Biofuel flight test reveals reduced emissions Results from the world’s first flight powered by 100% biofuel that met petroleum fuel specifications without blending revealed a 50% reduction in emissions and reduced fuel consumption. The results, released by the National Research Council of Canada (NRC), show that Readi- Jet, produced by ARA and Chevron Lummus Global from Agrisoma’s Resonance feedstock and in partnership with the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), reduced emissions and provided better fuel efficiency than petroleum aviation fuel. NRC flew the first civil jet powered by 100% unblended biofuel on Oct. 29, 2012, achieving a milestone for the aviation industry. The Falcon 20 flew with both engines on ARA/CLG’s ReadiJet biofuel at 30,000 feet, similar to regular commercial aircraft altitude. A second aircraft, the T-33, tailed the Falcon in flight and collected emissions data. Information collected in-flight and analyzed by a team of National Research Council experts revealed a 50% reduction in aerosol emissions when using ReadiJet biofuel compared to conventional fuel. Additional tests from the static engine show a significant reduction in particles (up to 25%) and in black carbon emissions (up to 49%) compared to conventional fuel. These tests also show comparable engine performance, but an improvement of 1.5% in specific fuel consumption during the steady state operations. The jet’s engines required no modification as the biofuel tested in-flight meets the specification test property limits of petroleum-based fuels. Petroleum will also contribute to a cleaner environment with significantly lower aerosol, particle, and black carbon emissions. Ottawa waste cOnversiOn plant tO be built Plasco Energy Group Inc. announced that it will build a 150,000 tonnes per year waste conversion facility in Ottawa. The facility will be built to the Plasco Conversion System (PCS) design and will incorporate three proprietary Integrated Converting and Refining System (ICARS) modules. Effective throughput of the facility will be 130,000 tonnes per year. Under the contract announced by Ottawa, the City will supply 109,500 tonnes per year of Ottawa’s municipal solid waste and has a right of first refusal to supply the balance of plant capacity.The first 20 years are firm, with four five-year extensions at the option of the City. Construction is expected to commence in the second half of 2013 and commercial operation is planned for the first half of 2015. The City has leased to Plasco for nominal cost the site for the facility and will pay a tipping fee of $83.25 for each tonne processed, escalating annually at the rate of increase in the Consumer Price Index. Ottawa makes no other financial contribution and will have no other risk or obligation. The City estimates that the deal will extend the life of Ottawa’s existing landfill by at least 28 years, saving the City approximately $250 million in future landfill capital costs. Read Scott Jamieson’s take on the conversion project in our Final Thoughts colunm on page 30. In Brief... HALIFAX, NS Emera Inc. announced an agreement with the government of Nova Scotia to acquire Brooklyn Energy, a biomass electrical co-generation facility, for $25 million. Brooklyn Energy is a 30 MW nameplate facility that produces 173,000 MW hours a year. The plant has a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) with Nova Scotia Power. The province has agreed to work with Crown Forest licensees on fibre supply and to provide a supply of wood fibre from Crown lands should it be required. HAY RIVER, NWT Brad Mapes, a local businessman, has finally received territorial government approval to embark on a wood pellet mill project. Located on a 130- acre patch of land four kilometres north of Enterprise, the mill should be completed by next summer, with plans to start selling pellets by 2014.Roughly 50% of the product will be exported south to Alberta and other regions, with some potential options overseas. Mapes says the plant would start producing 60,000 cubic tonnes a year, increasing to 100,000 cubic tonnes in three to four years. GATINEAU, QC The federal government is proposing an amendment to the Renewable Fuels Regulations that would see a permanent national exemption from the 2% renewable content requirement in home heating oil, as well as a six month extension to the exemption from the 2% renewable content requirement for diesel fuel for Canada’s Maritime Provinces. The Renewable Fuels Regulations, first published in September 2010, also require an average of 5% renewable content in gasoline.The permanent exemption for Newfoundland and Labrador from the requirement for 2% renewable content in diesel remains unchanged.