Panorama
 
 
 
 
 

MAJOR STEP FORWARD FOR PROPOSED
WORLD LEADING ETHANOL REFINERY IN CANADA


Environmental Panorama
International
March of 2008


Vancouver, BC, March 14, 2008 - Canada's Environment Minister John Baird is pleased to announce that Iogen Corporation's application for funding for Canada's first commercial scale cellulosic ethanol production facility has progressed to the due diligence phase.

"This is a good day for Canadians and our environment," said Minister Baird. "Thanks to our Government's allocation of $500 million for next generation biofuels, Canada is one step closer to making our country's first full-scale cellulosic ethanol fuel facility a reality. With technologies such as this, Canada is well-positioned to be a world leader in the renewable fuels industry."

The application, which was submitted to Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) under the recently launched NextGen Biofuels Fund, is for a cellulosic ethanol biorefinery to be built in Saskatchewan. The application has now entered the due diligence process. After this process, SDTC will make a final decision on funding.

"Cellulosic ethanol has the potential to help Canada meet its Renewable Fuels Standard in a sustainable way," said Vicky J Sharpe, President and CEO of SDTC. "With an abundance of potential feedstocks that is unmatched, Canada has a huge advantage in the race to bring cellulosic ethanol to market."

Next-generation renewable fuels are derived from non-traditional renewable feedstocks, such as fast-growing grasses, agricultural residues and forest biomass, and produced through the use of new conversion technologies. Such cellulosic feedstocks consist largely of materials that are currently considered waste, can often be grown on low-grade soil, and have greater potential for co-products.

"Today's announcement brings us one step closer to making cellulosic ethanol a commercial reality," says Brian Foody, Iogen President. "Iogen is a world leader in cellulosic ethanol, with proven cellulosic ethanol production experience since 2004. We believe that our technology will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector, provide economic growth opportunities for farmers and increase energy diversity."

The NextGen Biofuels FundT will support up to 40% of eligible project costs for the establishment of first-of-kind large demonstration-scale facilities for the production of next-generation renewable fuels. The contribution is repayable based on free cash flow over a period of 10 years after project completion. The funding process for the NextGen Biofuels FundT uses a classic Project Assurance Process approach based on international best practices in deciding whether to undertake the development of large-scale, capital intensive, or high capital expenditure, projects.

Iogen and its partners Shell and Goldman Sachs are developing a unique process that uses specialized enzymes to convert plant fibre into sugars that are then fermented and distilled to make cellulosic ethanol.

The NextGen Biofuels Fund T was announced by the Government of Canada in Budget 2007 and launched by SDTC on September 12, 2007. It is open for applications at any time.
Eric Richer
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of the Environment

Government Delivers Details of Greenhouse Gas Regulatory Framework

OTTAWA, March 10, 2008 -The Government of Canada today published details of the Turning the Corner regulatory framework originally announced on April 26, 2007. The documents, posted to Environment Canada's website, provide additional details about how the Government of Canada will move forward with its plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

This plan includes mandatory reductions for industry, along with additional new measures to address two of Canada's key emitting sectors: oil sands and electricity.
"Last April, this government made a commitment to Canadians to cut our greenhouse gas emissions an absolute 20% by 2020," said Canada's Environment Minister John Baird. "Today, we are announcing the details of those tough measures that will put us on a path to meet our commitments."

Tough federal regulation of industry's greenhouse gas emissions will help achieve the Government's commitment to a 20% reduction in Canada's overall emissions by 2020, and will be the most important driver of change for moving Canada to a low-emission economy.

As announced in the Turning the Corner plan last April, the details of the plan include:
• Establishing a market price for carbon;
• Setting up a carbon emissions trading market, including a carbon offset system, to provide incentives for Canadians to reduce their greenhouse gas emission.
In addition, today's detailed regulations include new measures like:
• Setting a target that will effectively require oil sands starting operations in 2012 to implement carbon capture and storage; and,
• Effectively banning the construction of new dirty coal plants starting in 2012.

"Our regulations will apply to all big industry," said Minister Baird. "From the oil industry to chemical companies; from smelters to pulp and paper mills, all big industry will have to do their part."

In order to refine and improve the regulatory approach, the Government consulted extensively with environmental groups, industry and other stakeholders over the past year. This period of consultation was important to ensure Canada's regulations would result in real reductions of greenhouse gases. The Government worked to accommodate stakeholder views where reasonable, but remained focused on the primary objective of keeping its commitment to reduce greenhouse gases.

As announced last April, regulated industries will face mandatory reductions that require companies to reduce emissions 18 % by 2010 for every unit of production. The details published today specify how the targets will apply to each industry sector, how the offsets and trading systems will work and how credits will be provided to companies that took early actions to reduce their emissions.

We also believe more can be done on electricity. The federal government will establish a task force to work with the provinces and industry to reduce emissions even further by 2020, through increased hydro, renewable and nuclear electricity production and through further development of the national grid. If necessary, regulations remain an option.

Companies will be able to choose the most cost-effective way to meet their emission reduction targets from a range of options: in-house reductions, contributions to a capped time-limited technology fund, domestic emissions trading and offsets and access to the United Nations' Clean Development Mechanism. Companies that have already reduced their greenhouse gas emissions prior to 2006 will have access to a limited one-time credit for early action.

Proposed greenhouse gas regulations are expected to be published in the Canada Gazette later this year, and the regulations finalized in 2009 to come into force as planned on January 1, 2010.

Addressing industrial emissions is just one part of the Government's plan to reduce greenhouse gases and air pollution. With a long-term goal that envisions greenhouse gas emission reductions of 60 to 70% by 2050, Turning the Corner will continue to evolve as new technology and new ways of improving our environment are discovered.

For more information on what the Government is doing to reduce greenhouse gases and air pollution, visit www.ecoaction.gc.ca or call 1 800 O-Canada (1 800 622-6232, or TTY 1-800-926-9105).
Turning the Corner
Éric Richer
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of the Environment

 
 

Source: Inquiry Centre Environment Canada
Press consultantship
All rights reserved

 
 
 
 

 

Universo Ambiental  
 
 
 
 
     
SEJA UM PATROCINADOR
CORPORATIVO
A Agência Ambiental Pick-upau busca parcerias corporativas para ampliar sua rede de atuação e intensificar suas propostas de desenvolvimento sustentável e atividades que promovam a conservação e a preservação dos recursos naturais do planeta.

 
 
 
 
Doe Agora
Destaques
Biblioteca
     
Doar para a Agência Ambiental Pick-upau é uma forma de somar esforços para viabilizar esses projetos de conservação da natureza. A Agência Ambiental Pick-upau é uma organização sem fins lucrativos, que depende de contribuições de pessoas físicas e jurídicas.
Conheça um pouco mais sobre a história da Agência Ambiental Pick-upau por meio da cronologia de matérias e artigos.
O Projeto Outono tem como objetivo promover a educação, a manutenção e a preservação ambiental através da leitura e do conhecimento. Conheça a Biblioteca da Agência Ambiental Pick-upau e saiba como doar.
             
       
 
 
 
 
     
TORNE-SE UM VOLUNTÁRIO
DOE SEU TEMPO
Para doar algumas horas em prol da preservação da natureza, você não precisa, necessariamente, ser um especialista, basta ser solidário e desejar colaborar com a Agência Ambiental Pick-upau e suas atividades.

 
 
 
 
Compromissos
Fale Conosco
Pesquise
     
Conheça o Programa de Compliance e a Governança Institucional da Agência Ambiental Pick-upau sobre políticas de combate à corrupção, igualdade de gênero e racial, direito das mulheres e combate ao assédio no trabalho.
Entre em contato com a Agência Ambiental Pick-upau. Tire suas dúvidas e saiba como você pode apoiar nosso trabalho.
O Portal Pick-upau disponibiliza um banco de informações ambientais com mais de 35 mil páginas de conteúdo online gratuito.
             
       
 
 
 
 
 
Ajude a Organização na conservação ambiental.