British Columbia’s Bioenergy industry is creating a strong bioeconomy

A city in British Columbia, Canada will soon be using garbage trucks powered by garbage.

The province of British Columbia, situated on Canada’s west coast, is a world leader in the bioenergy sector and one of the province’s latest bioenergy projects is underway in the city of Surrey. By 2015, Surrey will be home to Canada’s largest organics biofuel facility, which will collect and process residential and commercial yard and kitchen waste to be used as fuel for vehicles, including the city’s new fleet of 100 per cent compressed natural gas waste collection trucks.

Based on recent studies, approximately 65 per cent of Surrey’s residential garbage is made of organic waste that could be diverted from landfills and used as biofuel. This project is funded through a public-private partnership to ensure the process is efficient as well as economically and environmentally sustainable. “Surrey aims to be North America’s first fully integrated organics waste management system,” City of Surrey spokeswoman, Tara Foslien said.

Surrey’s biofuel facility is one of many exciting projects unfolding in British Columbia and is an example of how the province is leading the way in waste-to-energy innovation.

British Columbia is working toward becoming one of Canada’s most comprehensive biomass inventories and has unique waste-to-energy opportunities in wood pellet production, wood-fired electricity, biomass gasification and municipal waste use. Innovative bioenergy projects and nearly 40 bioenergy companies across the province are supported by top research facilities, progressive communities, dedicated government programs and investments from the private sector.

The BC Bioenergy Network (BCBN), established in 2008, was created to maximize the value of British Columbia’s biomass resources, develop research, create development and demonstration projects, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, advance the province’s bioenergy sector, and champion funding initiatives to support bioenergy technology. Today, it continues to be a key partner in innovative bioenergy projects including a recent collaborative research project between BCBN and the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning. The project involves Highbury Energy, a British Columbia bioenergy company that will develop liquid fuels from forestry wastes. BCBN backs bioenergy development in British Columbia and around the world, and connects resources, people, and partners to help projects become successful in the marketplace.

British Columbia’s government established the BC Bioenergy Strategy to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, strengthen competitiveness and work towards electricity self-sufficiency. Through the strategy, the province committed to developing bioenergy resources to improve environmental and economic benefits for residents. In 2012, the province partnered with the BCBN and the private sector to open the Bioenergy Research and Demonstration Facility at the University of British Columbia (UBC), located in Vancouver, the province’s largest city. The facility is a pioneering $34-million clean energy facility and is Canada’s first university – and one of only a few in the world – to produce both clean heat and electricity for its campus from renewable bioenergy. It generates enough clean electricity to power 1,500 homes, supply up to 12 per cent of UBC’s heat requirements, reduce UBC’s natural gas consumption by 12 per cent, and reduce campus greenhouse gas emissions by 9 per cent. The facility is also a partnership between with two of the world’s leading developers of green technology – Vancouver-based Nexterra Systems Corporation and GE Energy.

The bioenergy sector is also supported by top post-secondary programs and top research facilities. UBC also supports the industry through the Clean Energy Research Centre. The centre conducts world-class research to facilitate sustainable clean energy for British Columbia, Canada and the world, and involves engineering students, faculty members and graduate students who are building relationships with key industry and government leaders. One of the Centre’s recent successes is a research partnership with the Korea Institute of Science and Technology, involving four joint research and development projects on fuels and chemicals sourced from biomass.

Bioenergy has far-reaching benefits, including reducing the environmental impact, stimulating the economy, increasing research initiatives, and helping residents live a more sustainable life. British Columbia’s numerous bioenergy opportunities are successful because of the province’s vast natural resources, its commitment to environmental values, a highly skilled workforce and exceptional post-secondary education programs.

To learn more about British Columbia’s international trade and investment opportunities, visit www.britishcolumbia.ca.

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