Edmonton facility is claimed to be the first commercial-scale plant that produces cellulosic ethanol made from non-recyclable and non-compostable mixed municipal solid waste.
Since 2016, the company has been producing and marketing biomethanol prior to extending production to cellulosic ethanol.
Earlier this year, the company installed methanol-to-ethanol conversion unit for the production of cellulosic ethanol.
As per the International Renewable Energy Agency, the growing global market for biofuels is expected to reach 124 billion liters per year by 2030.
Advanced biofuels such as cellulosic ethanol are produced from non-food sources such as residual forest biomass, agriculture waste, energy crops or urban waste.
Through using advanced and breakthrough technologies, the low-carbon liquid transportation fuels are produced from non-conventional feedstock sources
In addition, these transportation fuels are expected to replace a portion of gasoline, playing a key role in the transition towards sustainable mobility.
Enerkem president and CEO Vincent Chornet said: "The commercial production of cellulosic ethanol at our facility in Edmonton marks a landmark moment for our company as well as our customers in the waste management and petrochemical sectors, and confirms our leadership in the advanced biofuels market.”
“We will now progressively increase production in Edmonton, while preparing to build the next Enerkem facilities locally and around the world.
Enerkem, which produces biofuels and renewable chemicals from waste, uses its technology to convert non-recyclable and non-compostable municipal solid waste into methanol, ethanol and other chemical intermediates.
Image: Enerkem's Edmonton biofuels facility produces cellulosic ethanol. Photo: courtesy of CNW Group / Enerkem Inc.
