Bioenergy

Biomass

Our region is home to millions of acres of both agricultural and forest land, providing a wealth of biomass resources. The region boasts three biomass facilities located in New Brunswick – the only biomass facilities in the international northeast. These facilities serve as vital components of the Energy Hub’s renewable energy portfolio. The AV Nackawic, UPM Miramichi, Fraser Paper and the Irving Pulp and Paper Mill facilities together produce over 100MW of renewable energy.

Biofuels

To complement our existing biomass resources, the region’s bioenergy industry may see further developments with Atlantec BioEnergy Corporation’s proposed $85 million ethanol plant. The company is currently exploring a variety of locations throughout the Maritimes as a possible home for the facility, including Trenton, NS and Borden-Carleton, PEI.

The proposed facility would produce up to 13,000,000 litres of ethanol per year (the equivalent of more than 81,000 barrels) from “energy beets”. The facility will use beets rather than corn – the crop typically used in ethanol production – to capitalize on the crop’s higher net energy yields; beets produce more than 9 units of energy for each unit of energy input, while corn produces only 1.5 units for the same amount of energy. The facility would initially require 2,500 hectares of land to support the project. Local farmers have already begun to plant crop in Scotsburn and River John, contributing to the existing 250 hectares of “energy beet” crop in Nova Scotia.

Atlantic BioEnergy Conference

In 2007 and 2008, the Atlantica Centre for Energy hosted the Atlantic Bioenergy Conference. The conference brings together agricultural and forestry industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and community groups, focusing on moving the Bioenergy opportunity forward for Atlantic Canadian stakeholders.

BBI Biofuels Canada will serve as host to the 2009 Atlantic BIOEnergy Conference from September 21-23 at the Delta Beausejour in Moncton, New Brunswick. The Atlantic BIOEnergy Conference promises lively debates, action-oriented panel discussions and world-class presentations on the latest developments, applications and technologies in various bioenergy fields.

For more information contact:
Lara Jack
Conference Coordinator
BBI Biofuels Canada
519-576-4500
To learn more about the Atlantic Bioenergy Conference, please visit http://www.atlanticbioenergy.ca.