NEPTUNE BIOINNOVATION CENTRE OPENS IN NOVA SCOTIA The Province of Nova Scotia recently celebrated the opening of the Neptune BioInnovation Centre in Dartmouth, N.S. The province is hoping that the bioinnovation centre will be -come a world leader in biofermentation and be a key factor in growing Nova Scotia’s bioindustrial sector. The province stated that it hopes the Neptune BioInnovation Centre will help Nova Scotia compete globally, strengthen domestic supply chains, and foster biotechnology advancements across critical sectors, includ-ing life sciences, pharmaceuticals, forestry and agriculture. “The Neptune BioInnovation Centre is not just changing the game for bioinnovation in Nova Scotia, it is creating a whole new one,” said Colton LeBlanc, Minister of Growth and Development. “This investment will attract the best and brightest minds and companies in this sector to Nova Scotia. Their groundbreaking work will commercialize clean technologies for a more sustain -able and prosperous future.” The multi-user facility is the first of its kind in Canada and cur -rently one of three facilities worldwide. The province estimates that the centre will generate more than 2,400 jobs; $175 million in salaries; $74 million in tax revenue; and contribute $334 million annually to Nova Scotia’s annual GDP. “This Neptune asset and planned expansion are a game-chang -er for the N.S. and Canadian biomanufacturing sector, building the largest capacity in Canada. This will ensure companies scale and build commercial plants here, generating a critical domestic green supply chain for Canadian manufacturers to compete here One section of the new biofermentation system at the Neptune BioInnvoation Centre in Dartmouth. Photo: Government of Nova Scotia. and in Europe,” stated Beth Mason, director of the Neptune Bio -Innovation Centre. The Province of Nova Scotia announced it is investing $5 million towards the transformation of the 4,738-square-metre (51,000 square feet) facility into state-of-the-art wet and dry labs that will offer com-mercial-scale precision fermentation and spray drying capacity. The Neptune BioInnovation Centre is an $18-million public-pri -vate partnership with funding committed by the Province of Nova Scotia, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), Next Gen -eration Manufacturing Canada (NGen), and cleantech firm Dispersa. For more information on the Neptune BioInnovation Centre, visit: https://neptunebio.ca/. SBP PUBLISHES ANNUAL REVIEW 2024 SBP recently published its Annual Review 2024 , capturing a year of growth, strategic progress, and continued delivery as the biomass certification scheme of choice. With 2024 marking the second year of its current three-year strategy, SBP has consolidated its position in a rapidly evolving sustainability landscape, while laying firm foundations for the years ahead. “2024 outcomes reflect a busy and productive year for SBP. We saw significant growth in certified biomass volumes and certificate holder numbers, but equally important we took proactive steps to define our contribution to global challenges, from carbon and climate to regulatory compliance and sustainability governance. With growth comes an increased responsibility to ensure that as-surance and oversight of compliance are rigorously maintained,” stated Carsten Huljus, CEO of SBP. Highlights from 2024 include: Record-high biomass volumes: 19.15 million tonnes of SBP-certified biomass produced and sold – a 28-per-cent year-on-year increase. Of that, 17.65 million tonnes were consumed in Europe, a 30-per-cent increase. Certificate holder growth: a 25-per-cent rise in certificate holders, ending the year at 340. Global expansion: SBP’s geographic reach grew to 35 coun -tries, with new market entrants including Australia, Chile, China, Colombia, Indonesia, Ireland, and Luxembourg. Market diversification: Continued expansion beyond pellets and chips to include biocarbon and biochar, with promising devel-opments in agricultural biomass certification. A major focus in 2024 was supporting the transition to SBP Standards v2.0, with comprehensive training, auditor support, and the rollout of updated Regional Risk Assessments. The revised Standards have now received positive recognition from both Of -gem (U.K.) and the Government of Japan. “Our revised standards are in force, and we are now fully fo-cused on their implementation,” said Huljus. “We’ve made great strides in ensuring a smooth transition for Certificate Holders and demonstrating the robustness of our scheme to regulators and stakeholders alike.” The SBP Annual Review 2024 is available to download at: https://sbp-cert.org/documents/annual-reviews/. • – Source: SBP. SPRING 2025 6 Canadian BIOMASS
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