NEW WASTE-TO-RENEWABLE ENERGY PROCESSING FACILITY ANNOUNCED IN QUEBEC A new waste-to-renewable energy processing facility has been announced in Quebec that will utilize advanced anaerobic diges-tion and in-vessel composting technology to convert up to 35,000 tonnes of organic waste annually into renewable energy (biogas) and nutrient-rich fertilizer and compost. The announcement was made by the Convertus Group (Conver-tus), which, along with Énergère, a leading energy services com-pany in Quebec, plans to design, build, finance, and operate a cutting-edge organic waste processing facility in Saint-Étienne-des-Grès, Que., under a 20-year operating contract. “We are excited to contribute to the sustainability goals of Mauricie Region’s communities by providing an innovative or-ganic waste management solution,” said Michael Leopold, CEO of Convertus Group. “Our full-service approach to designing, constructing and operating new organic waste processing facili-ties across North America ensures maximum resource recovery while minimizing environmental impact.” The new facility is scheduled to receive its first waste in 2026, and will “address the increasing environmental challenges associ-ated with organic waste disposal in Mauricie Region,” according Image: Convertus. to a Convertus press release. The company intends to supply the biogas to Enercycle’s onsite gas upgrader where it will be further processed and compressed into RNG. “We expect 48,900 (GJ/yr) of biogas, which will be deliv-ered to the existing Enercycle gas upgrading system and will be upgraded to RNG for grid injection,” said Ann-Marie Cooper, human resources and communications manager for Convertus. Construction will begin in spring 2025 and commissioning is expected to take place in mid-2026. The company stated that the GHG emissions that could be reduced through the use of this tech-nology range from 1,500 to 2,500 tCO2/yr. “Each step in reducing greenhouse gases is a victory for our planet,” stated Mario Geoffrey, director of biomethanization at Énergère. YATSUSHIRO BIOMASS POWER PLANT STARTS UP OPERATIONS IN JAPAN Toyota Tsusho Corpo-ration (Toyota Tsusho) recently announced that Kumamoto Forest Gen-eration, jointly invested by Toyota Tsusho Group company Ene-Vision Co., Ltd., Chubu Elec-tric Power Co., Inc., and Toho Gas Co., Ltd., completed construction on the Yatsushiro Biomass Power Plant with commercial operations starting up on June 16, 2024. The 75,000-kW power plant is fuelled by wood pellets and wood chips (mainly unused wood from Kumamoto Prefecture), and is expected to generate approximately 480 million kWh annual-ly. Construction on the power plant began on April 18, 2022. “Through the operation of the power plant, Kumamoto Forest Generation will continue to promote initiatives toward carbon neutrality and contribute to the realization of a sustainable, re-cycling-based society,” the company stated in a press release. CHAR TECH ANNOUNCES PRODUCTION MILESTONE AT THOROLD FACILITY CHAR Technologies (CHAR Tech) has announced the “imminent commencement” of a production of 500 tonnes of pelletized biocarbon, which will be shipped to a variety of heavy industrial facilities, including Arcelor-Mittal sites to fulfill a portion of the company’s previously announced biocarbon offtake agreement. The company stated that this is an important produc-tion milestone in the ongoing commercial upgrades at CHAR Tech’s Thorold facility in Thorold, Ont. “Pelletization of biocarbon is a critical step in meeting the specifications, including physical properties, of met coal to allow for direct drop in-replacement,” stated Andrew White, CEO of CHAR Tech. “It can also be a tricky step with a number of dif -ferent operational factors at play to be able to create a pelletized material that can be used in heavy industrial applications, and that can withstand handling, transportation and weather.” 6 Canadian BIOMASS SUMMER 2024
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