CHAR Technologies’ Saint-Félicien biomass project receives $2.8M government boost

CHAR Technologies Ltd. announced that the City of Saint-Félicien, Que., has received $2.8 million in government funding to support their waste heat recovery system from the forest biomass co-generation plant in Saint-Félicien.

The waste-heat recovery system is an important first step in a larger staged approach towards CHAR’s previously announced and proposed build, own, operate (BOO) proprietary high temperature pyrolysis (HTP) system. The project would produce both biocarbon and green hydrogen to renewable natural gas (RNG) in Saint-Félicien.

“We are excited to see this major milestone, which is a key step in support towards the planned infrastructure needed to bring our facility to fruition,” said CHAR Technologies chief executive officer, Andrew White. “Once implemented, our BOO HTP facility will produce green hydrogen to RNG and biocarbon, both of which aide in the decarbonization of heavy industry. We want to congratulate Luc Gibbons, the Mayor of Saint-Félicien, Yanick Baillargeon, the Préfet of MRC Domaine-du-Roy, Nancy Guillemette, the Deputy of Roberval (CAQ), the Société de Cogénération de Saint-Félicien and everyone from their respective groups, for their hard work and commitment to advancing this project.”

The funding will be used to capture and distribute waste heat from the cogeneration plant in Saint-Félicien. The waste heat network will be used by the Centre de Valorisation de Biomass (CVB) to dry and process biomass, which will be the feedstock supply for CHAR’s proposed HTP project. With the kick-off of the waste heat recovery system, the MRC Domaine-du-Roy can progress towards the CVB, with the CVB’s sequential approval being the next step to allow for the implementation of the CHAR facility.

The Government of Canada is contributing $1.5 million under the Green Infrastructure Component of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. The province of Québec is contribution $1.3 million through the Electrification and Climate Change Fund while the municipality of Saint-Félicien is responsible for an additional $1 million in funding for their project.