Processing wood waste into green replacement for coal

BioFuelNet (NCE)

Made-in-Canada bio-coal is competing to replace traditional coal currently used for heat and power. Starting in 2015, Vancouver start-up Global Bio-Coal Energy (GBCE) will produce 320,000 tonnes of eco-friendly fuel each year at a new plant in Lumby, B.C. BioFuelNet helped develop and commercialize the process used by GBCE, which takes wood waste from sawmills and forestry operations (including wood from trees killed by mountain pine beetles) and turns it into high-quality bio-coal.

Dr. Shahab Sokhansanj and the Biomass and Bioenergy Research Group at the University of British Columbia have been absolutely crucial to our business. We initially planned to go into production in 2010 using a different technology but had to shelve that when the research showed that the process required too much electricity. We’re now ready to go to market with a less expensive technology, thanks to our collaboration with UBC and BioFuelNet.Sonia Shoukry, President & Chair, Global Bio-Coal Energy Inc.