Canadian Government to Develop First Algal Biorefinery Project for Biofuels and Biomaterials

In Canada, the Government of Canada is making an effort to double funding for clean energy and clean technology by 2020 as part of their promise to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The latest effort to do so involves the National Research Council of Canada’s Algal Carbon Conversion program working with Pond Technologies and Votorantim Climentos’ St. Marys Cement to create Canada’s first algal biorefinery demonstration project. The biorefinery will use photosynthesis to recycle carbon dioxide and other pollutants into algal biomass that can then be turned into renewable biofuels and biomaterials. Their goal is to use algal biomass conversion to biofuels and other bioproducts in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help alleviate climate change.