Canada’s Ocean Supercluster announces CAD$65 million marine biofuel project

Canada’s Ocean Supercluster, a pan-Canadian industry-led group, announced its largest project to date, the CAD$65 million (USD$51.3 million) Clean Ocean Advanced Biofuels Project. In the project, Ontario-based Valent will work with a team to produce Canada’s first renewable diesel from abundantly available agricultural and forestry byproducts.

“This groundbreaking project will produce Canada’s first renewable diesel—positively impacting marine life while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions—and create more than 150 jobs,” said François-Philippe Champagne, minister of innovation, science and industry.

A major ocean-industry challenge is the need for a range of environmentally sustainable, low greenhouse gas (GHG) emission, and low-sulfur marine fuels available to end-users at a competitive cost that are compliant with current and future fuel regulations. The Clean Ocean Advanced Biofuels project will address these challenges by introducing a low-carbon biofuel across the marine ecosystem.

For the development of the Clean Ocean Advanced Biofuels Project, Valent Low Carbon Technologies will work with partners Forge Hydrocarbons, Mara Renewables, Clearwater, Katal Energy, Horizon Maritime, and Sustainable Development Technology Canada to produce fuel and solvents to be used in industry and a hydrocarbon material with improved nutritional value for human health products. With a total value of CAD$65 million, the Ocean Supercluster will provide nearly CAD$5.7 million (USD$4.5 million) with the balance coming from the project’s industry and government partners.

“The key to wide-spread adoption of renewable fuel in the marine sector is abundant renewable feedstock and a way to convert that feedstock into a fungible, low-carbon liquid fuel,” said Tim Haig, founder and CEO of Forge Hydrocarbons. “The funding from the Ocean Supercluster enables our consortium to shape the Canadian Maritimes into a global leader in low-carbon marine fuel production.”

The success of the Clean Ocean Advanced Biofuels Project will drive Canadian renewable diesel production and supply, reduce imports, and foster international market exports. The Clean Ocean Advanced Biofuels Project will also boost job creation across Canada creating more than 150 direct jobs.

“Our talented team will leverage the wonders of the ocean and Mara’s leading plant-focused biotechnology to ensure a greener and stronger future for all of Canada,” said Arturo Ania, CEO of Mara Renewables Corp.

The cumulative emission reductions from Valent’s suite of technologies will positively impact local marine life and air quality, supporting Canada’s transition to a more sustainable future.

“With over 50,000 merchant vessels circling the globe, we have a huge challenge to reduce transport emissions in the ocean economy,” said Karlis Vasarais, cofounder and executive vice president of Valent Low-Carbon Technologies. “The Ocean Supercluster’s financial support and its extensive network of collaborators fosters an accelerated and collaborative pathway to build the renewable fuels value chain for marine transport.”