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Enerkem planning advanced energy research centre in Edmonton

Enerkem, a developer of technologies to convert waste to biofuels and chemicals, will join with the City of Edmonton and the Alberta Energy Research Institute (AERI) to form an advanced energy research centre.

The research center will focus on the development and demonstration of novel catalytic conversion processes to produce advanced biofuels and green chemicals from non-hazardous industrial waste (generated by the oil and gas, agricultural, forestry, and other industrial sectors), as well as from municipal waste. It will be adjacent to a planned commercial waste-to-biofuels production facility in Edmonton, which is ready for construction and has previously been announced by Enerkem.

“Enerkem is a proud partner in this novel project, which focuses on innovative technologies and research for tomorrow’s carbon constrained reality,” says Vincent Chornet, president and CEO of Enerkem. “This research centre will become an important component in furthering our company’s dedication to innovation, allowing us to attract some of the country’s brightest minds.”

The research centre will include laboratory equipment and a well-instrumented pilot plant. Construction is scheduled to be completed in the first quarter of 2010. AERI is contributing $9 million to the project.

Enerkem has developed a unique gasification, sequential gas conditioning, and catalysis technology platform, capable of using a mix of feedstock, such as sorted municipal solid waste, forest biomass, and agricultural residues.