A group of Canadian companies dubbed the Ocean Supercluster have launched a CAD 65m ($51.2m) project to develop domestically sourced marine biofuels.
The group aims to produce Canada’s first renewable diesel from abundantly available agricultural and forestry by-products
The Ocean Supercluster group comprises Valent Low Carbon Technologies, FORGE Hydrocarbons, Mara Renewables, Clearwater, Katal Energy, Horizon Maritime and Sustainable Development Technology Canada.
The group will provide nearly CAD 5.7m with the balance coming from the project’s industry and government partners.
“The success of the Clean Ocean Advanced Biofuels Project will drive Canadian renewable diesel production and supply, reduce imports and foster international market exports,” the Ocean Supercluster said.
Ocean Supercluster chief executive Kendra MacDonald said this “transformational project” will help shape Canada’s future as a leader in low-carbon fuel production.
“With over 50,000 merchant vessels circling the globe, we have a huge challenge to reduce transport emissions in the ocean economy,” she added.
“The cumulative emission reductions from Valent’s suite of technologies will positively impact local marine life and air quality, supporting Canada’s transition to a more sustainable future.”
“Through this project, the Ocean Supercluster and its partners will actively support Canada’s transition to a more sustainable future,” said Canada’s minister of innovation, science and industry Francois-Philippe Champagne.
“This groundbreaking project will produce Canada’s first renewable diesel — positively impacting marine life while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions — and create more than 150 jobs.”
Tim Haig, chief executive of FORGE Hydrocarbons, said the key to widespread adoption of renewable fuel in the marine sector is abundant renewable feedstock and a way to convert that feedstock into a fungible, low-carbon liquid fuel.
Canada’s Ocean Supercluster is a pan-Canadian, industry-led transformative cluster focused on tackling some of the biggest challenges across ocean sectors through a collaborative programme designed to accelerate the development and commercialisation of globally relevant solutions, while also building a highly capable, inclusive workforce.
The Ocean Supercluster said it has approved more than 60 projects with a total value of CAD 320m which it said would “deliver more than 110 new made-in-Canada ocean products, processes and services to sell to the world”.
