Enerkem

Last updated
Enerkem
Founded2000
Headquarters Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Key people
Dominique Boies (CEO and CFO)
Production output
Biofuels and circular chemicals
Website enerkem.com

Enerkem is a clean technology company based in Montreal. Founded in 2000, Enerkem uses its patented technology to convert residual biomass and non-recyclable municipal solid waste (MSW) into biofuels and renewable chemicals.

Contents

In Quebec, Canada, Enerkem has an innovation centre in Westbury. The company's first commercial-scale demonstration plant was inaugurated in Edmonton in 2014. Other commercial plants are under development in Canada and Europe, such as in Tarragona (Spain), Rotterdam (Netherlands) and Varennes (Quebec), with the latter under construction in September 2021.

Enerkem is a private company. Its shareholders are National Bank of Canada, BlackRock, Braemar Energy Ventures, Cycle Capital, Fonds de solidarité FTQ, Fondaction CSN, Investissement Québec, Rho Ventures, Sinobioway, Suncor, The Westly Group and Waste Management. [1]

Enerkem is positioned in the field of biofuels and greenhouse gas reduction. The management team consists of ten managers and is chaired by Dominique Boies, CEO and CFO since 2019. The Board of Directors comprises nine experienced directors and is chaired by Joshua Ruch, President of Rho Capital Partners. [2]

History

Enerkem's technology was developed by Dr. Esteban Chornet (Lehigh University and Professor Emeritus at the University of Sherbrooke). Professor Chornet has been in Quebec since 1970 and has had a distinguished career as a professor at the University of Sherbrooke while continuing his work on biomass. He has also conducted highly successful research projects in catalysis and thermochemistry with Canadian and American partners.

Over the years, Esteban Chornet's research has allowed him to explore the potential of biomass as an alternative energy source. This led to the revolutionary technology that allows Enerkem to produce biofuels and renewable chemicals from biomass and non-recyclable waste. [3]

In 2000, in order to take full advantage of this technology, Esteban Chornet founded Enerkem with his son Vincent Chornet. The new company focused on refining its technology and seeking financing. [3]

In 2004, Enerkem completed the construction of a pilot plant in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada, to further develop its technology and adapt it to market requirements. [4] [5]

In 2009, the company commissioned an industrial demonstration plant in Westbury, in the Eastern Townships, Quebec. This plant will work on the production of ethanol and methanol from forestry waste and biomass. It will also have a mandate to develop new products and act as a training centre. [6] [7]

In 2014, Enerkem inaugurated its first full-scale facility in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, for the conversion of household waste into biofuels and renewable chemicals. In 2016, it became the first ISCC-certified plant in the world to convert waste materials into biomethanol. [8] [9] [10]

In 2018, Enerkem joined a partnership consisting of AkzoNobel, Van Gansewinkel, Air Liquide, AVR and Enerkem to build a waste treatment plant in Rotterdam in collaboration with the Port of Rotterdam, the City of Rotterdam, the Province of South Holland and Innovation Quarter. [11]

On July 12, 2019, Dominique Boies was appointed chief executive officer and Chief Financial Officer to replace Vincent Chornet, who died prematurely a few weeks earlier. Mr. Boies had served as the company's CFO since 2017. [12]

On December 8, 2020, Enerkem announced the construction of an $875 million biofuel plant in Varennes, Quebec. [13]

In April 2021, Spain's Repsol announced that it had partnered with Enerkem and Agbar (Suez) to build a waste-to-renewable chemicals plant in Tarragona, Spain. [14]

In June 2021, to meet growing demand from airlines, Shell, Enerkem, and the Port of Rotterdam announced a shift in focus for the Rotterdam (Netherlands) projected plant to the production of sustainable aviation fuel. [15]

Current and projected plants using Enerkem technology

Demonstration plant

Plant under construction

Planned plants

Decommissioned plant

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Biofuel</span> Type of biological fuel

Biofuel is a fuel that is produced over a short time span from biomass, rather than by the very slow natural processes involved in the formation of fossil fuels such as oil. Biofuel can be produced from plants or from agricultural, domestic or industrial biowaste. Biofuels are mostly used for transportation, but can also be used for heating and electricity. Biofuels are regarded as a renewable energy source. The use of biofuel has been subject to criticism regarding the "food vs fuel" debate, varied assessments of their sustainability, and possible deforestation and biodiversity loss as a result of biofuel production.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gasification</span> Form of energy conversion

Gasification is a process that converts biomass- or fossil fuel-based carbonaceous materials into gases, including as the largest fractions: nitrogen (N2), carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen (H2), and carbon dioxide (CO2). This is achieved by reacting the feedstock material at high temperatures (typically >700 °C), without combustion, via controlling the amount of oxygen and/or steam present in the reaction. The resulting gas mixture is called syngas (from synthesis gas) or producer gas and is itself a fuel due to the flammability of the H2 and CO of which the gas is largely composed. Power can be derived from the subsequent combustion of the resultant gas, and is considered to be a source of renewable energy if the gasified compounds were obtained from biomass feedstock.

Methanol fuel is an alternative biofuel for internal combustion and other engines, either in combination with gasoline or independently. Methanol (CH3OH) is less expensive to sustainably produce than ethanol fuel, although it is more toxic than ethanol and has a lower energy density than gasoline. Methanol is safer for the environment than gasoline, is an anti-freeze agent, prevents dirt and grime buildup within the engine, has a higher ignition temperature, and produces horsepower equivalent to that of super high-octane gasoline. It can readily be used in most modern engines. To prevent vapor lock due to being a simple, pure fuel, a small percentage of other fuel or certain additives can be included. Methanol may be made from fossil fuels or renewable resources, in particular natural gas and coal, or biomass respectively. In the case of the latter, it can be synthesized from CO2 (carbon dioxide) and hydrogen. The vast majority of methanol produced globally is currently made with gas and coal. However, projects, investments, and the production of green-methanol has risen steadily into 2023. Methanol fuel is currently used by racing cars in many countries and has seen increasing adoption by the maritime industry.

Cellulosic ethanol is ethanol produced from cellulose rather than from the plant's seeds or fruit. It can be produced from grasses, wood, algae, or other plants. It is generally discussed for use as a biofuel. The carbon dioxide that plants absorb as they grow offsets some of the carbon dioxide emitted when ethanol made from them is burned, so cellulosic ethanol fuel has the potential to have a lower carbon footprint than fossil fuels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Biorefinery</span> Refinery that converts biomass to energy and other beneficial byproducts

A biorefinery is a refinery that converts biomass to energy and other beneficial byproducts. The International Energy Agency Bioenergy Task 42 defined biorefining as "the sustainable processing of biomass into a spectrum of bio-based products and bioenergy ". As refineries, biorefineries can provide multiple chemicals by fractioning an initial raw material (biomass) into multiple intermediates that can be further converted into value-added products. Each refining phase is also referred to as a "cascading phase". The use of biomass as feedstock can provide a benefit by reducing the impacts on the environment, as lower pollutants emissions and reduction in the emissions of hazard products. In addition, biorefineries are intended to achieve the following goals:

  1. Supply the current fuels and chemical building blocks
  2. Supply new building blocks for the production of novel materials with disruptive characteristics
  3. Creation of new jobs, including rural areas
  4. Valorization of waste
  5. Achieve the ultimate goal of reducing GHG emissions
<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bioenergy</span> Renewable energy made from biomass

Bioenergy is a type of renewable energy that is derived from plants and animal waste. The biomass that is used as input materials consists of recently living organisms, mainly plants. Thus, fossil fuels are not regarded as biomass under this definition. Types of biomass commonly used for bioenergy include wood, food crops such as corn, energy crops and waste from forests, yards, or farms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Methanol economy</span>

The methanol economy is a suggested future economy in which methanol and dimethyl ether replace fossil fuels as a means of energy storage, ground transportation fuel, and raw material for synthetic hydrocarbons and their products. It offers an alternative to the proposed hydrogen economy or ethanol economy, although these concepts are not exclusive. Methanol can be produced from a variety of sources including fossil fuels as well as agricultural products and municipal waste, wood and varied biomass. It can also be made from chemical recycling of carbon dioxide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Biomass to liquid</span>

Biomass to liquid is a multi-step process of producing synthetic hydrocarbon fuels made from biomass via a thermochemical route.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alcohol fuel</span> Alcohols used as fuel for internal combustion engines

Various alcohols are used as fuel for internal combustion engines. The first four aliphatic alcohols are of interest as fuels because they can be synthesized chemically or biologically, and they have characteristics which allow them to be used in internal combustion engines. The general chemical formula for alcohol fuel is CnH2n+1OH.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waste-to-energy</span> Process of generating energy from the primary treatment of waste

Waste-to-energy (WtE) or energy-from-waste (EfW) is the process of generating energy in the form of electricity and/or heat from the primary treatment of waste, or the processing of waste into a fuel source. WtE is a form of energy recovery. Most WtE processes generate electricity and/or heat directly through combustion, or produce a combustible fuel commodity, such as methane, methanol, ethanol or synthetic fuels, often derived from the product syngas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bioconversion of biomass to mixed alcohol fuels</span>

The bioconversion of biomass to mixed alcohol fuels can be accomplished using the MixAlco process. Through bioconversion of biomass to a mixed alcohol fuel, more energy from the biomass will end up as liquid fuels than in converting biomass to ethanol by yeast fermentation.

The United States produces mainly biodiesel and ethanol fuel, which uses corn as the main feedstock. The US is the world's largest producer of ethanol, having produced nearly 16 billion gallons in 2017 alone. The United States, together with Brazil accounted for 85 percent of all ethanol production, with total world production of 27.05 billion gallons. Biodiesel is commercially available in most oilseed-producing states. As of 2005, it was somewhat more expensive than fossil diesel, though it is still commonly produced in relatively small quantities, in comparison to petroleum products and ethanol fuel.

Renewable Fuels are fuels produced from renewable resources. Examples include: biofuels, Hydrogen fuel, and fully synthetic fuel produced from ambient carbon dioxide and water. This is in contrast to non-renewable fuels such as natural gas, LPG (propane), petroleum and other fossil fuels and nuclear energy. Renewable fuels can include fuels that are synthesized from renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar. Renewable fuels have gained in popularity due to their sustainability, low contributions to the carbon cycle, and in some cases lower amounts of greenhouse gases. The geo-political ramifications of these fuels are also of interest, particularly to industrialized economies which desire independence from Middle Eastern oil.

Biofuel is fuel that is produced from organic matter (biomass), including plant materials and animal waste. It is considered a renewable source of energy that can assist in reducing carbon emissions. The two main types of biofuel currently being produced in Australia are biodiesel and bioethanol, used as replacements for diesel and petrol (gasoline) respectively. As of 2017 Australia is a relatively small producer of biofuels, accounting for 0.2% of world bioethanol production and 0.1% of world biodiesel production.

Second-generation biofuels, also known as advanced biofuels, are fuels that can be manufactured from various types of non-food biomass. Biomass in this context means plant materials and animal waste used especially as a source of fuel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Algae fuel</span> Use of algae as a source of energy-rich oils

Algae fuel, algal biofuel, or algal oil is an alternative to liquid fossil fuels that uses algae as its source of energy-rich oils. Also, algae fuels are an alternative to commonly known biofuel sources, such as corn and sugarcane. When made from seaweed (macroalgae) it can be known as seaweed fuel or seaweed oil.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Biofuels by region</span> Use of biofuel as energy source across the world

The use of biofuels varies by region. The world leaders in biofuel development and use are Brazil, United States, France, Sweden and Germany.

Carbon-neutral fuel is fuel which produces no net-greenhouse gas emissions or carbon footprint. In practice, this usually means fuels that are made using carbon dioxide (CO2) as a feedstock. Proposed carbon-neutral fuels can broadly be grouped into synthetic fuels, which are made by chemically hydrogenating carbon dioxide, and biofuels, which are produced using natural CO2-consuming processes like photosynthesis.

Cellulosic sugars are derived from non-food biomass (e.g. wood, agricultural residues, municipal solid waste). The biomass is primarily composed of carbohydrate polymers cellulose, hemicellulose, and an aromatic polymer (lignin). The hemicellulose is a polymer of mainly five-carbon sugars C5H10O5 (xylose). and the cellulose is a polymer of six-carbon sugar C6H12O6 (glucose). Cellulose fibers are considered to be a plant’s structural building blocks and are tightly bound to lignin, but the biomass can be deconstructed using Acid hydrolysis, enzymatic hydrolysis, organosolv dissolution, autohydrolysis or supercritical hydrolysis. A more recent mechanical method offers hope that at last, a more economic and waste free method has been found although it is still to scale and is not yet commercial.

References

  1. "About | Turning Waste into Biofuels & Renewable Chemicals". Enerkem. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
  2. "Leadership Team". Enerkem. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
  3. 1 2 "Our Story | Clean Technology Success Story". Enerkem. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
  4. "Enerkem syngas-to-ethanol plant begins start-up | Biomassmagazine.com". biomassmagazine.com. January 14, 2009. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
  5. "Enerkem to Squeeze Biofuel Out of Old Electricity Poles". gigaom.com. January 13, 2009.
  6. "Enerkem Commercial-Scale Biomass and Waste to Biofuels and Biochemicals Plant Entering Start-up Phase". Green Car Congress. January 14, 2009. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
  7. "Enerkem announces first commercial-scale biofuels and biochemicals plant is entering start-up phase". Enerkem. January 12, 2009. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
  8. "Enerkem launches world's first, game-changing full-scale waste-to-biofuels and chemicals facility". Enerkem. June 4, 2014. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
  9. "Enerkem: Alberta's municipal waste to fuels juggernaut, in pictures : Biofuels Digest". 2014-10-22. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
  10. "Enerkem's facility in Edmonton becomes the first ISCC certified plant in the world to convert municipal solid waste into biomethanol". Enerkem. August 24, 2016. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
  11. "Enerkem, Shell Launch Waste-to-Chemicals Plant in Rotterdam". The Energy Mix. March 11, 2019. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
  12. "Appointment of Dominique Boies as CEO of Enerkem". Enerkem. July 12, 2019. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
  13. "CAD$875 million biofuel plant in Varennes, Québec - Enerkem proposed partnership with Shell, Suncor and Proman with the leadership of the Québec government and support from the Canadian government". Enerkem. December 8, 2020. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
  14. "Repsol to join Enerkem and Agbar to build a waste to chemicals plant in Tarragona". Enerkem. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
  15. "Enerkem achieves a major breakthrough by producing sustainable aviation fuel from local forest biomass". Enerkem. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
  16. "Enerkem begins ethanol production from waste at its demo facility in Westbury, Québec". Green Car Congress. June 8, 2012. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
  17. "Proman - A global leader in natural gas derived products". Proman. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
  18. "Projects: Varennes, Quebec, Canada". Enerkem. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
  19. 1 2 3 4 "Facilities & Projects | Clean Technology Around the World". Enerkem. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
  20. "Enerkem to Retire its Edmonton Biofuels Facility". Enerkem. 2024-01-30.
  21. "Projects: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada". Enerkem. Retrieved 2024-05-01.