AGRICULTURAL WASTE UPCYCLING INNOVATION WINS GREEN PURSUIT COMPETITION A Canadian start-up turning agricultural and food waste into com-postable fibres has been named the winner of The Green Pursuit, a national sustainability and innovation challenge powered by Dairy Farmers of Canada and Bioenterprise, Canada’s Food & Agri-Tech Engine. The winner, Aruna Revolution of Nova Scotia, will receive the $45,000 grand prize for its unique approach to reducing some of Canada’s 35.5 million tonnes of food loss and waste. The com -pany uses parts of plants that humans cannot digest to make 100 per cent biodegradable, compostable, plastic-free menstrual pads. The company’s proprietary “farm to fibre” process means a wide range of farm fibre by-products can be upcycled into sanitary pads, giving farmers new market opportunities for by-products that are often left on fields and women access to environmentally friendly, sustainable period products. MONITORING BURNER SKIN TEMPERATURE KEY TO PREDICTING REFRACTORY FAILURE Shaw Renewables has created a monitoring system and process to improve the reliability of burner refractory which is critical for energy efficiency and performance, as well as for the safety and integrity of the burner. A refractory breakdown can lead to un-planned shutdowns, repairs, downtime, and hot spots or deterio-ration of the external steel shell. The company has implemented this innovative approach at its Belledune, New Brunswick and Hardwood Lands, Nova Scotia plants. Michel Boudreau, production, operation and mainte-nance manager, presented this project during WPAC’s monthly safety committee meeting. COMPANY SCRAPS PLAN FOR BIOMASS FUEL PLANT IN KENSINGTON, P.E.I. Kensington laments the loss of a $150 million woodchips-to-re -newable diesel plant project by SustainAgro. The company in -tended to process 40,000 tonnes of wood chips annually, creat-ing renewable diesel fuel and marketable byproducts. Despite initial plans to employ 30 people, the project faced environ -mental approval delays, leading SustainAgro to shift focus to Thunder Bay, Ont. Kensington council is frustrated by unspecified warnings from provincial officials against dealing with SustainAgro, with reasons yet to be disclosed. SustainAgro CEO Joey O’Brian highlights swift progress in Northern Ontario com-pared to a year-long struggle in P.E.I. FOREST ENHANCEMENT SOCIETY OF BC ACCOMPLISHMENTS UPDATE The Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) Accomplish -ments Update provides an insightful overview of the forest en -hancement work accomplished in the past year. At the Truck Log -ger’s Association convention in January of 2023, premier David Eby announced that FESBC would be entrusted with administer -ing $50 million for forest enhancement projects, focusing on waste wood utilization and wildfire risk reduction. In response to the premier’s announcement, FESBC quickly rolled out a funding intake for First Nations, community forests, companies, and communities throughout the province. Project ap -provals commenced soon after that. Now, just one year after the initial announcement, FESBC is excited to report the cumulative approvals of 66 projects valued at $47.9 million, with work on those projects actively underway. FESBC is particularly proud that 39 of these projects are led by or involve First Nations, reflecting the collaboration and the importance of First Nations involvement at the core of FESBC’s initiatives. “The Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) supports First Nations, community forests, rural communities, and many others who take on projects to help strengthen forest health and ecosystems while creating good jobs in communities across the province,” said Minister of Forests, Bruce Ralston. “As we look ahead to a new year, it’s vital we build on the lessons learned in 2023, specifically following the worst wildfire season in our prov -ince’s history. With the help of the 66 projects funded in 2023, B.C. is taking necessary steps in battling climate change and be -coming more resilient in the face of worsening wildfire seasons. Thank you to the entire team at FESBC for a job well done.” WINTER 2024 6 Canadian BIOMASS
Canadian Biomass Winter 2024: Page 6
