Community
Q: Do you require Bluewater approval in order to move forward?
As per the IESO requirements, municipal council support for the Bedrock project is a necessary step that is required to complete the IESO approvals. It is important to Bedrock that the Council of the Municipality of Bluewater are aligned and in support of the project.
Q: What benefits will this project provide to our community? Beyond the stated job creation, and landowner payments are there are any other ancillary community benefits? Could you be more specific about the proposed community benefits please?
The CAES project brings numerous benefits to the community of Bluewater and the broader region. During the construction and commissioning phase, over 800 jobs will be created, providing employment opportunities and stimulating the local economy. Once operational, the project will sustain approximately 40 full-time jobs, ensuring ongoing employment and stability for the community.
Furthermore, the CAES project contributes to the revenues of Bluewater, enhancing the municipality’s financial resources for community development and improvement initiatives. Through a dedicated community benefit plan, the project provides ongoing support to the Municipality of Bluewater and its residents, fostering long-term collaboration and partnership.
By meeting the increasing energy needs of Ontario, the CAES project plays a vital role in ensuring a reliable and sustainable energy supply. As population growth and load demands continue to rise, the project contributes to the stability and resilience of the provincial power grid.
In addition to its economic and energy benefits, the CAES project stands as an environmentally friendly endeavor. With no emissions and a minimal footprint, it aligns with green energy goals and promotes a cleaner and healthier environment for the community and future generations.
Q: Have you ever had a thought about the surrounding residents living so close to this massive facility ? This is looking to be almost 500 meters away from our home.
Yes, Bedrock has definitely considered the surrounding residents, especially those in adjacent severed lots for their wishes, including pre-consultation, during construction and when normal operations are proceeding.
Our plan has been that once the connection facilities have been considered/decided by those over whose land the connection is proposed to traverse, Bedrock’s land agent would meet with each surrounding/adjacent landowner to discuss the project in detail and answer all the questions that will arise. The purpose of the meeting(s) will be to ascertain whether each individual landowner can be accommodated at his/her current location, during the phases mentioned above, or whether a move (temporary or permanent) is preferred by the landowner, in which case all the necessary accommodations will be made, including permanent, equivalent re-location in accordance with the reasonable choices of each affected landowner.
Q: How many operations and buildings does Goshen line need, there are power lines, wind turbines and now a compressed air facility wanting to throw in the mix.
There will only be one driveway access from Goshen Line to the plant and its connection to the grid at the Blue Bluff Road unopened road allowance.
Q: What noise levels do you anticipate would be generated?
Bedrock will always be sound compliant with the Ontario regulatory requirements. We anticipated that sounds at the fence line will be between 30 – 40db limit at night, which is essentially the level of a quiet conversation or leaves rusting in the breeze. They may exceed 40db during the daytime.
Applicable sound level limit is established as the higher of the background sound level OR the applicable MECP exclusion limit(s). Background sound level can be established through measurement (e.g., noise monitoring over several days). Applicable MECP exclusion limit(s) for rural area are typically the Class 3 exclusion limits as defined in NPC-300.
Q: Is Bedrock going to be paying property taxes on the facility at the normal commercial rate?
Bedrock will be paying taxes on the property at the industrial rate
Q: Has Bedrock been subsidized financially by any level of government (taxpayers)?
Bedrock has not be subsidized financially by the government. 100% of development costs have been through private investment.
Q: Will the lighting at the facility be dark sky compliant?
As we have completed our preliminary site plans, the lighting included for the plan is dark sky compliant
Q: What type of land will the facility be located on? Will Bedrock use only the minimum rather than the maximum land to avoid using farmland?
We are locating the facility on farmland that has been offered by the landowners. We will use only minimum amount of land for our facilities. The remaining unused land of each property will remain for farming use.
Q: Will Bedrock implement practices and protection of residential properties in proximity to the facility from noise, dust, etc. and be agreed upon with the residents and municipality?
Bedrock has in our plans to build treed berms around each facility to reduce the visibility and potential noise to the community. We also feel that planting new trees and landscaping is an important part to the project. During our environmental assessment review, we will be completing a noise assessment that will follow all applicable regulations. During construction, the project will minimize disruption by maintaining dust control and regular road cleaning.
General
Q: How many of the landowners impacted have signed on in agreement? What is the day time noise level to be expected to the neighbors? What impact can the neighbors expect to have to accommodate if the plan moves forward? Where is the energy coming from that is to be stored for future use?
The ongoing support of the landowners to date has been appreciated. For the reservoir and topside lands, all landowners (11 landowners) are in agreement of the project, with signed option agreements for the land/reservoirs in place. The landowners on the proposed route for the air pipeline are currently in the Committee negotiation stage, as we work through those details.
The noise level during the day will be equivalent to the sound of rustling grass or leaves. To help ensure there are no disturbances to neighbours, all the turbomachinery will be located inside a building with sound attenuation measures in place. The wells at the two reservoir locations will not emit a noise that will be perceivable by the community.
The energy will come from regional power on the IESO-controlled grid, primarily wind and potentially excess nuclear and/or hydraulic power, depending on seasonal and operating conditions.
Q: Where can I get a hard copy of the presentation and copies of the May 29 videos? Much of the video went very quickly and I’d like to watch them again.
Video recording and presentation posted HERE.
Q: Who is Bedrock Energy Corp? Why is there no information about your company online?
Bedrock is a small, tightly held Ontario Corporation, which was established by senior energy experts to develop energy storage projects. There is a Bedrock-specific website and video presentations which speak directly to what Bedrock does and is developing at Bayfield and Stanley.
Q: Why such a short comment period? June 12 is less than two weeks away not including weekends.
Regardless of time periods, you are most welcome to contact Bedrock representatives at any time, with any ideas, concerns, questions or anything that comes to mind. We look forward to hearing from you. We encourage comments to be sent by June 12, to allow for a fulsome gathering of comments, and ones we can share with the municipality. However, if at any time there are further questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to us through our website or media@bedrockenergycorp.com
Q: Why weren’t the surrounding land owners informed either? We live directly beside Blue bluffs road and were informed by a concerned neighbor of this last week. We feel as though many people have been left in the dark on this.
The purpose of this first public meeting is to make as many aware of the project as possible, with notifications by newspaper and flyers. The public will be notified of the future public open houses where we encourage further community involvement.
Q: Can we get copies of the environmental field work data/methodology?
Bedrock’s experts, Stantec Engineering, would be made available to meet with you to discuss the
environmental field work data/methodology once this work has been completed.
Q: Will there be more locations in Ontario in the future?
At present, Bedrock has only this location in its plans, but may consider other future locations. There are very few other similar type reservoirs available.
Q: What do you anticipate the total investment in this project would be?
The plant and connection facilities CapEx budgets continue to be refined, and once that total investment is known, Bedrock will confirm its anticipated total investment, which is considerable.
Q: What have been the comments of the stakeholder groups—Indigenous and other land owners? Is there a public file so we can see all comments?
The stakeholder groups very. All the questions and comments, such as yours, will be made public on our site. The reservoir owners are supportive as evidenced by their signing their Option Agreements and air storage leases. Indigenous Communities are meeting frequently with Bedrock and on their own, sometimes in closed sessions, to learn about the project and consider their positions. The air pipeline landowners are also learning about the air pipeline, while considering their positions in a working Committee, and those discussions are ongoing.
Q: I would like to learn more about your team. I can’t find any information on your website. Please provide.
The Bedrock Team consists of an experienced Board of Directors consisting of seven persons with skills in electrical and downhole engineering, senior financing, chartered accountant, law and power systems, as well as senior management that have qualifications in project management, a former IESO director, former CEO of Hydro One Networks and junior staff who report to the senior staff on a daily basis.
Q: Is this happening any where else in Ontario? Canada?
A: Compressed air energy storage is being contemplated in western Canada and at other locations in Ontario.
Land
Q: Currently, we are losing about 319 acres per day of farmland in Ontario to development and other uses. The rate of loss doubled between 2016 and 2021 according to the Ontario Land Trust. Urban and rural governments have been notoriously shortsighted in regard to preservation of food producing land. I am hesitant to support your project unless all other options for a land base have been exhausted.
Bedrock staff share your concern about disappearing productive farmland. Our team is taking all available steps to reduce the amount of farmland, which may need to be taken out of production, such that we have modified our site planning multiple times to reduce land use/project footprint and accommodate local landowners farm and pleasure uses of their lands. It would be impossible to entirely avoid using some farmland for the project, while benefitting the public with much needed electricity for farming and other uses. A paramount community, landowner and project benefit is that its two rock storage containers take up zero surface space, as they are located .5 km below the productive farmlands.
By way of background, Bedrock has closely consulted local landowners for many years on how to minimize the project footprint. Among the suggested solutions has been to consolidate wellheads as closely as possible on condensed well-pads; decommissioned gas production fenced well locations will be returned to farmland. Several land and facility efficiency options were examined in local landowner meetings, which culminated in 13 site configurations referred to above being examined and debated in order to achieve the most effective and least intrusive project plan. Each optional air pipeline routing under consideration takes into account avoiding ravines, creeks and forests, wherever possible.
Another Bedrock land-use preference, which is the subject of current negotiations with landowners, is the efficiency of burying an air handling system (pipe) under productive farmland, rather than connecting the facilities with permanent above-ground poles and overhead wires. Not only are wires and poles a regular, inconvenient obstacle to farm around, they occupy valuable land unnecessarily; whereas a pipe is buried and farming continues above uninterrupted. In addition, Bedrock has considered the consolidation of the power equipment into one facility in one location, rather than building dual facilities – one overtop of each reservoir; a single facility location (Bedrock’s preference) will conserve a substantial amount of productive farmland over each reservoir.
Bedrock reiterates its desire to work cooperatively with all landowners to minimize disruptions to productive farmland, especially during construction and operations. Take tiling for example; Bedrock is committed to and already has coordinated with some landowners in advance of the project’s start in regards to locations of proposed easements for pipe facilities, with a view to avoiding tiling damage issues in the future.
Bedrock remains open to any and all other suggestions, which would improve our site planning, respect the land, and further reduce farmland usage. All unused land around the consolidated facilities will continue to be used for productive farming.
Q: You mentioned that this land will be returned to its original state once the operation is completed. What is the timeline for completion? When will the land be returned to its original state? What is the cost for this? And is there a fund set aside to pay for reclaiming the land?
Yes, once the project is completed its useful operational life, which could be 40 or more years, the project will be decommissioned, the wells would be plugged and the land returned to farmland. As is standard in these types of projects, a set-aside of funds will occur in the last few years of the project’s operations when the debt has been retired and the decommissioning amount will be budgeted and before the project stops operations and its revenue stream ceases.
Q: Have all of the farmers who land is going to be affected agreed to doing this?
Yes, all of the farmers for the reservoirs and the topside facilities have agreed to this, and we have option agreements in place. The contracts for the landowners for the connection route are in the negotiations phase
Q: How many landowners are involved and signed up for the project?
There are currently 11 landowners that have signed up with agreements, for the topside facilities and the two reservoir sites.
Q: You mentioned that the land would be returned back to its original use when this operation is complete. How long would it take to get land back?
Unused land on the properties Bedrock is optioning will be returned for agricultural use. The project lifespan is 40 years, however, with maintenance procedures the project can have a longer life span
Q: What about the home property value being effected by this industrialized plant. This is a small acreage property that is highly sought after now being devalued. Is that not important or is that why we weren’t informed of this?
Bedrock is willing to have an affected property assessed in respect of its property value. Project approvals are currently starting to be processed, so it is now the convention to reach out to the public for their views and comments, which is important for the community and the company.
Q: How much farmland / square footage will the top side facilities take up?
The facility will take up a minimal footprint of 120 acres as very fortunately for all of us, the advantage of this storage facility is that the containers are deep underground and require no above-ground storage facility. The minimal footprint is within the back part of the Beeler and Hill lands on Goshen Line.
The close wellpad location on the Hill Lagoon farm will share the existing Lagoon Road, and the back of Paul and Kathy Steckle’s land will also use the existing road to the wind turbine to minimize farmland intrusion. Bedrock is minimizing landuse, wherever possible, including our preference to avoid poles and wires by burying the air handling system for nobody to see or work around, ever.
The facility should be about as visibly high as a traditional 1800s barn, and much lower than the 500kV power lines and local grain augur heads. The facility building and power connections will also be earthen bermed, then treed predominatly with the same local coniferous tree varieties as presently exist to preserve the current rural land and view scape, while still being a hidden community green energy project.
Bedrock is very hopeful that the community will rally around a thoughtful project and we welcome any ideas you may have
Technical
Q: What erosion could take place underground due to Pressure and what happens is there is an overload of pressure due to malfunction. What tests and research documents do they have? Historical data on CAES? Any testing done on methods and what implications will come in 100 years? Is this viable for BW? Would BW require an evacuation plan for plant failure? What is their EOL? Policies and procedures.
- The naturally-occurring reefs might be subject to minor erosions/smoothing of the rock during air cycling, however, there would be an opportunity to gather more information on this possibility once Bedrock has gathered additional core data. The extracted cores will be subject to various tests in a specialized laboratory setting to determine the extent of erosion that might occur. Accordingly, the plant construction will include designs to counteract the effect on plant performance, for e.g. filtration systems, separators, etc.
- Overloading of pressure is a highly unlikely event to occur as the compressors on surface will be designed to monitor and trip prior to reaching any threshold pressure limitations.
- We have previous core test analyses that determine the reservoirs’ strength as being able to withstand pressure gradient of 1.1psi/ft. Our expected operating reservoir pressures are at an average of 0.76 psi/ft. which equates to a 69% value of the maximum pressure allowed. Standards and regulations dictate a maximum operating pressure limit of 80% of the maximum pressure limit, accordingly, we are below this limit.
- Operating policies and procedures will be developed prior to plant commissionig and operations commence. As the CAES facility makes use of air instead of any fossils fuels and has zero emmissions, accordingly no evacuation plans are required.
- BW stands to boast as the community hosting the first of its kind CAES facility in porous rock. We anticipate a 40 year operating life, at the end of which we will conduct detailed analyses of the equipment and reservoirs to determine whether refurbishment, extension of life or decommissioning is required.
Q: Is there an opportunity here to utilize compressor heat to heat a commercial greenhouse?
During the compression process, the air is heated due to the work done by the compressor. This heat can be captured and utilized for various purposes, including heating applications such as greenhouse heating. However, with our as our designed system is a closed system, thus the heat of compression is stored and used to heat the air upon withdrawal prior to entering the expanders.
Q: Do you envision a daily cycle?( Fill at night empty during the day)
Yes, the current operations are planned based on a daily return cycle i.e. we anticipate to be injecting air during low demand periods. The injected air would then be produced to generate electricity during peak demand periods to support the grid and consequently the rate payers.
Q: In your video you stated that Ontario has made more energy than was required and we have even had to sell off some power, so why do we need to create more?
Energy storage technologies like CAES are used to address the challenge of balancing electricity supply and demand. While it’s true that there are times when Ontario may have excess energy production and needs to sell off power, this does not necessarily eliminate the need for additional energy generation or storage capacity.
Here are a few reasons why energy storage are required:
Seasonal Variations: Energy demand can vary throughout the year, with higher demand during certain seasons or specific times of the day. Energy storage technologies like CAES help bridge the gap between excess supply and periods of high demand, ensuring a reliable and stable energy supply.
Grid Stability: Energy storage systems play a crucial role in maintaining grid stability and managing fluctuations in power supply. They can help address intermittent renewable energy sources such as wind and solar, by storing excess energy during periods of high production and releasing it during times of low production or high demand.
Future Growth and Expansion: Energy demands can change over time due to factors like population growth, economic development, and electrification of various sectors such as transportation. Anticipating these future energy needs requires investing in additional energy generation or storage infrastructure.
System Reliability: Having a diverse energy mix and a robust energy storage infrastructure helps ensure a reliable and resilient power system. It provides a buffer during unforeseen events like equipment failures, extreme weather conditions, or disruptions in fuel supply.
Q: Will you need to be digging more reservoirs at any point, other than what is currently there?
The Bayfield and Stanley reservoirs offer favorable conditions for storing significant amounts of compressed air. Bedrock has devised a plan to drill a total of 66 boreholes accessed through 24 surface wellheads for Bayfield, and 16 boreholes accessed through 8 surface wellheads for Stanley. According to our current modeling results, it is unlikely that we will require additional drilling beyond the planned numbers. However, during the drilling process, there is a slight possibility that we may not need to complete the entire planned number of wells. Only when drilling operations commence can we confirm such a scenario through daily experience gained with each reservoir’s characteristics.
Additionally, these wells will be drilled from a single well pad and will not be scattered across the farm lands. This is part of Bedrock’s approach to keep a minimal footprint on the agricultural lands being used.
Q: Fracking is documented to trigger seismic activity. Please address the risks of seismic activity associated with this project. Please cite years of experience in similar geological structures in other locations.
Fracking and CAES are distinct processes with different objectives and impacts on seismic activity. There will be no fracking whatsoever used with the development or ongoing operations with the Bedrock project. Fracking is used in oil and gas extraction to create channels in hydrocarbon-containing rock formations, often involving the injection of pressurized slurries that may contain abrasive materials. This process can have associated risks of triggering seismic activity due to the high pressures and the potential for rock movement.
On the other hand, CAES involves the storage of compressed air in natural or man-made structures to generate power. The injection pressures and the risk of contamination with foreign particles in CAES are significantly lower compared to those in fracking. Therefore, the direct risk of triggering seismic activity associated with fracking does not apply to CAES.
Regarding the experience with CAES and seismic activity, there are operational CAES facilities in Germany and the United States that have been in operation for decades. These facilities have not reported any significant impacts on regional seismic activity.
Considering the available information and expertise on Ontario’s geology, it is anticipated that the CAES operations at Bayfield would have none to minimal impact on regional seismic activity.
Q: What about air pollution? What are the anticipated impacts on air pollution and noise pollution?
Bedrock’s CAES project is an emissions-free project. For noise, Bedrock will be following all regulations under the MTF Class EA
Q: Where else is Bedrock operating please?
This project is the first and only CAES project for Bedrock, and we have no other operations at this time.
Q: Can you describe the storage of the “heat from compressing the air and how that is re- applied . is there a time limit to hold this heay ?
Heat generated during the compression will be transferred to heat storage medium and stored in above ground thermal storage tanks. These heat storage mediums have a heat decay of about 1 degree celsius/day meaning it would take approximately a whole year of idling operations before the heat medium loses its heat.
Q: I’ve read that some other CAES facilities line the depleted gas reservoirs. Will you be doing this? Why or why not and what risks are associated with using reservoirs that may contain trace amounts of natural gas.
This is similar to the nitrogen purge operations mentioned. The objective of the nitrogen purge is to flush out remainder natural gas in the reservoir such that there can be no to minimal chance of the natural gas and air mixture being able to combust. The nitrogen will also form an inert barrier between any traces of natural gas and injected air.
Q: What are the environmental impacts of this project?
There will be a low environmental impact attributable to this project given the choices made to date. The project will be emissions-free with no fossil fuel usage; the footprint is as minimal as possible on existing farmland. Through various iterations, the site plan selected for the topside facilities have been designated in such a way to avoid as much disturbance as possible to water ways, rivers and forests. The project will comply with the MTF-Class EA, and be always noise-suppressed and compliant.
Bedrock’s preference is to bury the connections from the two reservoirs via a buried air handling system instead of overhead wires and poles in the fields, thereby ensuring that all permanent surface farming activities will be convenience and unaffected.
Q: What is the expected efficiency rate for the plant? It takes energy to compress the air and then release it.
Our current modeling indicates an efficiency rate of 68%.
Q: Are there any concerns with constantly cycling the air in and out of the reservoir?
Constantly cycling the air in and out of the reservoir in a CAES (Compressed Air Energy Storage) system can present certain concerns that need to be addressed to ensure the system’s optimal performance. Some of the key considerations include:
- Thermal Management: During the compression of air, heat is generated, and during the expansion phase, cooling occurs. Managing the thermal effects is crucial to maintain the system’s efficiency and prevent excessive temperature increases or decreases. Thermal management techniques, such as heat recovery systems or thermal insulation, can help mitigate these concerns.
- Air Quality and Contaminants: Cycling air in and out of the reservoir can introduce contaminants or impurities into the system. It is important to ensure that the compressed air meets the required quality standards, free from moisture, particulates, and any potential contaminants. Proper filtration and air treatment systems should be in place to maintain the desired air quality.
- System Integrity: The cyclic nature of CAES can exert stresses on the equipment, including the reservoir, pipelines, valves, and other components. It is crucial to design and construct the system with robust materials, proper sealing mechanisms, and regular maintenance protocols to ensure its long-term integrity and prevent air leakage or structural failures.
- Environmental Considerations: The cycling of air in and out of the reservoir may cause noise emissions or vibrations, which can potentially impact the surrounding environment and nearby communities. Adequate noise mitigation measures and vibration dampening techniques should be employed to minimize any adverse effects.
These concerns are a few examples that have been considered in our current engineering work and will be developed more as we progress.
Q: I imagine the air in the reservoir is currently not oxygen or CO2, are there any concerns with releasing that air after it fuels the turbine?
In a CAES system, the air in the reservoir is typically not pure oxygen or carbon dioxide (CO2). It is usually ambient air, comprising mainly nitrogen (approximately 78%) and oxygen (approximately 21%) along with trace amounts of other gases. Releasing this air directly into the atmosphere may or may not have significant environmental concerns related to oxygen or CO2 levels.
However, releasing the air from the reservoir without any further utilization represents a loss of energy potential. Adiabatic CAES systems are designed to store compressed air as a form of energy storage and retrieve it later to generate electricity. Ideally, the air should be repurposed within the system to maximize energy efficiency and minimize waste.
Consequently, our objective is to recirculate the air back into the system for another cycle, thus utilizing it for multiple power generation cycles.
Q: How are you ensuring that all of the natural gas is completely gone from the reservoirs. If any gas remains, is there a risk of combustion?
Bedrock will be conducting a nitrogen purge or flush before commencing CAES operations. The aim of this purge or flushing operation is to remove any remainder natural gas still in the reservoir.
In order for there to be a risk of combustion, the natural gas content in the mixture needs to be at least at the Lower Explosive Limit (LEL) of 4%. Our modeling results currently show that the maximum natural gas content in the produced air would be 0.4% which is ten folds below the LEL, consequently there is no risk for combustion.
Q: Compressed air creates moisture. Is there a quantity of moisture that can be collected and repurposed?
Bedrock has completed preliminary engineering for the its equipment and operation design, and while there will be moisture generated during the compression and expansion cycles, the associated quantities have not yet been calculated. Bedrock will take note of this query and will update this response as we progress more into detailed engineering phases.
Q: Is there any risk in affecting the water aquifers that provide water via drilled wells for the surrounding homes?
No. Bedrock’s engineers do not believe that there is any risk posed to drinking water sources due to or
caused by its project. Each drilled air well will be designed and constructed to isolate the drinking water
acquifer so there can be no contact or any interaction whatsoever between the air wells and the water
acquifer through multiple steel casing strings, each separated by specialized cement. Regardless, Bedrock will be engaging Stantec to conduct a full-scale pre-construction water
testing and monitoring program, which will continue during construction and past the commencement
of operations. This is very important to Bedrock to ensure uninterrupted clean water availability at all
times, and for greater certainty, Bedrock carries insurance to ensure this commitment.
Q: Just to confirm, this project will stop the sale of our excess energy?
This project cannot by itself halt all sales of Ontario’s excess energy. What it will do is take otherwise
wasted energy and store it. So, for example, instead of wind being constrained-off, wind could operate
during the night, as could spilled hydraulic power, and this project could take that energy and store it for
use the next day on the grid when it is needed.
Q: Are you putting money into a fund and keep it in escrow for the duration of the project period (for when something may go wrong?)
Yes. There is a comprehensive insurance policy which will cover the potential for something going wrong during the construction and operating years; funds will be set aside for later decommissioning as part of the MNRF approval plan and process.
Q: As the project is four years out to completion, do you have a guaranteed buyer for the energy?
Bedrock will have a guaranteed buyer for the energy well before any construction commences.
Q: If at some point other technology makes CAES obsolete or the facility closes, do you have funds set aside to decommission and restore the land?
Yes. The project will have a 40+ year useful life, and would likely be kept on stand-by even if some new
technology evolves. There really are only two easily accessible mediums known to humans for utility-scale storage: air and water, because they are ubiquitous.
Q: With technology constantly evolving and this project scheduled for a 2028 operational start up is there any contingency plan for technology evolution
With our project’s anticipated completion date in 2027/2028, it is important to proactively address the potential for technology evolution. The fast-paced nature of technological advancements necessitates a robust contingency plan, and while Bedrock does not foresee any major evolution that has a potential to render the project obsolete, we have however included the following in our consideration.
- Adaptive Design: Our project is designed in modular components that come together to form the CAES operation. This will allow us easy upgrades or replacements if new technology readily becomes available. This forward-thinking approach ensures that our project can keep up with advancements without requiring major overhauls.
- Strategic Partnerships: Bedrock has been working on forging strategic partnerships with technology providers, and industry experts who are at the forefront of CAES technology development. By establishing these collaborations, we gain access to cutting-edge advancements, early insights into emerging technologies, and potential upgrade options.
- Regulatory Alignment: Bedrock keeps abreast of evolving regulations and policies that support the adoption of advanced technologies in the energy sector. This allows us to understand the direction of future requirements and ensure that our project aligns with these standards.
Q: Are other sites like this already operational in Ontario.. If so how long have they been operating.? What is the expected life expectancy for the reservoir?
There are no exact sites using porous rock for air storage currently in use in Ontario, but there are many
similar types of geological formations being used for natural gas storage at similar anticipated pressures.
NRStor has a compressed air energy storage facility operating in a salt formation near Goderich, which
has been operating for about 5 years.
The life expectancy for the reservoirs is infinite. The equipment life is likely 50 years.
Q: Is this a first for Ontario?
Yes, for air storage in porous rock, this is a ‘first’; no for air storage in salt formations as it has been undertaken several times; nor is using porous rock a ‘first’ for gas storage in
the same type of porous rock reservoir, where Ontario has been storing natural gas for 70 years, safely
and reliably.
Q: How similar is this project to the NStor facility in Goderich? Are there other examples of similar facilities in Ontario?
This project is only similar to the NRStor facility in Goderich in that it is a compressed air energy storage
facility. Bedrock understands that NRStor uses a small salt cavern to store its air at lower pressures
whereas Bedrock will use porous rock reservoirs to store the air at MNRF-approved pressures. Typically
salt caverns are open spaces which use fewer wells to access the subsurface locations than would be the
case with a larger porous rock reservoir. However both the salt cavern and the rock reservoirs are
surrounded by salt layers, which act as a natural sealer, to contain the air and avoid any leakage.
Q: How deep is the reservoir?
A: The reservoir is located at a depth of approximately 530m.
Q: Is there a fund set aside for any emergencies or complications?
Yes, there funds will be set aside and budgeted to be available for emergencies and complications. The project carries extensive insurance coverage for all manner of liabilities and exigencies. In addition, there is a well bond for each well which is set by the government during the life of the project.
Q: How much concrete needs to be poured for the Stanley and Bayfield facilities?
Cement used during the drilling, plugging and abandonment of the wells differs from the conventional concrete used in construction. Concrete is a versatile construction material used for various building applications, while well casing cement is a specialized cement formulation used specifically and traditionally in oil and gas well construction to seal and stabilize the wellbores. The wellbore cement has the consistency of a milk-shake until it hardens.
Accordingly, we anticipate using approximately 138 metric tonnes to restore the sites at the end of the project. A key point that needs to be noted is that the cement used during restoration will not be on surface, but inside the well-bores far below the agricultural land.
Q: How many projects have you already completed like the one you propose for Bayfield and Stanley? Please show an example of an already completed project that is similar to Bayfield and Stanley.
The Bayfield and Stanley project is the first CAES project in porous rock, similar to how Ontarians and Michiganders have used these types of reservoirs to store natural gas reliably for many decades. The Alabama and German CAES projects share some similarities to the Bedrock CAES project in terms of saving electrical energy for later use, but they use a salt cavern as their reservoirs and heat the withdrawn air with natural gas, whereas Bedrock proposes to use a thermal storage system to save compressor heat and reuse that heat, thereby making our process more efficient.
Q: Can you please provide me with information about all Bedrock projects that have taken place around the world?
Bedrock is currently developing the Bayfield and Stanley project as well as investigating other CAES and battery opportunities in Ontario.
Q: I would like to learn more about the project mentioned that you did in Alabama. Could you please send me the link? I can’t seem to find any information online.
More information on the Alabama CAES facility can be found on the below mentioned links.
McIntosh Power Plant – Compressed Air Energy Storage System, US (power-technology.com)
Compressed air energy storage technology: Generating electricity out of thin air | Baldwin EMC
Q: How are you ensuring that all of the natural gas is completely gone from the reservoirs. If any gas remains, is there a risk of combustion?
The engineers are very clear on this point in their reports. Any and all natural gas capable of combustion will be removed through two slow, monitored sweeps of both reservoirs, to the point of trace amounts, if any, being well below any risk of combustion.
What about air pollution?
There will be no air pollution emanating from this facility as it is 100% clean and green, with closed cycle technologies. There will be no fossil fuels consumed at the facility.
