Renewable Natural Gas in the North
Project Start Date: 28/04/2024
Project End Date: 20/09/2024
CRIBE Funding: $100,000
Project Total Value: $200,000
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The project aims to conduct a feasibility study, namely a Class 5 engineering and design, to derisk the commercial development of a next generation biofuel facility in Nipigon, Ontario. The proposed facility converts wood residuals, wood wastes, and other low-value organic materials into high-value renewable natural gas (RNG) and biocarbon products (primarily biocoal), through High-Temperature Pyrolysis.
The facility, which will be operated by a 51% Indigenous owned limited partnership between LNFMI and CHAR Technologies Ltd. (CHAR), is expected to begin operations in 2026, with an initial capacity of 500,000 GJ of RNG/year and 10,000 tonnes/yr of biocoal and is expected to reduce C02 emissions by 30,000 tonnes/yr.
Milestone 1 Update
With funding from CRIBE, Lake Nipigon Forest Management Inc. (LNFMI) has successfully
completed a preliminary system description and fundamental drawings for the high temperature
pyrolysis technology that will be used in the Renewable Natural Gas facility. Through its
partnership with CHAR Technologies, LNFMI is moving forward toward the completion of a class
5 cost estimate and front-end engineering.
LNFMI is a forestry co-operative comprised of four local First Nation Communities who hold the
Sustainable Forest License (SFL) on the Lake Nipigon Forest. The organization oversees all forest management activities that occur on the ~1,000,000 ha land base. LNFMI is responsible for
feedstock procurement/handling, site development, permitting, and consultation related to the
development of the RNG facility.
CHAR is a cleantech development and services company that specializes in high temperature
pyrolysis (HTP), converting woody materials and organic waste into renewable gases and
biocarbon. CHAR assembled a Process Design Document that provides diagrams for the various
systems (i.e., feed, HTP, pyrogas, thermal oxidizers, etc.) within the HTP process along with
descriptions to explain each of them. CHAR will lead equipment engineering, commissioning, and offtake agreements related to the RNG facility.
Completion of the Class 5 cost assessment will create a shovel ready project which will enable
LNFMI to begin construction of the RNG facility superstructure late summer 2024.