Steeper Energy will build a demo plant in Calgary to transform biowastes into advanced fuels
Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF.
The City of Calgary and Steeper Energy Canada Ltd. (Steeper
Energy) have announced a new cooperation agreement regarding the future
transformation of Calgary’s sewage sludge and other urban generated biowastes
for the production of sustainable biofuels such as renewable diesel or jet
fuel.
Press release: “Memorandum of Understanding signed
by the City of Calgary with Steeper Energy Canada Ltd.”, 2/7/2020.
Related posts: “Steeper Energy is partnering with
Silva Green Fuel to construct an advanced biofuels plant at demo scale in
Norway”, 16/12/2017.
Figure 1. Pine Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant
in South-East Calgary (taken from the press release)
Steeper Energy is a Danish-Canadian clean-fuel
company focused on commercializing their proprietary Hydrofaction™ technology, an
implementation of hydrothermal liquefaction which applies supercritical water
as a reaction medium for the conversion of biomass directly into a high-energy
density renewable crude oil, referred to as Hydrofaction™ Oil. The process converts
biowastes (including sewage sludge, food or forestry wastes) into renewable
biofuels. In addition to biofuel production, the process converts and
eliminates wastewater contaminants such as microplastics and pharmaceuticals
and isolates heavy metals. Hydrofaction® allows also for the capture of
beneficial nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen, which can later be made
available as fertilizer for farmers. Currently, the
company is building a first pilot plant in Denmark.
The MoU formalizes the intent of The City of
Calgary and Steeper Energy to see the development of a demonstration plant at
the Pine Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant in South-East Calgary. The City has
agreed to host Steeper Energy at its state-of-the-art wastewater treatment
plant, as well as to supply a small portion of Calgary’s primary and secondary
sewage sludge to produce advanced biofuels. Upon concluding final arrangements
with Calgary and the approval from Steeper’s board of directors, the project
could break ground in early 2021.
