heat while supporting a vibrant rural economy.
Biomass district heat is a proven approach to decarbonization that could put residents of New Glasgow in control of their energy future and reduce energy poverty.
Development of a biomass DHS in New Glasgow would aim to:
- Reduce and stabilize energy prices
- Increase regional economic activity
- Improve energy security
- Increase energy system resilience
- Improve management of Acadian forests
News & updates
Stage 1 of the Feasibility Study for a New Glasgow-Wide Biomass District Heating System is complete!
A summary of key findings, recommendations, and next steps can be found here.
A summary of results from the online surveys of social perceptions and acceptance of bioenergy and forest management can be found here.
This was the project presented during a public forum to the…
Videos
Collaborators
Collaborators will work together with you, the community, to design a heating system that is affordable, reliable, efficient and supports the local economy while also reducing emissions.
As project manager, TorchLight will coordinate all activities, lead community engagements and develop the Masterplan.
TorchLight is Canada’s leading bioenergy consulting and project management firm and has championed bioheat and district energy development across Canada.
Jamie Stephen, Founder and Managing Director, and Jean Blair, Director of Planning and Outreach, are the primary team members for this project.
Jamie Stephen, Founder and Managing Director, and Jean Blair, Director of Planning and Outreach, are the primary team members for this project.
Rathco ENG will lead the engineering design and costing for the district energy network and provide technical input for the Masterplan.
Rathco is a multidisciplinary engineering and planning firm, specializing in district energy. Their team has international best practice experience in district energy including energy generation, distribution, and storage.
John Rathbone, Founder and President, and Mairead Kennedy, Vice President and Network Design Engineer, are the primary team members for this project.
John Rathbone, Founder and President, and Mairead Kennedy, Vice President and Network Design Engineer, are the primary team members for this project.
The Town will support TorchLight and Rathco in the completion of the study and will ensure the plan meets the needs of the community.
As the economic and cultural hub of Pictou County, the Town of New Glasgow is committed to ambitious climate action and was one of Canada’s first municipalities to prepare a climate plan. This plan was recently updated, with district energy playing a central role in decarbonization. The Town has been meeting regularly with TorchLight since fall 2020 to develop a plan to move the feasibility study for a community wide district energy network forward.
The Town of New Glasgow’s financial contribution will go toward the energy and mechanical assessment of buildings to be connected in the initial phase.
The Town of New Glasgow’s financial contribution will go toward the energy and mechanical assessment of buildings to be connected in the initial phase.
Forestry Advisors
Our forestry advisors will provide recommendations on biomass sourcing and forest management.
The FNSWO will engage with local private woodlot owners to help us understand where biomass might come from and them understand how biomass fits within their sustainable forest management plans.
Founded in 2001, the Federation of Nova Scotia Woodlot Owners (FNSWO) is a province wide, non-profit organization providing forest management, support, and advocacy to Nova Scotia’s small private woodland owners. FNSWO’s members are stewards of woodlands that care deeply about the future and sustainability of the forest and landscape.
Since 2009, the FNSWO has been building a Forest Certification Program for private woodlot owners.
Since 2009, the FNSWO has been building a Forest Certification Program for private woodlot owners.
ACFOR will provide guidance on active forest management in the Acadian forest and advice on biomass supply for the district energy system.
ACFOR Forestry Management offers an alternative solution for woodlot owners who want value from their forest, want to preserve it, and who are struggling between clear-cutting and conservation. ACFOR’s mission is to restore forests, create better, local, renewable energy systems and empower communities for today and tomorrow.
ACFOR’s bioheat projects have led to the replacement of over 700,000 L of heating oil annually with local sustainable wood chips.
ACFOR’s bioheat projects have led to the replacement of over 700,000 L of heating oil annually with local sustainable wood chips.
This project is made possible with funding from the Government of Canada.
