Enerkem, a global leader in the production of biofuels from waste materials, is pleased to announce that it has received funding through the Clean Resource Innovation Network (CRIN) Low Emissions Fuels and Products Technology Competition for its Integration of Advanced Carbon Recycling Technologies to Produce Sustainable Drop-in Fuels in Canada. The group is assigned with a grant of more than CDN$5.5 million, allowing them to demonstrate leadership and commitment to attaining aggressive GHG emission reduction objectives.
Addressing the decarbonization of the Heavy Transportation Sector
The project’s major goal is to verify a solution that can directly deliver low-carbon fuel to the heavy transportation industry, making a large environmental effect while simplifying both the production process and supply chain needs.
Technically, the project combines best-in-class technologies to produce a low-carbon, diesel fuel blend from sustainable feedstock such as forestry and agricultural residue, as well as potentially urban waste, by utilising Enerkem gasification technology and INFRA’s proprietary catalyst system, while avoiding energy-intensive and costly refining and upgrading processes.
From a supply chain perspective, the team’s technology will enable the production of a liquid fuel that is entirely compatible with current gasoline blending, distribution, and retail infrastructure. This is advantageous since the low-carbon gasoline can be transported today utilising Canada’s current infrastructure.
“Our initiative creates a key link between the agriculture and forestry sectors by using waste biomass from both industries to create a fuel product that is compatible with the oil and gas supply chain. By doing so, we are able to use the power of two of Canada’s greatest industry sectors to substantially diversify and strengthen the transportation sector’s fuel supply,” said Michel Chornet, Enerkem’s Executive Vice President, Engineering, Innovation, and Operations.
A Novel Approach
This significant initiative was spearheaded by Enerkem’s Edmonton-based research and development team in partnership with Suncor Energy and Infra Synthetic Fuels Inc. (INFRA). The team was able to use the most sustainable feedstocks in a cost-effective process that avoided the cost and energy intensity typically required to upgrade Fischer-Tropsch products to Fuel Grade by combining Enerkem’s feedstock flexible gasification technology (proven in its Enerkem Alberta Biofuels- EAB facility in Edmonton, AB) with INFRA’s advanced Fischer-Tropsch technology.
This project will show the integration of Enerkem and INFRA technologies at a suitable scale, as well as offer crucial design knowledge for future commercial deployments. This will pave the path for Canada’s first waste-derived low-carbon renewable fuel manufacturing plant of 1,500 BPD.
Strong Benefits in Order to meet Canada’s Net Zero goals by 2050
Synthetic fuel made from waste or biomass-derived syngas might provide Canada with a more diverse fuel option, resulting in considerable near-term GHG emission reductions and economic diversification. This research will show the most viable routes to the most sustainable synthetic fuel.
Among the anticipated advantages are:
- By 2030, the combined technologies will be commercially available in Canada.
- By 2033, a total of 3.3 million tonnes of GHG will have been reduced through the operation of three units.
- Biofuel manufacturing plants might reduce GHG emissions by up to 91 per cent.
- More than 700 direct and indirect employment will be created.
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