The Alberta government announced funding for 31 bioenergy companies Feb. 9 totalling $60 million.
The grants are part of a plan for a lower carbon future in the province that will reduce emissions and diversify the energy sector, said Environment and Parks Minister Shannon Phillips.
Several agriculturally related ventures are the beneficiaries of the 18-month grants. Among them are Permolex Ltd. of Red Deer, which produces ethanol from wheat, ADM Agri-Industries Co. in Lloydminster, which produces biodiesel from canola, and Invigor Bioenergy Corp. in Lethbridge that produces biodiesel from biological waste.
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The three businesses received $4.8 million, $4.8 million and $1.1 million respectively.
Electricity producers Lethbridge Biogas and Grow the Energy Circle Ltd. of Chin, Alta., both of which use biological wastes as feedstock, received $1.8 million and $465,000 respectively.
Most of the other recipients produce electricity or heat from wood products. Four of them produce wood pellets for use as fuel.
Grant amounts were based on the amount of bioenergy produced by the recipients.
The government defines bioenergy as “low-carbon energy or fuel made from agricultural products such as crops and livestock waste,” as well as from forest products. It said in a news release that bioenergy producers contribute about $800 million annually to the provincial economy. The grants are expected to keep 1.5 megatonnes of emissions out of the air.
The $60 million comes from revenue generated from the carbon tax implemented Jan. 1.
