Features Environment & Sustainability
Steeper Energy to build biofuel demo plant in Norway

Dec. 17, 2017 – Danish-Canadian clean-fuel company Steeper Energy is partnering with Silva Green Fuel, a Norwegian-Swedish joint venture, to construct a $76.8-million industrial scale demonstration plant at a former pulp mill located in Tofte, Norway, leading to a future commercial scale project.

Steeper will license its proprietary Hydrofaction technology to Silva, who will build the facility over the next 18 months. The demonstration plant will use woody residues as feedstock that are converted to renewable crude oil and, in turn, will be upgraded to renewable diesel, jet or marine fuel.

Steeper’s Hydrofaction technology was selected by Silva after a review of some 40 other technologies. Hydrofaction harnesses water brought to super-critical conditions, to cost effectively convert biomass to high value liquid biofuels.

The partnership between Silva Green Fuel and Steeper will confirm engineering data and design protocols to de-risk future commercial scale facilities planned to be built by Silva and will be offered by Steeper globally to other biofuel project developers.

“This partnership positions Steeper Energy as a leader in providing advanced renewable fuels that cannot only help reduce net carbon emissions, but also produce in-demand renewable diesel for use in heavy and long-haul transport sectors,” said Steeper Energy co-founder and CEO Perry Toms. “We are providing a cost-effective solution to address carbon reduction targets for this crucial segment of the economy.”

Steeper Energy thanks the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 SME program, the Danish Energy Agency’s Energy Technology Development and Demonstration Program (EUDP) and the National Research Council of Canada’s Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) for financial support.