Tons of waste is going to become biofuel

Photo agence QMI, Codie McLachlan

Anne Caroline Desplanques

Tuesday, 6 February 2018 20:24

UPDATE
Tuesday, 6 February 2018 20:24

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A plant that turn waste into biofuel will come out of land on the South Shore of Montreal within two years, notably thanks to the financial support of a chinese company.

“We now have the elements in hand to start construction of the plant in Varennes, welcomes Pierre Bushel, the spokesperson of Enerkem. It calculates between 18 and 24 months for the operation. “

The project is in the pipeline since 2012, but it took a long time to tie all the wires. Tuesday, Enerkem has linked the essential, in announcing the largest financing in its history: $ 280 million.

In addition to Investissement Québec and the Fonds de solidarité FTQ, including, Enerkem has received the support of the chinese leader of the bio-economy Sinobioway, which injects $ 125 million.

The agreement provides for the establishment of a joint québec-china and also involving the construction of 100 bio-refineries in China by 2035.

Enerkem has developed a unique technology that transforms waste destined for the landfill into biofuels, methanol, and ethanol.

Evidence made

The invention proven in Edmonton since 2014, where all residential waste collected by the city are treated by Enerkem.

Copied on that of Edmonton, the factory in Varennes will not be treating residential waste, but industrial and commercial. Enerkem does not exclude the possibility of treat a day the residential waste, but it will be up to cities to decide.

“The contracts of the collections managed by the municipalities are long-term contracts. With Edmonton, it came at the right time because the City was coming to the end of his contract and the landfill sites were saturated, ” says Mr. Ball.

♦ Each Québécois product, 685 kg of waste per year, according to Recyc-Québec.