Monday, November 1, 2010

- Answer: By committing to a series of initiatives that create biofuel--and cutting back simultaneously on waste.

Thanks to recent advances in biotechnology and a government mandate to increase clean energy production, British Columbia is now seeing a growing number of projects that focus on converting biomass--organic waste from wood and plants--into electricity, also known as bioenergy.

Along with the surge in bioenergy projects, the province is also experiencing an increase in biofuels, derived from plant waste sources. Unlike bionergy, which is biomass converted into electricity, biofuel stays in gas or liquid form and is typically used to power cars, trucks or even airplanes.

Here are a few examples of biofuel projects in British Columbia:

• Catalyst Power Inc., a new venture in Abbotsford, B.C., recently installed one of the country's largest "anaerobic digesters"--a $5.5-million technology that takes biomethane derived from animal waste and puts it straight into the natural gas distribution system.
• Using mountain pine beetle fibre and other softwood residues, Lignol Energy Corporation in Burnaby produces low carbon transportation fuel that can be used in place of fossil fuels.
• With $1.5 million in conditional financing from BC Bioenergy Network, International Composting Corporation is launching a $7.7-million project to convert organic waste into vehicle and aviation biofuels-- the first demonstration in the world of these technologies.

While biofuels are still an emerging technology, there is evident demand for the end products. For instance, the community of Whistler recently announced plans to convert all of its waste hauling trucks to either compressed or liquefied biomethane gas.

© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun