[Don Watcher]

The past couple of weeks I have noticed some sort of drilling platform in the lake just south and east of the Leslie Spit. Does anyone know what they are doing?

 

[Wrenkin]

It's probably an anemometer measuring the potential for placing a wind turbine there.

 

[JamesKoole]

Looks similar to this thing which has been used in the past to install the smaller anemometer. Toronto Hydro Energy Services - Offshore Anemometer Tower (PDF)

 

[junctionist]

They're building the new Ashbridges Bay sewage outfall.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Maybe there's natural gas down under Toronto and Lake Ontario. Don't smoke near them wells.

See link.

Then again, there is all that gas escaping from the sewage treatment plants.

 

[Johnny Au]

Maybe there's natural gas down under Toronto and Lake Ontario. Don't smoke near them wells.

See link.

Then again, there is all that gas escaping from the sewage treatment plants.

Very much all of Toronto is on the Georgian Bay natural as shale.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Drilling for geothermal energy installations around the GTA has hit pressurized natural gas hundreds of feet deep.

See link.

 

[SaugeenJunction]

This is what the rig is for: https://www.torontohydro.com/sites/.../pages/compressedairenergystorageproject.aspx

It is a new energy storage system being built, and is actually pretty cool.

 

[DSC]

This is what the rig is for: https://www.torontohydro.com/sites/.../pages/compressedairenergystorageproject.aspx

It is a new energy storage system being built, and is actually pretty cool.

There was a (repeated) piece about it on the CBC National news last night.

 

[Tulse]

That is damned cool. Just like Enwave, it is great to see Toronto taking advantage of the renewable energy possibilities of the lake.

 

[44 North]

Agreed, it is very cool. Completely forgot about this plan until I saw this thread. Deep lake cooling, giant balloons to store power...very innovative uses of an amazing resource we have lapping at our shores.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Agreed, it is very cool. Completely forgot about this plan until I saw this thread. Deep lake cooling, giant balloons to store power...very innovative uses of an amazing resource we have lapping at our shores.

And Enwave is in the process of expanding that system:

http://www.canadianmanufacturing.co...ses-lake-water-to-chill-torontos-core-153572/

Great if they can target the emergent west DT as well.

AoD

 

[44 North]

And Enwave is in the process of expanding that system:

http://www.canadianmanufacturing.co...ses-lake-water-to-chill-torontos-core-153572/

Great if they can target the emergent west DT as well.

I'm more keen on seeing what can be done with the Lower Don Lands, "East Harbour" (aka Unilever site), and the general Port Lands. I could see deep lake cooling and district heating (by way of tying into Port Lands Energy Centre and cogeneration). If we throw in a few other tidbits of small-scale energy creation/storage/conservation, the whole area would be a model of urban sustainability.

The past couple of weeks I have noticed some sort of drilling platform in the lake just south and east of the Leslie Spit. Does anyone know what they are doing?

Ah, I used to read your blog all the time. Don't hesitate to write more, because I and I'm sure many others will thoroughly enjoy reading it!

 

[DocH]

After a few months of lurking on these forums, here's my first post...

I suspect the rig is part of the ground investigation for the proposed outfall tunnel from the Ashbridges Bay treatment plant:

http://tunnellingjournal.com/news/hmm-scoops-design-of-canadas-largest-wastewater-outfall-tunnel/

http://www.on-sitemag.com/construct...-in-canada-being-built-in-toronto/1003852884/

At 3.5km long, the tunnel will terminate out beyond the end of the Leslie Street Spit. The lake is <10m deep in Ashbridges Bay, but steeply shelves to over 30m south of the end of the Spit. I reckon the plan is for the tunnel to discharge via diffusers in this deep water.

This tunnel, at 7m diameter and 3.5km long, will generate about 140000 m^3, or about 340000 t of waste rock. Where will this go? Well, I think we need look no further than the TRCA's Ashbridges Bay Erosion and Sediment Control Project. The EA Environmental Study Report (take care: this report is 9MB) shows the preferred solution involves construction and filling of a series of lagoons at the edge of the lake south of the treatment plant:

These lagoons will need a lot of material to fill them...