FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 3, 2016 – St. Marys, ON ─ The Government of Canada is supporting clean energy research, development and technology demonstration at all stages of the innovation spectrum, from high-risk, early stage research that can deliver transformative energy solutions, to later stage technology demonstrations to help speed the commercialization and adoption of cleaner energy technologies.
Canada’s first algal biorefinery demonstration project, a collaborative research effort between the National Research Council of Canada’s (NRC) Algal Carbon Conversion (ACC) program, Pond Technologies and Votorantim Cimentos’ St Marys Cement, is revolutionizing how industrial carbon emissions are managed.
The project uses a 25,000 L photobioreactor within a pilot scale algal biorefinery to recycle carbon dioxide and other airborne industrial pollutants into algal biomass that can be further converted into sustainable products, including renewable biofuels and biomaterials. The process being deployed by NRC experts and its partners is designed to rapidly recycle carbon dioxide (CO2) and other airborne industrial emissions into biomass through photosynthesis.
As part of Canada’s commitment to the 21st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21), the Government of Canada joined a global effort to accelerate clean energy innovation, Mission Innovation, in November 2015 and committed to double funding for clean energy and clean technology research and development by 2020.
These collaborative efforts are to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through biological conversion into algal biomass, renewable biofuels, and other value-added bio-products. As the world transitions to a low-carbon economy, strategic investments in clean energy and emission-reducing research and development will play an increasingly important role in supporting Canada’s economic growth, in meeting our climate change objectives, while protecting the environment.
Quotes
“With the assistance of NRC’s Algal Carbon Conversion program, this technology’s tremendous potential will be unleashed in real-world applications to benefit our environment and our economy.”
Dr. Roman Szumski, Vice President, Life Sciences, National Research Council of Canada
“Pond has developed a universal Algae platform that enables the production of revenue
generating algae products. We are pleased to collaborate with NRC to deploy our
technology.”
Steven Martin, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Scientist, Pond Technologies
“For St Marys Cement and our parent company, Votorantim Cimentos, this collaboration with
Pond Technologies and the National Research Council of Canada advances our goals of
product innovation and sustainable development, while strengthening our position as a leader
in the building materials sector.”
Filiberto Ruiz, President and CEO, Votorantim Cimentos, North America
Related Products
– Backgrounder – Algal Carbon Conversion Demonstration project
Additional Links
– Algal Carbon Conversion Program
– Pond Technologies
– St Marys Cement
Contacts
Media Relations Team
National Research Council of Canada
613-991-1431
1-855-282-1637 (24/7)
media@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca
Twitter: @NRC_CNRC
