BIOMASS update PINNACLE, TOLKO PARTNER TO BUILD NORTHERN ALBERTA INDUSTRIAL PELLET PLANT Pinnacle Renewable Ener-gy and Tolko Industries are partnering to build a new industrial wood pellet plant in High Level, Alta. The limited partnership agreement, announced in ear-ly July, will see each company own a 50 per cent share of the new $54-million plant, North-ern Pellet Limited Partnership. The plant will source high-quality wood fibre from Tolko’s existing sawmill in High Level, producing up to 200,000 tonnes of pellets annually. The facility will be built on Tolko land, with con-struction to begin shortly. “We look forward to ex-panding our business relation-ship with Tolko, growing our production platform in Alber-ta and further diversifying our regional fibre supply,” Pin-nacle CEO Robert McCurdy said. “We have established a strong working relationship with Tolko through the con-struction and operation of our jointly-owned Lavington, B.C. production facility, which was completed safely, on-time and on-budget. Our partnership with Tolko offers Pinnacle the ability to diversify the busi-ness further and position the company well to implement our growth strategies.” Pinnacle will operate and manage the facility, while Tolko will supply heat energy and fibre to the facility under long-term supply agreements. “We’re excited to once again partner with Pinna-Photo courtesy Pinnacle Renewable Energy. cle Renewable Energy on a project that promises to bring economic, environmental, and employment benefits to both companies and the community of High Level,” Tolko president and CEO Brad Thorlakson said. “When commissioned, Northern Pellet Limited will reduce our carbon footprint, secure and increase full-time permanent employment opportunities in the area, and allow us to use all our bark, shavings, and sawdust to produce pellets for growing markets. We look forward to working with Pin-nacle on the project and to a successful, on-time, on-bud-get completion, with start-up in 2020.” The first wood pellets are expected in late 2020. Enerkem announces passing of co-founder Vincent Chornet Enerkem has announced the death of its co-founder and executive chairman Vincent Chornet at 45 following a prolonged illness. In a media statement, the company said: “Faithful to himself, he fought this terrible disease with the pas-sion and determination that we know him for. He has been active even in the last moments, exchanging emails last week with different members of his team. In recent months, he has continued to chair Enerkem’s Board of Di-rectors, with the best interests of the company at heart.” The company credited Chornet’s entrepreneurial spirit for making Enerkem a global leader in biofuels and re-newable chemicals. “Vincent has guided our company from the founding to the commercialization of our patented technology. Today, we are setting a new standard for smart waste management and the production of biofuels and renew-able chemicals, in large part thanks to him. His legacy is immense, and we now have the responsibility to continue his work and to realize his most ambitious dreams for the company,” the company stated. Before his Enerkem days, Chornet was involved in a number of projects and start-up companies in the energy production and fine chemicals sectors, including Bioxalis Medica, Fractal Systems and Kemestrie. “The whole Enerkem family now shares a deep sense of loss. Vincent has always been a source of inspiration for all those who have crossed his path. His memory will always be part of Enerkem’s DNA,” the company stated. SUMMER 2019 6 Canadian BIOMASS
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