In Canada, CHAR Technologies Ltd has confirmed that it has been awarded over CA$$11.3 million in Federal and Provincial government investment funding to expand CHAR Technologies Thorold renewable natural gas (RNG) and biocarbon facility in Thorold, Ontario (ON) creating the largest facility of its kind in Canada, and the only RNG facility in the country to exclusively use woody biomass.
CHAR Technologies is a cleantech development and services company, specializing in waste and residual pyrolysis and biocarbon development, custom equipment for water treatment, and providing services in environmental management, site investigation and remediation, engineering, environmental compliance, and resource efficiency.
Joint funding is being made available through the Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) Investments in Forest Industry Transformation program and Ontario’s Forest Sector Investment and Innovation Program, and will be disbursed in installments during the course of construction from early 2023 to 2025.
Over CA$12.8 million in public investment
The Government of Canada is providing just over CA$4.9 million for the project through the Investments in Forest Industry Transformation program. This is in addition to the previously announced CA$1.5 million for the project through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario Jobs and Growth Fund.
Congratulations to CHAR Technologies on the development of a novel facility that will help to reduce emissions while creating jobs for Canadians. This facility will help displace fossil fuel combustion while diverting wood waste from being burned or landfilled. This will reduce carbon and methane emissions while contributing to Canada’s ambitious climate goals. The Government of Canada is pleased to support this important work, commented the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources.
The Forest Biomass Action Plan is a five-year plan that encourages the use of forest biomass resources to secure jobs, support economic development and encourage sustainability in Ontario’s forest sector.
Today’s CA$4.9 million investment is another example of how the Government of Canada is supporting sustainable jobs, innovative technologies, and green businesses. This support will help CHAR Technologies Thorold Inc. use wood waste to produce renewable natural gas, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support the decarbonization of Canadian industry. This investment also exhibits the government’s commitment to strengthening the economy in Niagara Centre and its confidence in the Niagara Ports Multimodal Trade Corridor and all of its partners to help achieve expected economic outcomes, Vance Badawey, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indigenous Services and Member of Parliament for Niagara Centre.
The Government of Ontario is providing over CA$6.4 million for the project through the Forest Sector Investment and Innovation Program, a business support program designed to improve productivity and innovation, enhance competitiveness, support new market access and strengthen regional economies.
This new facility will produce clean alternative fuels and increase sustainability in the forest sector through new and emerging uses of renewable forest biomass. Our investment in CHAR Technologies is an investment in Ontario, which will boost productivity, create jobs and support a thriving forest economy that communities throughout the province depend on, said Graydon Smith, Ontario Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry.
High-temperature pyrolysis process
CHAR’s global first-in-kind, high-temperature pyrolysis (HTP) process converts woody biomass to simultaneously produce two highly profitable green outputs ready for industrial application without generating greenhouse gases (GHGs).
When commercially operational, CHAR’s Thorold facility will convert 75 000 tonnes of woody biomass to simultaneously produce 500 000 gigajoules of RNG and 10 000 tonnes of biocarbon per year.
Thanks to the confidence and support from the governments of Canada and Ontario, CHAR is proud to demonstrate what can be accomplished when industry and governments work together towards a green energy transition. Today represents climate change action, and signifies a major win for Canada’s growing bioeconomy as we move towards a Net Zero future in collaboration with Ontario’s resilient forestry sector, said Andrew White, CEO of CHAR Technologies.
By providing alternative fuels, the project will directly reduce Ontario’s greenhouse gas emissions by up to 30 000 tonnes each year.
Diverting mill by-products from landfill will further avoid and reduce indirect emissions by as much as 30 000 tonnes annually.
Made-in-Ontario solutions like CHAR Technologies’ new technology help to keep Ontario at the forefront of global innovation. Our government is proud to support CHAR Technologies as they bring their innovative technology to market and create good-paying jobs for families in Thorold, said The Honourable Victor Fedeli, Ontario Minister of the Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade.
