Tag Archives: Alberta

Accenture expands operational technology expertise with True North Solutions buy

Accenture has acquired True North Solutions, a provider of industrial engineering solutions headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, in a deal that provides it further exposure to the oil and gas and mining industries.

True North Solutions expands Accenture’s expertise in operational technology (OT) in these sectors. OT is the hardware and software systems with which companies run and control physical equipment and facilities, such as pipelines, refineries, plants and mines.

Accenture will help clients better connect their OT to their enterprise IT systems, for example, to optimise the output and safety of existing equipment and facilities through real-time data analytics, it says. Accenture says it will also work with the True North Solutions team to engineer and commission new field operations and facilities where OT and IT are seamlessly integrated and processes are digitized from the start.

“True North Solutions brings boots-on-the-ground understanding of how to design, build and commission our clients’ critical assets and infrastructure,” Adam Foster, Accenture Canada’s Energy Portfolio leader, said. “We are combining True North Solutions’ unique expertise with our advanced digital capabilities, such as digital thread, predictive maintenance and intelligent asset management, to improve the performance and safety of our clients’ field operations.”

David Morgenstern, President of Accenture in Canada, said: “In welcoming True North Solutions to our Industry X and Resources team at Accenture, we will help our clients benefit from transformative technologies such as generative and predictive AI through digitally enabled field operations. Smart operations means greater productivity and predictability, helping clients operate with increased efficiency and safety, and we’re pleased to be advancing these capabilities in the industry and in Canada.”

Blair Hanel, CEO of True North Solutions, added: “By joining Accenture, we’re giving our clients in North America access to Accenture’s digital leadership in areas such as cloud, data and AI, and global scale, which will help them advance their businesses. Our teams will benefit from the opportunity to grow and deepen their careers in one of the world’s most innovative, inclusive and global organisations.”

True North Solutions’ services encompass engineering and commissioning, industrial automation solutions, enterprise asset management, OT cybersecurity and digital infrastructure for industrial telecommunications. It brings a team of 95 experts in automation, instrumentation and electrical engineering to Accenture, who will join the company’s digital engineering and manufacturing service, Industry X.

Rio-BinghamCanyon

Fortune Minerals, Rio Tinto join forces to improve cobalt and bismuth recoveries

Fortune Minerals and Rio Tinto have agreed on a collaboration to develop technology that will improve recovery of the critical minerals cobalt and bismuth.

Under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the companies, testing will be done at Rio Tinto Kennecott’s integrated copper mining and smelting operations in Utah and at Fortune’s planned Alberta Refinery.

The partnership aims to maximise the value of critical mineral supply chain investments and increase Fortune’s planned cobalt and bismuth refining operations to process co-product streams of the minerals recovered from the Kennecott smelter, Fortune said.

In 2020, the Canadian and U.S. governments signed a Joint Action Plan on Critical Mineral Collaboration to enable more North American production of the critical minerals needed in new technologies. Cobalt and bismuth are both included in this list and are used for sustainable energy resources. Fortune and Rio Tinto are pleased to establish this partnership and work together to expand North American supply chains, they said.

Robin Goad, President and CEO of Fortune Minerals, said: “Working with Rio Tinto to recover metals from their co-product streams is part of our corporate strategy to expand production of critical minerals, and we are excited to be working with one of the world’s premier mining companies on the first of these opportunities. This collaboration could provide a solution to support greater production of the metals needed for the energy transition and growing sustainable economy.”

Rio Tinto Kennecott Managing Director, Nate Foster, commented: “We are committed to find better ways to provide the materials the world needs to grow and decarbonise. We are enthusiastic about this partnership with Fortune Minerals as we continue looking at our waste streams to develop new, sustainable sources of critical minerals here in North America.”

For 120 years, Kennecott, in Utah, has been mining and processing copper and other minerals including gold, silver, molybdenum and tellurium from the rich ore body of the Bingham Canyon mine (pictured).

Fortune is developing its 100%-owned, vertically integrated NICO cobalt-gold-bismuth-copper project in Canada. This asset is comprised of a planned mine, mill and concentrator in the Northwest Territories and a related hydrometallurgical refinery in Alberta where concentrates from the mine would be processed.

Fortune and Rio Tinto are working together to assess different process methods and technology options to recover the bismuth and cobalt contained in Kennecott’s smelter waste streams. This includes assessing the effectiveness of blending Rio Tinto’s intermediate products with NICO project concentrates and conducting batch recovery tests using Fortune’s refinery flow sheets.

Intrepid Group and indurad partner on anti-collision, volumetric inventory and positioning solution offering

Intrepid Group Ltd and indurad have announced a new strategic partnership to provide robust anti-collision, volumetric inventory and positioning solutions for the mining and material handling industry.

The partnership will have a focus on the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan, the pair said.

Indurad calls itself the global leader in radar-based automation and productivity solutions for mine sites, train loadouts, stockyard equipment and shiploading facilities. Its patented 2D and 3D radar systems are installed at mining operations and ports worldwide to increase ore throughput and minimise downtime and collisions.

Intrepid Group says it helps its customers improve their operations through accurate and efficient measurement of their processes, partnering with manufacturers to develop solutions that achieve these goals.

“Partnerships with regional leaders like Intrepid Group allow us to enhance our market coverage,” Adriaan Goosen, Director of Engineering at indurad, said.

Campbell Adams, Chief Executive Officer at Intrepid Group, added: “We are delighted by the partnership. indurad’s solutions affords us even greater flexibility to meet the diverse needs of our customers. The synergies of this partnership will greatly benefit both our current and future customers.”

Orica addresses Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions in latest GHG reduction pledge

Orica has announced its ambition to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, covering Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and its most “material” Scope 3 GHG emission sources.

The ambition builds on Orica’s previously announced medium-term target to reduce Scope 1 and 2 operational emissions by at least 40% by 2030.

To advance its net zero emissions ambition, Orica says it will:

  • Continue to reduce its operational footprint: prioritising Scope 1 and 2 operational emissions reductions by deploying tertiary catalyst abatement technology, sourcing renewable energy and optimising energy efficiency and industrial processes;
  • Collaborate with its suppliers: as new and emerging technologies scale and become commercial, partner with suppliers to source lower emissions intensity ammonium nitrate (AN) and ammonia to reduce Orica’s Scope 3 emissions, which account for approximately 70% of Orica’s total Scope 3 emissions;
  • Prioritise lower carbon solutions: developing lower carbon AN, as well as new products, services and technology offerings to help customers achieve their own sustainability goals; and
  • Report progress: transparently disclose performance consistent with the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosure.

Orica Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Sanjeev Gandhi, said: “Our ambition of net zero emissions by 2050 shows our commitment to playing a part in achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement. This is a strong signal that the decarbonisation of Orica will, and must, continue beyond 2030 and requires a collaborative approach across all of our stakeholders.

“We’re making solid progress having already achieved a 9% emissions reduction in financial year 2020 (to June 30, 2020) and further reductions this financial year. We’ve taken our 2030 medium-term target and extended our planning over the long term, developing a credible roadmap to support our ambition to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

“Over the next decade, Orica is deploying tertiary catalyst abatement, prioritising renewable energy opportunities and supporting a trial of carbon capture utilisation and storage technology. Beyond 2030, how we achieve our ambition is dependent on effective global policy frameworks, supportive regulation and financial incentives, and access to new and emerging technologies operating at commercial scale.

“Orica is a company with a long history of technical innovation which is already helping our customers improve mine site safety, productivity and efficiency. We will apply the same approach by deploying low-emissions technologies to our major manufacturing sites and working with our global suppliers and stakeholders on reducing the footprint of our supply chain.”

Orica says it has already undertaken several initiatives to drive action towards its medium-term target and support its 2050 net zero emissions ambition.

In FY2020, Orica’s Bontang AN manufacturing facility in Indonesia recorded a 43% reduction in net emissions and its Kooragang Island nitrates manufacturing plant (pictured below) in Australia achieved a 6.3% reduction in net emissions, by replacing and improving the performance of selective catalyst abatement technologies, the company said.

In partnership with the Alberta Government this year, Orica’s Carseland AN manufacturing facility in Canada has commissioned tertiary catalyst abatement technology, reducing emissions by approximately 83,000 t/y of CO2e.

Orica has assigned approximately A$45 million ($33 million) over the next five years in capital to deploy similar tertiary abatement technology across its Australian AN sites, which, it says, could deliver an annual reduction of 750,000 t CO2e.

Orica will also support the construction of a mobile demonstration plant of carbon capture, utilisation and storage technology at its Kooragang Island manufacturing facility, led by Mineral Carbonation International, in partnership with the Australian Government and the University of Newcastle. The plant is scheduled to be built on Orica’s Kooragang Island site by the end of 2023 and have direct access to some 250,000 t of captured CO2 from Orica’s manufacturing operations.

Certified Mining & Construction Sales & Rentals to represent Aramine in western Canada

Certified Mining & Construction Sales & Rentals has become the exclusive distributer for Aramine for Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Alberta in Canada.

This partnership will bring cutting edge, battery-powered, heavy-duty equipment and parts to the mining industry in western Canada, the company says.

Certified Mining & Construction Sales & Rentals (CMC) is a Saskatoon-based sales and rental company that offers specialised equipment to the mining and construction industries in North America.

The company says: “This partnership with Aramine will only serve to build on both the rental options and the offering for the sales side. With Aramine’s offering on the battery-powered, mine-specific heavy equipment, we will be able to partner with our clients to work towards lowering emissions without lowering productivity.”

Aramine has designed an innovative and unique range of small and medium section machines, including the L140B battery-powered mini loader.

Terex Trucks signs up Headwater Equipment as Alberta dealer

Terex Trucks has announced Headwater Equipment Sales Ltd as its new dealer in Alberta, Canada, bringing its articulated haulers to even more customers in the province’s construction, mining, agriculture and oil and gas sectors.

Terex Trucks articulated haulers can handle rough terrain and tough conditions and perform reliably during Canada’s coldest months of the year, according to the company.

In Alberta, a variety of tasks await Terex Trucks’ TA300 and TA400 articulated haulers. The company’s new dealer, Headwater Equipment, will sell and rent the TA300 and TA400, as well as provide aftermarket support, to its customers in the prairie province in the west of Canada.

“Customers in Alberta require tough construction equipment that performs reliably during the coldest months of the year, when temperatures can drop as low as -30 to -40°C,” the company said. “That’s one of the reasons why Terex Trucks’ durable and robust articulated haulers have a history of strong sales in the area.”

Matt Stringer, President at Headwater Equipment, said: “Terex Trucks is well known in Alberta; the haulers perform well in cold conditions. Under the ownership of Volvo CE, they’ve made substantial investments and improvements to the quality and performance of the TA400 and TA300, so we’re looking forward to introducing our customers to the upgraded trucks.”

Headquartered in Coalhurst, near Lethbridge in Alberta, Headwater Equipment operates from three locations in Alberta and one in British Columbia. The dealership was founded in 1997 and, today, 65 employees and 20 service trucks provide customers with quality equipment and support.

Greg Gerbus, Regional Sales Manager Terex Trucks, said: “Headwater Equipment is a growing dealership with a strong focus on superior customer service. Our customers will benefit from the complementary product lines Headwater Equipment provides, such as excavators, as well as their high standards and business model of creative solutions to customer needs.”

The TA300 has recently been upgraded and now comes with a new transmission, leading to improvements in fuel efficiency, performance, productivity and operator comfort, when compared with the previous model. The 28 t machine delivers a 5% improvement in fuel efficiency, a 5 km/h increase in speed to 55 km/h and an increase in the length of time between oil maintenance intervals from 1,000-4,000 hours. In addition, the truck now comes with eight forward gears as well as four reverse gears, to help ensure smoother gear shifting and, thereby, higher levels of operator comfort. All of this means that customers can be more productive, achieving faster cycle times, lower cost per tonne and reduced carbon emissions.

The TA400, the largest articulated hauler on offer from Terex Trucks, has a maximum payload of 38 t and a heaped capacity of 23.3 cu.m. Powered by a high performance, fuel efficient engine that develops a gross power of 331 kW, the TA400 is designed to meet the demands of the most extreme operations such as quarries, mines and large-scale construction projects.

GIW’s TBC-92 making a big name for itself in Canada oil sands sector

When it comes to pumping slurry, there can be very few applications that are more challenging than the hydro-transport of heavy duty slurries in oil sands production.* Not only do the pumps have to contend with the highly aggressive nature of the fluid being pumped, they are also expected to operate in some of the harshest environments in the world.

In January 2020, GIW Industries commissioned its largest ever heavy duty centrifugal slurry pump for operation in Canada’s oil sands, namely the TBC (Tie Bolt Construction)-92. Named after its 92-inch (2,337 mm) impeller, the TBC-92 is the largest and heaviest slurry pump available in the oil sands industry and emerges as the latest in a line of powerful high-pressure pumps offered by GIW (Fig.1).

Slurry transportation

Fig.1

In mining, dredging and oil sands production the biggest challenge is to accommodate high density slurry and highly abrasive grits. It is essential that the slurry passes through the pump with the minimum amount of wear to the pump casing, impeller, shaft and sealing mechanism. Furthermore, they must be capable of delivering high flows and withstanding harsh operating environments.

The province of Alberta, Canada, has the world’s third largest oil reserves and these are in the form of oil sands.

Extracting and processing the oil from the sands and bed rock is a challenging process involving the removal of bituminous ore to be transported to a crushing plant. The crushed ore is then mixed with warm water to form dense slurry that can be transported in the pipeline toward extraction, where the bitumen is separated from the sand and rock. After extraction, the remaining solids (or tailings) are often transported via different pumps to settling ponds.

The processes require extensive use of slurry and water transportation pumps capable of handling vast quantities of liquids at high pressures and high temperatures.

Drawing on its many years of designing slurry pumps for mining, GIW has custom-engineered slurry pumps that combine advanced materials, hydraulics and patented mechanical designs, the latest of which is the TBC-92.

Meeting the customer’s challenge

“Our client needed a higher-capacity pump which was capable of 10,000-11,000 cu.m/h of output at nearly 40 m of developed head and a maximum working pressure of 4,000 kPa,” Mollie Timmerman, GIW Business Development Manager, reports. “The pump also needed to be able to pass rocks of approximately 130 mm in diameter (with a total passage size requirement of 10 in or 254 mm) and handle slurry densities in excess of 1.5 SG (specific gravity). In addition, the customer was targeting a maintenance interval (operational time between planned maintenance) of around 3,000 hours. They had expressed an interest in maximising the maintenance intervals and based on initial wear indications, they are currently hoping to achieve around 6,000 hours between pump overhauls (ie six to eight months).”

The immediate application for the first batch of GIW’s TBC-92 pumps in Alberta is in hydro-transport service where they are used to move bituminous ore from the crusher to the extraction plant. The liquid pumped is a mixture of water, bitumen, sand, and large rocks. Screens are in place to keep these rocks to a manageable size for the process, but the top size can still often reach up to 130 mm in diameter (or larger). The abrasive nature of the slurry is what separates a slurry pump apart from other pumps used in the industry. Wear and erosion are facts of life, and GIW has decades of experience in the design of slurry pumps and the development of materials to help extend the service life of these critical components to match the planned maintenance cycles in the plant.

“GIW already had a pump capable of the output requirement, this being the MDX-750, which has been a popular size in mill duties for nearly 10 years throughout Central and South America,” explains Timmerman. “However, the customer’s application required a pump with higher pressure capabilities and the capability of handling larger rocks so we responded with the development of the TBC-92 which provided the best solution for maximised production.”

The construction style of GIW’s TBC pump range feature large, ribbed plates held together with tie bolts for very high pressure service and maximum wear performance. First developed for dredge service, then later introduced into the oil sands in the 1990s, the TBC pump series has grown into a fully developed range of pumps serving the oil sands, phosphate, dredging and hard-rock mining industries for tailings and hydro-transport applications. The pumps are often grouped together in booster stations to build pressure as high as 750 psi (5,171 kPa) to account for the pipe losses encountered over such long distances. The robust construction of the TBC pump is perfectly suited to do the job, while ensuring maximum availability of the equipment under heavily abrasive wear.

Fig.2A

Capable of delivering pressure up to 37 bar and flows in excess of 18,200 cu.m/h and temperatures up to 120⁰C, the TBC range is a horizontal, end suction centrifugal pump that gives maximum resistance to wear. Simple to maintain, the pump’s tie-bolt design transfers stress loads away from the wear resistant white iron casing to the non-bearing side plates without the use of heavy and unwieldy double-wall construction. The TBC-92 combines the best elements of earlier TBC models, including the ground-breaking TBC-84 oil sands tailing pump, also known as the ‘Super Pump’. The pump also incorporates features from GIW’s cutting-edge MDX product line, which is used in heavy-duty mining circuits throughout the world of hard-rock mining.

In total, the TBC-92 weighs about 209,000 lb (95,000 kg) – roughly equivalent to a fully-loaded Airbus A321 aeroplane. The casing alone weighs 34,000 lb (15,500 kg). Key features of the pump include a slurry diverter that dramatically increases suction liner life by reducing particle recirculation between the impeller and the liner. The large diameter impeller allows the pump to run at slower speeds so that wear life is enhanced. The lower speed also gives the pump the ability to operate over a wider range of flows in order to accommodate fluctuating flow conditions (Fig.2A).
To make maintenance easier, the pump is fitted with a special two-piece suction plate design which helps to reduce tool time and provide safer lifting. Customers receive pump-specific lifting devices to facilitate the safe removal and installation of wear components. The pump also features a long-lasting suction liner that can be adjusted without needing to shut the pump down.

New milestone

The commissioning of the TBC-92 marks an important milestone for GIW, which now has pumps in service at all operating Canadian oil sands plants for hydro-transport applications. The TBC-92 has been designed to tackle heavy-duty slurry transport while providing a low total cost of ownership. Minimal labour and maintenance time helps to maximise production and profit.

“This new pump incorporates the lessons learned from operating in the oil sands over many years and features our latest hydraulic and wear technologies,” says Timmerman. “Because this is the heaviest TBC pump we have ever designed, particular attention was given to maintainability, as well as material selection and construction of the pressure-containing components.”

That GIW has established itself as a significant force in pumping solutions for the oil sands industry is far from surprising given that it has been developing pumping technologies and wear resistant materials in the global mining industry since the 1940s.

These pumps have had a considerable impact on the way that the excavated sand, rock and bitumen are transported to the upgrader plant. By adding water to the excavated material it becomes highly efficient to pump the slurry along a pipeline to the upgrader. The pipeline agitation assists in separating the bitumen from the sand as it is transported, plus there is the additional benefit of removing the use of trucks. GIW has estimated that the cost of moving oil sand in this way can cut costs by $2/bbl, and its far more environmental friendly. These pumps also play a major role in transporting the coarse tailings to the tailings ponds. GIW supplies pumps used in the extraction process and other areas of production (HVF, MDX, LSA, etc).

Understanding slurries

Fig.3

Understanding the nature of slurries and how they behave when being pumped has been fundamental to the development of these products. GIW has been obtaining slurry samples from customers over many years for testing hydraulics and materials both for pumps and pipelines (Fig.3). Research & Development facilities include multiple slurry test beds on the campus, together with a hydraulics laboratory that is dedicated to pump performance testing.

These activities are central to the company’s pump development programs. If companies are experiencing problems the GIW R&D personnel can see where the problem lies and offer advice for remedial action. Experience does indicate that in many cases the problem lies not with the pump, but in the interaction between the pipeline and the pump.

Feedback from customers on applications helps in the development of new tools and pump designs. By bringing together customers and academics from all over the world to share their experience and research with in-house experts, the massive investment in research, development and manufacturing has advanced the design of all of the GIW pump products, materials and wear-resistant components.

The future

“There is a clear trend toward larger pumps in mining and dredging, and the oil sands are no exception,” Leo Perry, GIW Lead Product Manager, says. “The first TBC pump in the oil sands was the TBC-46 (46 in being the diameter of the impeller). Customers are designing their facilities for higher and higher production, and demanding the same of the equipment that keeps their production moving. While these larger pumps demand more power, they also allow for greater production with less downtime required for maintenance. Overall, the efficiency improves when compared to the same output from a larger quantity of smaller pumps.”

In conclusion, he says: “Larger pumps go hand in hand with larger facilities, larger pipelines, and increased production, all of which continue to trend higher year after year. Other customers and industries have also shown an interest in this size, and it would be no surprise at all to see more of these pumps built in the near future for similar applications.”

*This story was written and submitted by GIW with only minor edits

DeZURIK opens new facility to service Alberta oil sands industry

DeZURIK Inc has opened a new 15,000 sq.ft (4,572 sq.m) Rapid Fulfillment and Service Centre in Leduc, Alberta, Canada, to meet the needs of oil sands mining industry in the region.

The centre will inventory a variety of valves, actuators and accessories required to meet the needs of the oil sands sector, as well offer full repair and rebuild services for DeZURIK products, it said.

Bryan Burns, President and Chief Executive Officer of DeZURIK Inc, said: “We are very pleased to be able to provide next-level service to our customers in the Alberta province. Our mission is to apply our exceptional flow control expertise to the development of vital industrial infrastructure, and the opening of this Rapid Fulfillment Centre is an additional way we can meet the needs of our customers through expedited delivery.”

DeZURIK’s Director of Mining, Steve Clauson, said DeZURIK has provided “superior performing” valve solutions to the oil sands market for decades and this new centre will house inventory and provide repairs to further improve its service for the oil sands market.

DeZURIK valves are applied on slurries, oil sands, process fluids, corrosive media/acids, steam, water, air and dry solids applications, with popular valve styles including the ASME Class Severe Service Knife Gate Valve, Urethane Lined Knife Gate Valve and the Extended Service Knife Gate Valve.

In addition, DeZURIK also manufactures eccentric plug valves, high performance butterfly valves, resilient seated butterfly valves, rotary control valves, rubber flapper check valves, and air valves.

Suncor to cut GHG emissions by 25% with natural gas project

Suncor has made the decision to replace its coke-fired boilers with two cogeneration units at its Oil Sands Base Plant, in Alberta, Canada, as it looks to lower its carbon footprint within the province.

The cogeneration units will provide reliable steam generation required for Suncor’s extraction and upgrading operations and generate 800 MW of power, the company said.

The power will be transmitted to Alberta’s grid, providing reliable, baseload, low-carbon power, equivalent to around 8% of Alberta’s current electricity demand. This project will increase demand for clean natural gas from Western Canada, Suncor said.

Mark Little, President and CEO, said: “This is a great example of how Suncor deploys capital in projects that are economically robust, sustainability minded and technologically progressive.

“This project generates economic value for Suncor shareholders and provides baseload, low-carbon power equivalent to displacing 550,000 cars from the road, approximately 15% of vehicles currently in the province of Alberta.”

The project cost is estimated to be C$1.4 billion ($1.06 billion), delivering a high teens return and projected to be in-service in the second half of 2023.

“This project will substantially contribute to the company’s goal of an increased C$2 billion in free funds flow by 2023,” the company said. “This will be achieved through oil sands operating cost and sustaining capital reductions along with margin improvements. It will also contribute materially to Suncor’s publicly announced greenhouse gas (GHG) goal.”

Replacing the coke-fired boilers with cogeneration will reduce GHG emissions associated with steam production at Base Plant by some 25%. It is also expected to reduce sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions by approximately 45% and 15%, respectively, the company says.

The cogeneration units will eliminate the need for a flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) unit, which is currently used to reduce sulphur emissions associated with coke fuel. Decommissioning the FGD unit will reduce the volume of water the company withdraws from the Athabasca River by around 20%.

“By producing both industrial steam and electricity through a single natural gas-fuelled process, cogeneration is the most energy-efficient form of hydrocarbon-based power generation. Suncor believes this project will contribute to both Alberta and Canada’s climate ambitions.”

Legacy Alberta coal mine to receive new life as renewable project

The Government of Canada is backing a project in Alberta to turn a former operating coal mine in the region into a renewable energy operation.

Amarjeet Sohi, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources, last week announced C$3.8 million ($2.8 million) in funding to the BIOSALIX program, a renewable energy coal mine reclamation project near Forestburg, Alberta.

A collaborative effort led by environmental consulting firm Sylvis, the project uses municipal organic waste as an additive to generate the conditions to grow a willow crop on the reclaimed land, Natural Resources Canada said. The willow is then harvested to create a woody biomass that can be used to produce renewable heat, energy and other products.

According to Slyvis, the project is the first of its type and size, providing a path for clean energy growth through the transition of prairie coal mines to biomass production while providing mining communities with economical stability through the development of a cleantech economy.

“Overall, this project will help municipalities manage their organic waste, grow a renewable feedstock to produce bioenergy, reclaim expired mine land and create new opportunities for communities affected by coal mine closures,” NRC said.

Federal funding for the project will be provided through Natural Resource Canada’s Clean Growth Program. Further funding in the amounts of C$1.5 and C$2 million will be provided respectively by Alberta Innovates and Emission Reductions Alberta. Natural Resource Canada’s Canadian Forest Service will also lend its biomass research and expertise to the project.

The Clean Growth Program is a C$155-million investment fund that helps emerging clean technologies further reduce their impacts on air, land and water while enhancing competitiveness and creating jobs.