Expander Energy Inc. is moving forward with plans to construct the Slave Lake 22 million liter/year Biomass/Gas to Liquids plant (BGTLTM), which will produce NET ZERO carbon intensity diesel fuel, jet fuel, and blue hydrogen, the first of its kind in North America.
This $35 million plant is the first in a series of plants planned for the Slave Lake area, with a total project cost of $800 million and a capacity of over 200 million liters per year.
By 2025, all diesel fuels must meet a life cycle Carbon Intensity (“CI”) of 86.9, a CI of 81.0 by 2030, and be net carbon neutral (CI=0) by 2050, according to the Canadian government’s Clean Fuel Standard.
Expander has completed a detailed Carbon Intensity study and feasibility engineering for the facility’s implementation of Carbon Utilization and Sequestration (CCUS). The Carbon Intensity of Synthetic Paraffinic Diesel (SPD) is expected to be as low as -15 gCO2e/MJ, according to a third-party life cycle CI study conducted by Radicle Group Inc. By 2024, this extremely low-carbon-intensity fuel should be available for commercial use.
The plant will also co-produce Blue Hydrogen with a life cycle CI of as low as -2 kg CO2e/kg, in addition to low carbon intensity SynDiesel®.
Expander’s SynDiesel®, SynJet®, and Hydrogen, with a CI of less than zero, will not only meet Canada’s net-zero carbon fuel goal by 2050, but will do so 25 years ahead of schedule.
SynDiesel®, Expander’s diesel fuel, is a drop-in fuel that can directly replace conventional diesel fuels without requiring engine or infrastructure modifications. It’s non-toxic, odorless, and biodegradable in a short amount of time. It reduces pollutant emissions such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), unburned hydrocarbons (HC), and particulate matter (PM), the latter of which is particularly important in areas where air quality is a concern, such as cities and mountain valleys.
Expander is assessing market interest in supplying Canadian airlines with Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Production of net-zero CI Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosene could be included in future facility expansions (FT-SPK)
Expander Energy CEO Steve Price stated; “The government mandate is for Net Zero CI fuel is 2050. Expander can advance this timeline by decades with our Slave Lake project using our patented BGTL™ technology. This technology coupled with CCUS allows us to produce world class fuel within 18 months of commencing the project. That’s great news for Alberta and Canada”.
Partners in the project are Vanderwell Contractors as the provider of biomass feedstock and plant site, AirTechnic as provider of the proven biomass gasification technology, and Startec Compression and Process as module design and fabricator.
The Métis Nation of Alberta (MNA) are also proud supporters of this project, Audrey Poitras, President of the Métis Nation of Alberta stated: “There is an imperative need to take climate change action, and the MNA recognizes that initiatives like this provide an opportunity for the MNA to implement its Economic Strategy by participating in this sustainable resource development. We believe that this opportunity resonates with traditional Métis values for using our resources effectively and wisely”.
