City of Edmonton, Alberta, opens its Advanced Energy Research Facility fitted with Enerkem's technology that will focus on converting various wastes into biochemicals; facility is next to Enerkem's waste-to-biofuels plant currently being built

Rachel Carter

MONTREAL , June 23, 2011 (press release) – Advanced energy research facility in Edmonton, Alberta, will lead to more sustainable products

Enerkem Inc., a leading waste-to-biofuels and chemicals company, participated today in the opening of the Advanced Energy Research Facility located in Edmonton, Alberta. Enerkem provides the core technology for this world-class research center, which is the result of a partnership with the Government of Alberta and the City of Edmonton. Funding for the City-owned facility comes from Alberta Innovates - Energy and Environment Solutions.

The state-of-the-art Advanced Energy Research Facility is adjacent to Enerkem's commercial waste-to-biofuels production facility in Edmonton, which will operate under the name Enerkem Alberta Biofuels and is currently under construction. The research facility will focus on the conversion of various waste into biochemicals and will expand Enerkem's proprietary technology platform to include additional useful products, such as polymers and higher alcohols.

"By producing fuels and chemicals from waste, Enerkem's green chemistry contributes to making our everyday products more sustainable and to transition into a bio-economy," said Vincent Chornet, president and chief executive officer of Enerkem. "We are proud to take part in this state-of-the-art Advanced Energy Research Facility with our long-standing partners, the City of Edmonton and Alberta Innovates, as it is an important component in furthering our company's dedication to innovation and the development of additional biochemicals."

Enerkem's synthesis gas and chemical intermediates technology platform creates value from carbon-based waste materials. Since the company started scaling-up its technology in 2003, it has achieved 6,000 hours of testing and validation at its pilot and commercial demonstration plants and has produced biochemicals and biofuels. It includes the recent start of commercial alcohol production at its demonstration facility in Westbury, Quebec.

About Enerkem
Enerkem is pioneering a new line of chemicals and fuels made from garbage instead of oil or other fossil fuels. Enerkem's cost-effective conversion technology transforms waste - such as unrecyclable household garbage, demolition debris and used utility poles - into chemical-grade syngas, which is used to create advanced ethanol, bioacetates and other intermediate chemicals that form our everyday products. The company currently operates two facilities in Quebec and in 2010, began construction of a municipal waste-to-biofuels plant in Alberta. In 2011, Enerkem expects to break ground on a similar facility in Mississippi for which it is receiving financial support from the USDA and U.S. DOE. www.enerkem.com

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