Projects

Creating New Opportunities for Ontario's Forest Dependent Communities

The initial project being supported by CRIBE’s $25 million investment fund was announced on Friday, April 15, 2011. Five other projects have been approved by CRIBE’s Investment Committee and will be announced shortly.

PROJECT #1

Retrofit an Existing Facility to Convert Carbon-based Matter into Synthetic Gas

Partner: Elementa Group
Funding Commitment: $923,261
Project Location: Sault Ste. Marie, ON
Start Date: 2011
Objective: Use the Elementa Process’s closed-loop system to convert forest biomass into a high-quality synthetic gas (syngas) with properties and utility values similar to that of natural gas.

Key Opportunities

• Use of Elementa Group’s existing research and development pilot plant
• Convert the plant - which currently uses municipal solid waste plant - to also use forest biomass as a raw material (feed stock)
• Demonstrate the viability of forest residue as a renewable highly efficient energy source
• Use of syngas as a natural gas replacement or converted into electricity, heat and steam, hydrogen and energetic liquids
• Support emerging technologies for waste reduction and clean energy
• Begin to utilize the 1 million tonnes of forest residue in the 200 kilometres surrounding Sault Ste. Marie
• Augment 20 full time industry positions with 56 direct jobs

“Elementa is on the forefront of green power generation. With CRIBE’s funding, we can retrofit an existing facility to support efforts to reduce greenhouse gases and commercialize alternative energy production.”

Ernie Dueck
Chief Technology Officer
Elementa Group