FORGE announces an investment from Shell Ventures to build a first-of-its-kind biofuel production plant in Canada

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Type of post: NEWS.

FORGE Hydrocarbons Corp (FORGE) has announced an equity investment from Shell Ventures and a follow-on contribution from Valent Low-Carbon Technologies, which will help build a first-of-its-kind commercial-scale, biofuel production plant in Canada.
Company announcement: “FORGE announces investment from Shell Ventures and Valent Low-Carbon Technologies”, 13/2/2020.

Figure 1. FORGE LTH Technology. 
It is capable of transforming waste fats and other low value organic oils into hydrocarbons that are indistinguishable from petroleum-based hydrocarbons, without any catalyst or hydrogen.

Location
Sombra (Ontario).
Production capacity
7.5 million gallons of renewable fuels annually.
Total investment
30 million C$.
Employment effect
- 150 construction and engineering jobs during the build phase.
- More than 45 full-time jobs for the commercial operation of the facility.

The technology

FORGE is a University of Alberta spin-off company based on a proprietary Lipid-to-Hydrocarbon (LTH) technology that offers an innovative approach to producing a cost effective “drop-in” renewable diesel fuel. FORGE’s patented LTH technology is capable of transforming waste fats and other low value organic oils into hydrocarbons that are indistinguishable from petroleum-based hydrocarbons, without any catalyst or hydrogen. The technology was invented by Dr. David Bressler at the University of Alberta. It was licensed through TEC Edmonton to FORGE which was founded by biofuels entrepreneur Tim Haig, also founder of BIOX Corp, Canada’s first commercial renewable diesel company, now a part of World Energy.

His patented conversion process uses high-temperature chemistry whereby the feedstock is heated with water to create a mixture of fatty acids and glycerol. Once the mixture is cooled, the fatty acids are separated from the glycerol and water. Those fatty acids are then heated to a point at which the oxygen contained within them is released. Once the oxygen is removed, the fatty acid becomes a hydrocarbon. Further processing converts the hydrocarbon into the desired fuel such as gasoline, natural gas, jet fuel, diesel, lubricating oil, solvents or diluents.

The support

Shell Ventures joins FORGE’s funders and collaborators including World Energy, Lockheed Martin, Valent Low-Carbon Technologies and Sustainable Development Technology Canada. The research, development and first pilot facility were made possible by a series of provincial and federal investments from Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Western Economic Diversification Canada, Alberta Economic Development, Trade and Tourism, Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency, Alberta Innovates, Future Energy Systems: University of Alberta, Natural Resources Canada and Mitacs.

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