Event Report CRFA summit recap The biofuel industry is looking for stability. By Amie Silverwood need stability. That was the overlying message at the Canadian Renewable Fuels Summit in Montreal in early December, a con-ference that was critical of recent regulatory changes in the industry. “We have seen significant uncertainty in the market in the United States [this year],” recalled Scott Thurlow, president of the Ca-nadian Renewable Fuels Association, at his opening address of the 2013 summit. “We have seen ridiculous ILUC proposals get seri-ous consideration from legislators in Europe.” Thurlow went on to stress that Canada is not isolated from the threats faced in neigh-bouring countries: “There is a hodgepodge of regulatory proposals flying around the coun-try – and whether it is the federal government or their provincial brethren – we need to en-sure that our fuels are part of the solution, and that our producers benefit from the CO2 reduction they facilitate.” Stability through consistent government policies is what the industry requires, accord-ing to several of the speakers. Len Bykowski, president of Mascoma Alberta, complained that Canadian policies aren’t aggressive enough. They need to include the biosector and have a long-term plan towards an energy mix that includes biofuels. “Be consistent” was his message to regu-lators. The industry must know where the We government will be over the long term so companies can make viable plans. The chang-ing messages and incentives the governments offer make it difficult to invest in new technol-ogies, he said. Bykowski said it’s the industry’s role to educate civil servants on the available tech-nology but the industry is being held back fighting the well-funded oil industry and its media attacks. He recommended the industry take a leadership role in Canada. “Carve our own pathway and get our own government aligned to move forward here.” The need to rebrand is another topic that was top of mind at the sessions. Daniel Oh, president and CEO of Renewable Energy Group, explained that the media is still preoc-cupied with the food versus fuel issue. He said the industry should clarify that it is not using food stocks and that global hunger is a dis-tribution issue, not a bioenergy issue. In fact, biodiesel can help stabilize the food supply by bringing more profit to farmers. “Biodiesel pays more for the leftover fats and oils from meat and meal pro-duction, which encourages farmers and ranchers to produce more,” said Oh. “We’ll always have veg oil going into biodiesel, that’s fine,” but inedible corn oil, animal fats and recycled oils are the primary feed-stocks of the industry. The food versus fuel argument never gained much weight in Canada. “There’s no better spotlight than truth,” said the CRFA’s Scott Thurlow to explain the issue’s lack of legs within our borders. Agricultural yields are going up so we’re able to make more food on the same land. Canadians are eating less meat so there is plenty of corn left over that isn’t required to feed livestock. Biofuel producers make more than just fuel as opportunities to diversify are explored. Gord Surgeoner of Ontario Agri-food Tech-nologies, describes waste as an opportunity waiting for a solution. If managed properly, the waste that comes from the production of ethanol supports food production as well. The waste CO2 is being used with great success in greenhouses to grow tomatoes. The corn is fractionized into corn oil, high-protein corn germ and even snacks that can bring in a much higher return than ethanol. “The key driver in food price is energy,” explained Malcolm West, CFO of GreenField Ethanol, returning to the concern that biofuel brings up the price of food. “Without our in-dustry, the agriculture industry would be in for a world of hurt.” West is looking for a shift in focus. “Corn yields are increasing and the use of corn for energy is not a bad thing.” Follow Canadian Biomass on Twitter for up-to-the-minute conference highlights. For more information, go to www.canadianbio-massmagazine.ca. • + 2ND INTERNATIONAL VDI CONFERENCE 2014 OFFICIAL PARTNERS Workshop: of biogas & Emissions plants biomethane 2014 March, 20, Germany Frankfurt, BIOMETHANE Grid Injection & Vehicle Fuel Renowned speakers will present their results on the following topics: • EU Legislation, cross border trading and economic aspects in Europe • Booming markets and developments in existing ones • New concepts for flexible plant operation and grid-injection • Biomethane as a vehicle fuel • Technological developments: Power-to-Gas and Gasification Date and venue: March, 18–19, 2014 Frankfurt, Germany Conference Chair: Dr. Mattias Svensson Program Manager Gaseous Fuels, Swedish Gas Technology Centre, Malmø, Sweden An event organized by VDI Wissensforum GmbH www.vdi-international.com/biomethane 28 Canadian BIOMASS January/February 2014
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