Sarnia-Lambton, Ont., issued BDO Zone ‘A’ rating for corn stover

The Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership, Bioindustrial Innovation Canada (BIC), and Ecostrat are pleased to announce the issue of an investment grade Bioeconomy Development Opportunity (BDO) Zone rating for corn stover for Sarnia-Lambton, Ont.

The Sarnia-Lambton BDO Zone is ‘A’, or high quality, based on reliable generation of biomass, lack of large-scale competition for feedstock, and access to larger supply basins at marginal transportation cost increases. The Sarnia-Lambton BDO Zone extends 140km-drive distance from Sarnia, and is rated for 190,000 oven-dried metric tons per year of corn stover.

The Sarnia-Lambton BDO Zone has achieved a significant milestone by receiving the first BDO rating for corn stover biomass; it is also the first rating in the province of Ontario. The ‘A’ rating highlights the importance of the Sarnia-Lambton BDO Zone and paves the way for future advancements and growth in utilizing corn stover for decarbonization, farm stability and job creation in the province.

Shauna Carr, economic development officer for the Chemistry, Energy, and Agriculture Sectors at the Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership, stated: “Sarnia-Lambton is the perfect blend of industry, agriculture, and a willing host community, making it an ideal environment to support the success of bio-manufacturing facilities. The region offers vast open spaces suitable for accommodating large facilities, as well as smaller plug-and-play ready sites, catering to companies at any stage of development. We prioritize collaborative development efforts, with a proven track record of working together to foster and support the success of new and emerging technologies.”

Meaghan Seagrave, executive director of BIC, stated: “Sarnia-Lambton’s rich industrial history, combined with its extensive agricultural assets, positions it as the perfect region for establishing industrial biorefining operations. The area’s strategic proximity to major centres, along with access to highly skilled talent and research assets, further solidifies its status as Canada’s largest hybrid-chemistry cluster.

Embracing the concept of hybrid-chemistry is crucial in developing solutions to address pressing global challenges such as climate change, peak oil, energy security, safe water, and the sustainable use and recovery of scarce natural resources and precious metals. The increasing global demand for environmentally friendly and safer products, compared to conventional alternatives, presents significant opportunities to create thousands of new jobs and drive immense economic growth in this region.

Having now achieved an ‘A’ rating, project developers worldwide now recognize what we have long known: that Sarnia-Lambton plays a central role in supporting the decarbonization efforts of industries not only in Canada but also across the globe.”

Jordan Solomon, chairman of the BDO Zone Initiative added: “We are excited about the issue of an ‘A’ rating for a substantial quantity of corn stover in Sarnia-Lambton County. An investment-grade BDO Zone rating for close to 200,000 tons of stover should function as a bullseye for a multitude of project development companies globally.

This milestone achievement cements the region’s leadership in the bio-based industry and helps set the stage for a prosperous and sustainable future by leveraging local biomass resources.”