PORT-CARTIER, QUE. — The federal government has announced $10.5 million in funding for a new Quebec plant that will process wood byproducts into biochar products that sequester carbon.
The project is being undertaken by Carbonity, a joint venture between Airex Energie, SUEZ and Groupe Remabec. The plant will be built in Port-Cartier, Que.
Biochar is a carbon-rich material made up of organic residues such as plants and wood that can, among other things, be used as a soil amendment, explained a release.
Biochar can also accelerate the replacement of metallurgical coal, an essential ingredient in the production of steel, and decrease carbon emitted by smelting operations.
Besides providing industrial decarbonization and carbon sequestration, the project will add value to underutilized, low-grade wood residuals and forest waste, including insect-infested wood.
The first phase of the plant will be finalized in 2024, with an initial production capacity of 10,000 tonnes per year. By 202, annual production capacity will triple, making it the largest biochar plant in North America.
This is the first project resulting from the partnership between SUEZ and Airex Energy.
A contribution of $7.5 million came from Natural Resources Canada and there is also a $3-million repayable contribution from the Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions.
“I would like to thank the federal government for its support in this project, which positions Canada at the forefront of the biochar market, a high-potential decarbonization solution,” stated Airex Energy CEO Michel Gagnon in a statement.