national post - green chemistry
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National Post - Green Chemistry - FieldingTRANSCRIPT
AN INDEPENDENT REPORT FROM MEDIAPLANET TO THE NATIONAL POST
No.1/December 2011
STRENGTHENING OUR BIOECONOMY
How an increased interest in research and development is fostering commercialization and creating a set of jobs for the
next generation of green chemists
GREEN CHEMISTRY
STEPSTOWARDS A
BIOECONOMY
3Building blocksThe 12 principles of green chemistry
BiomassFeedstock for a future economy
Bio jetfuelSustainability takes off
Second lifeThe importance of recycling molecules
Green futureLeading Canada in an environmentally responsible direction
Understanding the linkThe connection beween bioenergy and chemistry
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CHALLENGES
Innovation doesn’t have to mean pollution. The practice of using sustainable methods in scientifi c endeavours isn’t new. However, a renewed focus on the economic possibilities has emerged that could green the industry nation-wide.
“Our reclaimed refriger-ants meet or exceed the highest standards and are returned to the market place for the exact same use.”
Second lifeWhy it’s vital to recycle molecules.
WE RECOMMEND
PAGE 7
Harnessing our intellect p. 4Fostering growth from discovery to market.
Taking to the skies p. 6How Biofuel is fi nding a new use in the aviation industry.
GREEN CHEMISTRY1ST EDITION, DECEMBER 2011
Responsible for this issue:Publisher: David [email protected]: Penelope [email protected]: Roland Andersson, Cheryl Mayer, Murray McLaughlin, Indrani Nadarajah, Christopher Rees, Rui Resendes, Andrew Seale, Michael Weedon, Green Centre Canada
Photo Credit: All images are from iStock.com unless otherwise accredited.
Managing Director: Gustav [email protected] Developer: Chris [email protected]
Distributed within:National Post, December 2011This section was created by Mediaplanet and did not involve the National Post or its Editorial Departments.
Mediaplanet’s business is to create new customers for our advertisers by providing readers with high quality editorial contentthat motivates them to act.
Energy conservation coupled with solar, wind, geothermal and bioenergy can all make important contributions to meeting our energy needs and lessening dependence on fossil fuels.
The transition from a fossil fuel-based economy to a renewable energy-based economy will neither be easy nor rapid. But everything possible needs to be done to facilitate and speed up the process. That requires agreement and cooperation. Unproductive con-frontation between groups with dif-fering viewpoints must be replaced by a wide consensus on how to move for-ward—including the public, industry, First Nations, environmental inter-ests, academia and government.
Confronting our dependencyThe Canadian Bioenergy Association strongly believes that the responsible use of forest biomass for the produc-tion of energy and chemicals can
gradually replace products sourced from fossil fuels and can also provide a net benefi t to the environment as well as enormous societal benefi ts.
A recent study in the United States, entitled “Managing Forests Because Carbon Matters: Integrating Energy, Product and Land Management Policy” states that “energy produced from forest biomass merely returns recently absorbed carbon to the atmosphere, and essentially results in no net release of carbon, provided that overall forest inventories are stable or increasing.”
Nourishing the sourceBioenergy development can move ahead simultaneously with an increase in the quantity and quality of forests. Bioenergy development in Europe has been widely supported by the public because forests have con-tinued to grow and traditional forest values have been preserved. After 100 years of being a carbon sink, Canada’s forests have, in recent decades, been oscillating back and forth between
being a carbon sink and a source. This is partly the result of increased wildfi res and massive insect kills and downturns in the forest industry. We must pursue policies and practices that ensure our forests remain net absorbers of carbon in the future, and that our forests continue to grow in both quantity and quality, providing a wide range of societal benefi ts.
Several key points need to be empha-sized with respect to forest biomass and the bioenergy industry in Canada:
■ The forest industry is committed to sustainable and responsible forest management within areas desig-nated for allowable harvest by each Province.
■ Biomass harvesting for bioenergy uses only a fraction of total biomass availability in Canada—no large scale extraction is occurring.
■ In most provinces environmental guidelines exist or are under develop-ment relating to forest biomass har-vesting and the restriction of biomass removal from ecologically sensitive
areas. ■ Wood residues should continue to
be the primary source of forest bio-mass. Standing trees are harvested for biomass only when they do not have a “higher-value” market and where replanting can take place that will add value to the overall forest.
Bioenergy is an integral part of the future. The emerging bio-economy is capable of producing bio-chem-icals and bio-products that further decrease the overall dependence on oil. What we need is to foster a con-sensus on the “best practices” for industry development that provide for environmental, economic and societal benefi ts for our generation and those following. CanBio will act as a catalyst for building such a consen-sus and invites all those interested to join in the process.
Developing a consensus on biomass development
CHRISTOPHER REES
Chair of the Board,
Canadian Bioenergy Association
DON’T MISS!
Biomass: An all encompassing materialBiomass is used to create bio-energy (biofuels and bioelectricity); biobased chemicals; and biocom-posites.
To ensure biomass creates busi-nesses the will be long term profi t-able ventures the businesses need to produce a range of products from biofuels to biobased chemicals. Ethanol is the low end value of production, but moving to biofuels plus chemicals generates increased value and profi tability. As we con-tinue to develop the processes to deal with biomass we will see increased products and materials beyond bioenergy.
Biomass is material derived from recently living organisms, which includes plants, animals and their byproducts and includes forestry waste, animal waste, pur-pose grown crops, corn stover, wheat straw, etc. As the biobased chemistry processes continue to move to commercialization we will see increased profi tability and increased partnerships. The part-nerships will include the petrol-eum industry as they look for ways to become greener and move to developing Hybrid chemistry.
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A hybrid of opportunity
By definition, green chemistry is “the util-ization of a set of prin-ciples that reduces or eliminates the use or generation of hazard-ous substances in the
design manufacture and application of chemical products.”
Simply put, it is chemicals made from renewable resources. It is not a new concept or idea; in 1941, Henry Ford unveiled what was called a “fi eld grown” plastic car. The body was made of plastic which was 30 percent derived from soybeans and 70 percent from wheat straw and hemp. The horn but-tons, gearshift knobs, timing gears and accelerator pedals were derived from soybeans.
The tires were made from plant-based rubber latex. Ford came up with the idea during the depression and enhanced the need for plant based plastics. How-ever, the end of World War II opened access to oil supplies globally and cre-ated the dawn of the petrochemical age. For the next 60 years the petrochemical industry has driven signifi cant global growth and an expanded chemistry industry from oil.
Recognizing the benefits of “green”However cost, health, environmental and security concerns today are creat-ing a shift to green and sustainable technologies and products. Transforma-tion and development of a hybrid chem-istry industry will set the standards for the 21st century.
Canada is in a unique position to become a global leader in the world of green chemistry. We have the resour-
ces in agricultural, forestry and waste materials to create a green and hybrid chemistry industry. The knowledge is within our universities, government research facilities and other areas of the world that need products from our nat-ural resources.
Attempting to implement changeThere will be a transition era of several years where we will see hybrid chem-istry be established as the norm—a combination of chemistry from crops and trees combined with petrochem-icals to create improved and new products. At the same time some green chemistry products will stand on their own merit as they are developed. We will see partnerships form with SMEs and multinational companies to create the transformation and new products.
Canada has an abundance of farm-ers willing to step into the future by growing new crops for new uses. We have a chemistry industry looking for new opportunities to expand, such as Woodbridge Foam, which produ-ces car seat foam using 20 percent soybean oil plus petroleum oil. There’s also GreenCore, which makes natural fi bre composite pellets for the plastic industry with material from forestry that improves strength and quality.
An innovative hot spotSarnia, Ontario, is a community that is building a green and sustainable clus-ter around chemistry, and is setting the tempo for Canada to become a global leader—they’ve established a Research Park, managed by University of Western Ontario. The Bioindustrial Innovation
Centre (BIC) and Sustainable Chem-istry Alliance(SCA) are located in the Park to assist with building the cluster. BIC is a Centre of Excellence for Commercialization and Research (CECR) funded by the federal govern-ment and is focused on green and sustainable chemistry development and commercialization focused on managing a lab and pilot facility that companies can lease to develop their technology.
The SCA is an organization sup-ported by BIC that is an investment vehicle for green and sustainable technologies. To date SCA has com-pleted 11 investments for approxi-mately 5.2 million dollars across Ontario. These investments have raised over 100 million dollars in additional investment; 300-plus direct jobs and are positioning Can-ada as a leader in green technology. Ecosynthetix is one investment in Burlington, Ontario that produces a latex polymer for paper coatings, replacing petroleum-based coatings. Bioamber is another that will build their fi rst full scale production facil-ity for bio-based succinic acid in Sar-nia. Both companies are examples of green chemistry businesses that are becoming global players by producing products from plant based materials to replace petroleum based products.
In this report, you will discover the potential uses of green chemistry and understand the link and the power potential behind bioenergy (biomass and biofuels) Our goal is to bring your attention to these initiatives putting Canada on the map as leaders in the development of bioenergy, green and hybrid chemistry for the 21st century.
“There will be a transition era of several years where we will see hybrid chem-istry estab-lished as the
norm.”
Dr. Murray McLaughlinSustainable Chemistry Alliance;Bioindustrial Innovation Centre
Courtesy of Sustainable
Chemistry Alliance
PHOTO: SWITCHSOL
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CHALLENGES
Canola-based biodieselClean.saFe.Canadian.
Our renewable future now.
www.ccga.ca
Extensive study shows that canola is the best feedstock for biodiesel in cold weather climates like Canada.
Litre for litre, canola-based biodiesel reduces greenhouse gases by 90%, compared to fossil diesel.
Made-in-Canada biodiesel will keep fuel production, resources and jobs in our country. Today, Canada imports biodiesel from the U.S. to meet domestic demand.
Biodiesel diversifies markets for Canada’s farmers by creating demand for 1 million tonnes of Canadian-grown canola.
TM
NEWS
PreventionIt is better to prevent waste than to treat or clean up waste after it has been cre-
ated.
Atom economySynthetic methods should be designed to maximize the
incorporation of all materials used in the process into the fi nal product.
Less hazardous chemical syn-thesesWherever practicable, syn-thetic methods should be designed to use and gener-
ate substances that possess little or no toxicity to human health and the
environment.
Designing safer chemicalsChemical products should be designed to a� ect their desired function while minimizing their toxicity.
Safer solvents and auxiliariesThe use of auxiliary sub-stances (e.g., solvents, sep-
aration agents, etc.) should be made unnecessary wherever possible and innocuous when used.
Design for energy effi-ciencyEnergy requirements of
chemical processes should be rec-ognized for their environmental and economic impacts and should be minimized. If possible, synthetic methods should be conducted at ambient temperature and pressure.
Use of renewable feedstocksA raw material or feedstock
should be renewable rather than depleting whenever technically and economically practicable.
Reduce derivativesUnnecessary derivatiza-tion (use of blocking groups,
protection/ deprotection, temporary modification of physical/chemical
processes) should be minimized or avoided if possible, because such steps require additional reagents and can generate waste.
CatalysisCatalytic reagents (as select-ive as possible) are superior to stoichiometric reagents.
Design for degrada-tionChemical products should be designed so that at the
end of their function they break down into innocuous degradation products and do not persist in the environment.
Real-time analysis for
pollution preventionAnalytical methodologies need to be further developed to allow for real-time, in-process monitoring and con-trol prior to the formation of hazard-ous substances.
Inherently safer chemistry for accident preventionSubstances and the form
of a substance used in a chemical pro-cess should be chosen to minimize the potential for chemical accidents.
Source: *Anastas, P. T.; Warner, J. C. Green
Chemistry: Theory and Practice, Oxford
University Press: New York, 1998, p.30.
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THE 12 PRINCIPLES OF GREEN CHEMISTRYDON’T MISS!
As the global paradigm shifts towards sustainability, a new generation of innovative chemists and engineers are utilizing “green chemistry”— a philosophy of research that encourages the design of products and processes that minimize the use and gener-ation of hazardous substan-ces—to make your life more sustainable.
Paul Charpentier, a professor at the University of Western Ontario and director of Environmentally Friendly Solvents/Advanced Materials at the Chemical and Biochemical Engineer-ing school, says in recent years that alternative energy and green chem-istry have become interchangeable.
“Whether anyone believes in global warming or not, oil is going to increase in price as it becomes harder to get at,” says Charpentier.
With the major oil companies look-ing for the next solution to peak oil, more money has fl owed into green energy programs.
“There’s a big push in biomass pro-cessing (like) using algae to make fuels,” says Charpentier. “There’s a lot of inter-
est in that.”And with increased interest in
research and development comes a new set of jobs for the next generation of green chemists and engineers working with “abundant earth-friendly materi-als.”
Charpentier says he watched the tide of biochemistry change in the late 90’s.
“Back then the big push was green solvents,” he says.
Green solvents that provide the low-est possible impact on the environment are used to break down other chemicals.
The key driver in the 90’s was the pharmaceutical industry.
“The pharma industry has always done a lot in green chemistry,” says Charpentier, pointing out “one pound of pharmaceuticals generates 1400 pounds of waste.”
However, though the pharma indus-try generates a large amount of waste, Charpentier says the oil and gas indus-try has moved to the frontlines of green chemistry to fi nd its own solutions.
Finding the fundingMartin Reaney, SMA Chair Of Lipid Quality and Utilization and a researcher at the University of Sas-katchewan, says despite the fact that
there may not be a lot of money to go around for independent research-ers in Canada—where there’s a will, there’s a way.
“It’s a lot di� erent environment for biofuels than in Europe where they have higher subsidies (for research),” says Reaney. That’s allowed green chemists in Canada to become clever.
Some of his current research looks at processing the oil from oil crops, such as soy beans, that have been damaged dur-ing transportation on storage.
Once processed, the oil can be used as an alternative to petroleum in many cases—from fuel straight through to plastic polymers.
Possibilities aboundThe deeper you delve into green
chemistry, the more you realize the interconnectivity of all the industries looking to utilize it.
Xiao Qiu, a professor and researcher for the department of Applied Micro-biology and Food Sciences at the Uni-versity of Saskatchewan, also notes the interconnectivity along the value chain.
His research focuses on the “indus-trial use of unusual fatty acids.”
“These types of fatty
acid are very interesting as they can be used in a lot of di� erent ways,” says Qiu.
He points out that plastic and petrol-eum-based products play such a large role in our lives that development in one area of green chemistry usually works its way across the chain to other areas of research.
The diversity of applications for bio-products is a testament to the import-ance of green chemistry.
The fatty acid’s he’s looking into can be used as lubricants for the automotive and fabrication industry as well as to make resins and polymers, which can further be used to develop plastic products.
The way Qiu sees it, the future lies in biotech.
“Eventually bio-products will replace all those oils,” he says. “We have to fi nd a way to be sustainable.”
ANDREW SEALE
A HEALTHIER APPROACHThe pharmaceutical industry began heavily utilizing green chemistry in the 90’s.
Everyday innovations that are shaping your life
RECOGNIZE HOW INTER-CONNECTED
CHEMISTRY IS TO INDUSTRY
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www.bcbioenergy.ca
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Question: With an industry reluctant to incur additional costs, how can ideas evolve from the lab to economic and intellectual success?Answer: Through government support and a new hands-on approach, we can improve our country’s innovation track record.
Harnessing our intellect, supporting research growth Who would have thought that one way to reduce carbon emissions would be through chemicals? How can some-thing so closely associated in the public mind with the pollu-tion of our water and air help free us from the scourge of global warming?
The problem has never been chem-icals themselves—after all, every-thing, including us, is made up of them—but rather how we have manu-factured, used and disposed of them without heed to how they a� ect the environment.
Indeed, chemical products and technologies are already being used in a wide spectrum of ways to save energy, and they play a critical role in the worldwide reduction of carbon emissions.
Ironic as it may seem, the global environmental crisis o� ers the ser-iously fl agging Canadian chemical industry a real chance to reinvent itself, regain its competitive advan-tage, and perhaps even emerge as a signifi cant force in the global quest to clean up and protect the earth. But this means looking at chemicals and what we want them to do for us in a
new way. It means assessing them against an
entire new set of criteria when decid-ing whether to use them to build our cars, make our medicines and manu-facture the vast range of everyday con-sumer products that are part of our daily lives. This includes considera-tion of not only their toxic impact on the environment, but of how much energy is required (i.e. volume of fos-sil fuels used) to achieve the necessary chemical reaction.
It also means industry needs to take advantage of Canada’s rich deposits of chemical expertise and its excep-tionally strong chemistry research community with more than 1,000 research groups across the country.
Finding the talentHarnessing that intellectual horse-power to meet the growing appetite of industry for green technology innova-tions is today’s challenge. Canada has amply demonstrated its capacity for innovation, with an above-average track record for generating research breakthroughs amongst OECD nations, and double the amount of public sector research. Yet little of this research actually makes its way into society in the form of products and services that improve our quality of life.
Supporting the discovery—and beyondTypically, discoveries arising from university research are at a very early stage of development and universities lack the resources needed to develop them to the point that they can be put into practice by industry. A company whose interest is piqued by a new dis-covery will require multi-kg or multi-ton samples of the material to test in the plant or in the fi eld, not just a test tube’s worth.
With no real promise of success, industry is reluctant to assume the considerable costs—and risks—asso-ciated with advancing a discovery. Fortunately, a confl uence of circum-stances and developments has begun to reawaken Canada’s chemical sec-tor. For one thing, industry is coming to recognize that environmentally sound manufacturing practices based on green chemistry innovations can save money. That’s what happens when you use less energy to make your product and reduce the amount
of material you lose in waste byprod-ucts and pollution.
A growing national focusAt the same time, our governments have begun to invest in a new model of technology transfer that brings indus-try and universities together in a new way. At GreenCentre Canada, a national Centre of Excellence for Research and Commercialization and member of Ontario’s Network of Excellence, we work with universities and companies across the world to identify promising breakthroughs in green chemistry, consult with our industry partners about which of them have the greatest potential to transform their operations and then undertake, with industry’s assistance, the “hands on” develop-ment, scale-up and commercialization activities required to transform these discoveries into products and indus-trial technologies.
It’s a way to ensure a better return on public investments in university research, improve our country’s innov-ation track record and spearhead the next generation of Canada’s chemical industry.
HOW WE MADE IT
INSPIRATION
DR. RUI RESENDES
The S ustainable C hemistr y All iance is a not-for-profit organization established
in 2008 to promote growth and prosperity by fostering and suppor ting innovation,
development, c o m m e r c i a l i z a t i o n a n d r e l a t e d b u s i n e s s a c t i v i t i e s a n d p r o j e c t s i n
t h e a r e a of green and sustainable chemistr y. SC A is suppor ted by the Bioindustrial
I n n o v a t i o n Centre, a Centre of E x c e l l e n c e f o r C o m m e r c i a l i z a t i o n a n d R e s e a r c h
w i t h f u n d i n g f r o m t h e G o v e r n m e n t o f C a n a d a .
Murray McLaughlinPresident & [email protected]
S A R N I A O N T A R I Ow w w. s u s c h e m a l l i a n c e. c a
Cultivating Innovation for a Sustainable TomorrowT h e B i o i n d u s t r i a l I n n o v a t i o n C e n t r e i s C a n a d a ’s p r e e m i n e n t a c c e l e r a t o r f o r t h e
c o m m e r c i a l i z a t i o n o f l a r g e s c a l e i n d u s t r i a l b i o t e c h n o l o g y a n d r e l a t e d s u s t a i n a b l e
c h e m i s t r y. B I C i s f u n d e d t h r o u g h a c o m b i n a t i o n o f r e v e n u e s a n d i n v e s t m e n t s
f r o m t h e p r i v a t e s e c t o r a n d g o v e r n m e n t , i n c l u d i n g $ 1 5 m i l l i o n f ro m t h e G ove r n m e n t
o f C a n a d a ’s C e n t r e o f E x c e l l e n c e f o r C o m m e r c i a l i z a t i o n a n d R e s e a r c h p r o g r a m .
Dr. Murray McLaughlinExecutive [email protected]
BIOINDUSTRIAL INNOVATION CENTRESarnia, Ontario, Canadawww.bicsarnia.ca
PURSUING POTENTIAL. Dr. Rui Resendes, Executive Director of Green Centre Canada, advocates for continued support of discoveries made at universities. PHOTO: GREEN CENTRE CANADA
GREEN MANU-FACTURING PROCESSES CAN SAVE MONEY
GREEN MANU-FACTURING
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A green cement additive that shows potential to significant-ly strengthen concrete while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions has been discov-ered by Lakehead University.
The technology, developed by Dr. Lionel Catalan of the Department of Chemical Engineering, and Dr. Stephen Kinrade of the Department of Chemistry, increases concrete strength by up to 40 percent while also reducing the amount of Portland cement needed to make concrete.
The production of Portland cement involves heating calcium carbonate and clay at extremely high temper-atures; this process is responsible for an estimated seven percent of all greenhouse gases produced annually. Globally, approximately 1.35 billion tons of Portland cement are produced each year, releasing an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide into the air.
The researchers’ discovery marks an exciting “first” for Lakehead’s Innovation Management O� ce as the fi rst technology licence to be executed by the university with an external partner.
Copper research leads to “golden” discovery by Carleton University scientists
Carleton University research into technologies for producing nano-scale copper metal layers for use in the semiconductor industry has had an unexpectedly “golden” result.
Carleton’s Sean Barry and Jason Coyle were working on solving a sig-
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Murray McLaughlin S A R N I A O N T A R I O
INSPIRATION
A green cement additive that shows potential to significant-ly strengthen concrete while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions has been discov-ered by Lakehead University.
The technology, developed by Dr. Lionel Catalan of the Department of Chemical Engineering, and Dr. Stephen Kinrade of the Department of Chemistry, increases concrete strength by up to 40 percent while also reducing the amount of Portland cement needed to make concrete.
The production of Portland cement involves heating calcium carbonate and clay at extremely high temper-atures; this process is responsible for an estimated seven percent of all greenhouse gases produced annually. Globally, approximately 1.35 billion tons of Portland cement are produced each year, releasing an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide into the air.
The researchers’ discovery marks an exciting “first” for Lakehead’s Innovation Management O� ce as the fi rst technology licence to be executed by the university with an external partner.
Copper research leads to “golden” discovery by Carleton University scientists
Carleton University research into technologies for producing nano-scale copper metal layers for use in the semiconductor industry has had an unexpectedly “golden” result.
Carleton’s Sean Barry and Jason Coyle were working on solving a sig-
nifi cant industry challenge: creating an extremely thin, defect-free layer of copper on semiconductor wafers via a process called atomic layer deposition (ALD).
Working with Picosun Oy, a Fin-land-based global manufacturer of ALD equipment, the Carleton researchers solved the problem, creat-ing a copper precursor with the poten-tial to meet the performance needs of global semiconductor foundries.
An excellent thermal and electrical conductor, copper is the preferred metal of the microelectronics indus-try, where it is used to connect the microscopically small transistors used in silicon chips. ALD is the only method that enables the precise, nano-scale manufacturing of thin lay-ers and contact points on microelec-tronic components required by next-generation microprocessors and other silicon devices.
A further breakthrough came when the group repeated the process using gold. A di� cult challenge because of the precious metal’s density, weight and relatively low reactivity, the pro-cess worked, resulting in the world’s fi rst successful preparation of gold thin fi lms using plasma-enhanced ALD.
This achievement is noteworthy because it opens up new applications for gold, particularly in biomedical applications, where its non-reactive and longer-wearing properties make it a preferred candidate as a coating for medical devices and implants, and for use in micro-electrical mechanical sys-tems.
“This ALD precursor provides a best-
in-class alternative to the existing tech-nologies because it is economical, and it allows for higher performance, smaller geometries, lower power consumption and less waste,” says Stephen Adolph, Director of Commercial Development at PARTEQ Innovations, the technol-ogy transfer o� ce of Carleton Univer-sity. “The gold application is exciting because it could lead to longer-lasting, non-reactive implants with greater cost e� ciency.”
University of Alberta
chemical process holds promise for greener pharmaceutical productionA green chemical process with the potential to make production of phar-maceutical products more efficient and environmentally friendly has been developed by the University of Alberta.
The process, developed by U-of-A chemist Dr. Dennis Hall, uses a novel, heavy-metal-free catalyst that can be used at room temperature without cre-ating toxic by-products. The catalyst is used to create amide bonds, one of the
most common chemical components used in the preparation of pharma-ceutical compounds. Existing methods often require high temperatures and involve multiple steps and the addition of solvents or other toxic chemicals.
Dr. Hall is working to scale up the catalyst and use it to make molecules of interest to the pharmaceutical industry, as well as to the agricultural and plastics industries.
COURTESY OF GREEN CENTRE CANADA
INNOVATIONS ABOUND AT CANADIAN UNIVERSITIES
COPPER RUSHSeán Barry and Jason Coyle of Carleton University.PHOTO: DAVID IRVINE PHOTOGRAPHY
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INSIGHT
As the aviation industry pushes forward with development of bio jet fuel, the industry is abuzz with the commercial viability of an oil-seed-based fuel.
For Patrick Crampton, vice president of business and product development for Ottawa-based Agrisoma, the bio jet fuel industry is teetering on that edge.
“It just at that tipping point where it’s moving from the testing phase into the true start up of com-mercial operations using the fuel,” he says, pointing out that both the U.S. and the Canadian Military have certified bio jet fuel for use in their aircrafts.
“The international aviation industry basically has stated an objective of carbon neutral growth forward,” he adds.
In addition to carbon neutral-ity, the industry has also set a 50 percent reduction of greenhouse
gases (GHGs) by 2020 goal.In early December, the Federal
Aviation Administration in the United States shelled out US$7.7 million to the aviation industry to fund the commercialization of bio jet fuel.
“The reality is the worldwide aviation industry consumes roughly 70 billion gallons of jet fuel a year excluding military use,” says Crampton. “To be at a level of 10 percent of a global demand is seven billion gallons of bio jet fuel.”
The challenge of taking to the skiesBut the sector faces a few challenges that other transportation-related industries don’t.
“In the automobile sector you have alternatives like hybrids and electrical vehicles as a path for-ward to reduce carbon emissions,” says Crampton. “The aviation
industry demands a drop-in solu-tion that meets all of the stringent safety standards and all of the specifications around the fuel—a
liquid fuel-based solution is what’s needed.”
“Flight safety is the number one concern,” says Wajid Chishty,
research officer at the National Research Council of Canada’s Gas Turbine Laboratory, part of the Institute for Aerospace Research (IAR). “That is the reason we have stuck to the pre-existing specifica-tions (for engines).”
Agrisoma has focused a lot of its research on Brassica Carinata—an oilseed commonly referred to as Ethiopian mustard (a cousin to the tabletop condiment).
“We call it a drop in crop because it leverages a lot of the existing infrastructure in Canada,” Cramp-ton adds. “It can leverage the existing crushing capacity and infrastructure in Canada as well as the agronomic knowledge and herbicides that are available for use with canola today.”
ANDREW SEALE
Bio jet fuel use takes off
Despite Canada’s deci-sion to withdraw from the Kyoto Protocol, prospects are still bright for the green industry.
However, Ian Moncrie� would like to see more government support to help grow the biofuels industry within Canada especially since this country is already a signifi cant pro-ducer of biomass fuel in the form of wood pellets.
Unlike oil, the biofuel industry, receives no government subsidy, Moncrie� , who is the president of Canadian Biofuels Inc, says.
Fortunately for his business, Europe is very committed to greening their economies. “The Europeans are 10 to 15 years ahead of Canadians in terms of implementing biomass policy to meet their carbon footprint targets,” he notes.
Even South Korea is exploring bio-fuels, he points out. In 2009, Reuters reported that the US, Europe, China and South Korea are leading global renewable energy spending plans after committing about US$500 bil-lion to push “green” technologies to stimulate their own economies.
Biofuel’s importanceBiofuel fuel can create 91 percent less greenhouse gas emissions than fos-sil fuels. Last April, the International
Energy Agency calculated that bio-fuels can meet 27 percent of trans-portation fuels by 2050 and cut green-house gas emissions by 2.1 billion tons a year. However, those levels will remain pie-in-the-sky dreams unless conventional technologies become more e� cient at converting crops, algae and other organic material into energy.
Moncrie� says the technology is available, but emphasizes that gov-ernment buy-in is crucial to help the industry gain critical mass.
There are 58,000 farmers in Ontario, some of whom will be interested in growing crops like miscanthus grass for the biofuel industry. All Ontario needs is two million tonnes. “This internalizes the economy, so that Ontario can grow what it needs to gen-erate its own power,” Moncrie� says.
Such crops are grown on class 3 or less productive soils, which are too poor to sustain food crops, so “it is a hollow argument” that biofuel will dis-place food crops counters Moncrie� . They also do not require pesticides or fertilizers, keeping the farmers’ costs outlay down. Miscanthus grass, “which are like a soft bamboo”, are grown from rhizomes, and are sterile. The crops keep producing for 15 years.
Because there is a two and a half year period before they can be harvested, this deters farmers from growing them. A government subsidy will go a long way, he adds.
Business can boom, if condi-tions are rightCanadian Biofuel Inc, based in South-ern Ontario, has developed a system to produce high quality biomass fuel pellets and briquettes using wood, found feedstocks diverted from the waste stream, agricultural residues, purpose grown crops and industrial by-products. It can produce 30,000 tonnes of pellets per year, but this can be increased to 100,000 tonnes. “We can also build fi ve to six plants in small town Ontario if the business is there,” Moncrie� says.
Despite a slow start in Canada, over-seas demand is strong. On, December 5th, the Wood Pellet Association of Canada brokered a meeting between a major UK power authority and ten pel-let manufacturers. “The power author-ity wants to purchase 1.5 million tonnes of pellets from 2013, increas-ing to seven million tonnes by 2017,” revealed Moncrie� .
In January, two other European power authorities armed with similar shopping lists, are coming to Ontario.
“It’s a good business we’re in. We’re not talking small change here—just think about it, 1.5 million tonnes at $150 per tonne,” Moncrie� says.
INDRANI NADARAJAH
RAISING THE ECONOMYIan Moncrieff sees the value in farmers pursuing green energy crops.PHOTO: PRIVATE
Exploring a growing demand
A FRESH TAKE ON FUELBiofules, which are derived from plant materials such as the Carinata flower, can be utiized for uses just as jet fuel.PHOTO: CANOLA GROWERS OF CANADA
Developing British Columbia’s Bioeconomy is a huge chal-lenge requiring assertive com-panies, creative communities and visionary policy leader-ship and support.
A solid foundation for this has been provided through the BC Energy Plan, BC Bioenergy Strategy, the BC Climate Action Accord, and a Carbon Tax. The maturing of the Bioeconomy will require a focus on further techno-logical, economic and social develop-ment while continuing to maintain environmental leadership.
This emerging Bioeconomy relies on development, integration and best utilization of low cost bioenergy feedstocks. Utilization of existing waste streams for bioenergy feed-stocks holds the highest immediate potential for bioenergy development. Benefi ts include lowering the cost of waste disposal, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, fi xing energy prices in a rising market, and generating green jobs and creating economic divers-ifi cation in communities across the province.
Sustainable material sources
Woody biomass residuals are pri-marily sourced from sawmill, pulp and paper mills, or forest harvest residuals, including mountain pine beetle-damaged timber stands. These are then processed into wood chips, briquettes or pellets to replace fossil fuels used in heat and power facili-ties in Canada, the US, Europe, and Asia. Forest products companies are the original bioenergy pioneers— through the use of their own wood waste to generate energy for use in their plants to sell onto the electricity grid or to provide heat for community district energy systems. British Col-umbia has the largest concentration of pellet manufacturers in Canada, supplying over 1.1 million tonnes, mostly for export to Europe. The next generation of solid wood residual products, such as torrefi ed pellets and briquettes, represent one of the high-est potential growth opportunities for BC. Torrefaction technology, (a process of roasting within a defi ned temperature range in the absence of oxygen) will increase energy density and reduce logistics costs. The Uni-versity of British Columbia is the home of the fi rst combined heat and power gasifi cation plant based on the
unique Nexterra thermochemical syngas conditioning technology that generates electricity e� ciencies with low emissions, and utilizes heat gen-erated in the process. In Burnaby, BC, Lignol Innovations Ltd., is leading the world in conversion of residual woody biomass to fuel ethanol, lignin-based products and other specialty bio-chemicals.
Cleaning up and cashing inUtilization of municipal waste streams for bioenergy facilities reduces the amount of organic material sent to landfi lls where the organic matter converts to methane, a gas that is 20 times more harmful when released in the atmosphere than CO2. Municipal waste streams include municipal woody debris, green yard waste, food waste from residences and restaurants, urban wood waste from clean construction and demolition sites, and biosolids from sewage plants. These wastes can be processed today with existing tech-nologies for carbon neutral renewable electricity generation, heating appli-cations, or transportation fuels. In Richmond, BC, Fraser Richmond Soil and Fibre is establishing an innova-
t i v e m u n i -c i p a l g r e e n ( f o o d a n d y a r d ) waste to renewable e n e r g y d e m o n s t r a t i o n that will divert 27,000 tonnes of organic materials away from British Columbia landfi lls. In Nanaimo, the world’s fi rst conver-sion of residential organic waste to transportation grade fuel at a medium sized municipality is being developed by the ICC Group, with a number of exciting opportunities for exporting the technology to Europe and other global markets.
Animal and crop waste are two excellent feedstocks that can be used to produce heat and/or power through proven anaerobic digestion technology. The utilization of these wastes provides numerous benefi ts, including reduction of greenhouse gases, reduction of waste on agricul-tural lands, improved nutrient man-
agement for farming
communities, odor man-agement, and diversifi cation of revenue for the family farm.
The emerging Bioeconomy in BC shows how we can util-ize existing waste streams
to create valuable energy and bio-chemical products that will
reduce our depend-ence on fossil fuels and lighten the pollution burden on the environment.
MICHAEL WEEDON
Executive Director,
BC Bioenergy Network
B.C.: A BIOENERGY LEADER
NEW INNOVATIONS
A BIOENERGY LEADER
IMAGE: FOREST PRODUCT
ASSOCIATION OF CANADA
AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT BY MEDIAPLANET TO THE NATIONAL POSTAN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT BY MEDIAPLANET TO THE NATIONAL POST DECEMBER 2011 · 7
INSIGHT
FIGHTING AGAINST FIREEllen McGregor, President & CEO of Fielding Chemical Technologies.PHOTO: FEILDING CHEMICAL
TECHNOLOGIES
Canada produces an oil that is completely renew-able, clean burning and bio-degradable.
It’s called canola oil and due to its extremely low levels of saturated fat, it is one of our best domestic feedstocks for making biodiesel to replace fossil diesel fuel. The resulting fuel has some of its own health benefi ts a� ecting both the health of Canadians and the health of our environment.
An increasingly considered optionCanola-based biodiesel is a proven fuel source that is sup-plying an increasing amount of energy in the EU and the U.S. and more recently has been added to the Canadian diesel fuel sup-ply at an inclusion rate of two percent. One of the reasons canola-based biodiesel is being used at increasing rates is that it reduces GHG emissions over fos-sil diesel by 90 percent, litre for litre.
With emissions from the transportation sector forecast to exceed 1990 levels by 40 per-cent in 2020, the accelerated use of biofuels such as canola-based biodiesel is one way to reduce the GHG emissions. The use of biodiesel can help improve urban air quality by signifi-cantly reducing emissions of sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide and particulate matter.
And since canola is grown right here in our own backyard, a domestic biodiesel industry also has economic benefits that begin at the farm gate and extend far beyond. Supplying the domestic market with enough biodiesel to fulfill the two percent federal mandate creates a new domestic market for one million tonnes of canola. In addition, new plants mean new jobs in relation to the plant’s construction and operation.
A thriving alternativeThe canola industry in Canada is thriving and has expanded so much over the years that farm-ers now export 85 percent of everything they grow. Canola yields have increased by more than 40 percent over the last 10 years meaning farmers are able to grow more with less—less land, less crop inputs and less of an environmental footprint. This means not only will there be enough sustainably produced canola to meet the demand for its healthy cooking oil, but new markets such as biodiesel will be required to meet this increased supply.
Canola biodiesel is right for the environment and is pro-duced from one of the most sustainably produced crops in the world. It provides a new value-added market opportun-ity. It supports rural economic development and it provides long-term market stability for Canadian farmers.
This golden crop has enormous green potential.
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NEWS
CONSIDER ALTERNATI-
VES THAT MAY CHALLENGE CURRENT PRACTICE
CONSIDER
3TIP
Celebrating a century of brilliance
In 1911, Marie Curie became the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in chemistry for her discoveries of the elements radium and polonium.
These ultimately led to life-saving innovations, from the development of the x-ray to cancer treatments. But like all chemicals, radium and polonium must be handled safely, as they can cause health e� ects like the anemia from which Curie eventually died.
This year, the International Year of Chemistry (IYC) celebrated the 100th anniversary of Curie’s accomplish-ments. Chemistry has changed dra-matically over the last century. We’ve developed new materials, from the nylon in our clothes to biocompos-ites that can replace our aging joints.
We’ve worked out the structure of DNA, decoded the human genome, and synthesized biomolecules like insulin, which saves thousands of lives every year. The role of oil and gas in our economy has expanded, and we’ve developed innovative methods to extract and refi ne these materials from ever more inaccessible reserves.
Choosing a directionToday, Canadian chemistry is at a crossroads. Oil and gas will continue to be important feedstocks for years to come, but our best and bright-est are hard at work on developing alternatives. Our aging population will require new medicines and bio-compatible materials. But most of all, we’ve changed the way we look at chemical production. Our new triple bottom line includes “people” and “planet” as well as “profi t.”
Green chemistry focuses on the development of new processes that contain fewer harmful intermediates, make use of sustainable feedstocks, or increase overall e� ciency. This development will be led by the next generation of chemists, who today are still students discovering the power of
chemistry for the fi rst time.
Supporting the acheivements of academiaThe Chemical Institute of Canada (CIC) is a non-profi t, non-government funded membership association of chemists, chemical engineers and chemical technologists employed in industry, academia and govern-ment. The CIC plays an important role in building a green and sustain-able chemical industry. In 2008 the CIC introduced the Canadian Green Chemistry and Engineering Network (CGCEN), and began a national awards program recognizing significant contributions to the fi eld. In 2010 we hosted the third IUPAC Confer-ence on Green Chemistry. “The CIC encourages entrepreneurs and the development of technology toward a more sustainable future in chemical sciences and engineering,” states Ber-nard West of Westworks Consulting, who is also CIC past-chair and CGCEN co-chair.
History-making endeavoursCanada has seen a recent surge in investment in sustainable chemistry.
One example is the recent announce-ment of the world’s fi rst industrial-scale biosuccinic acid plant, which will be built in Sarnia by BioAmber. Another is LANXESS, a global leader in specialty chemicals, which has established a 10-year exclusive sup-ply agreement focused on producing isobutanol from renewable resources with biotech start-up GEVO. “Indus-trial-based research is key to innova-tion, and the CGCEN will continue to work closely with these organizations to forge a brighter future in green chemistry and engineering,” con-tinues West.
Sustainability has been a major IYC theme worldwide, and was refl ected in many Canadian initia-tives, from public talks to the Global Water Experiment. The challenge for the next generation will be to learn the lessons of the past, and make that future a reality.
ROLAND ANDERSSON
Executive Director,
Chemical Institute of Canada
■ Question: How has the chem-istry industry evolved over the past few generations?
■ Answer: Today’s focus is set on deceasing harmful processes and strengthening the development of sustainable ones.
CHERYL MAYER
Director of Policy Development,
Canadian Canola Growers Association
Canola: A golden crop with green potential
ANDREW SEALE
Bio jet fuel use takes off
agement for farming
communities, odor man-agement, and diversifi cation of revenue for the family farm.
The emerging Bioeconomy in BC shows how we can util-ize existing waste streams
to create valuable energy and bio-chemical products that will
reduce our depend-ence on fossil fuels and lighten the pollution burden on the environment.
A molecule, which is com-posed of two or more atoms, retains the chemical and physical properties of the ob-ject it is part of.
It used to be thought that a molecule could not be sustained beyond the life of the object it was fi rst created for, but advances in green chemistry are show-ing that this is not true.
In short, spent molecules do not have to die.
However, too many molecules are ending up in deep wells, landfi lls and incinerators, because there is insu� -cient o� cial emphasis on recycling them, says Ellen McGregor, president and CEO of Fielding Chemical Technol-ogies, an environmental company spe-cializing in chemical and refrigerant recovery services and in the production of recycled chemical products.
“When you consider the havoc that
has been caused by disposed chem-icals [think “Erin Brockovich”], and the enormous tax on oil and water needed to manufacture chemicals in the fi rst place, it’s time we fi nd ways to extend the life of old molecules,” McGregor says. But this needs to be supported by a regulatory framework that insists chemicals generators choose recycling over destruction wherever possible.
“As long as society accepts that spent molecules can be buried or burned, entrepreneurs and investors will rightly conclude there is an insu� cient market to address,” says McGregor.
Creating market certaintyThe chemical recycling industry needs more investment in science and capital but that won’t be forthcoming until there is market certainty. This is where legislation comes in.
One of Fielding’s most lucrative busi-nesses is in repurposing refrigerants,
helped by the Montreal Protocol (an international treaty developed to aid in ozone layer protection), which stipu-lates what refrigerants can be repur-posed and what must be destroyed.
“Adhering to the principles of green chemistry, a lot of research and develop-ment has resulted in the production of non- ozone-depleting refrigerants, but they too must be reclaimed. Our reclaimed refrigerants meet or exceed the highest standards and are returned to the market place for the exact same use,” McGregor explains.
Burning competition “The incinerator is our biggest com-petitor,” mourns McGregor.
In North America, the greatest investments in assets for spent chem-icals have been for destruction either through straight incineration or through “waste to energy” facilities such as those used in cement kilns
where spent chemicals are used for their BTU value as a fuel. No regula-tions force the generator to “examine”, let alone choose, a technically and eco-nomically viable recycling option over destruction, she says.
Canada has been slow to create legis-lation that will stimulate the growth of businesses that serve the three R’s—recycle, reuse and reduce. “Everything that is recyclable must be recycled before it is burned for energy. Such a mindset will help give birth to a new, highly-skilled industry in Canada,” McGregor points out.
“We don’t believe in the cradle-to-grave approach. Cradle-to-cradle [or life to new life] is a cultural rudder for our business. We manage molecules. ”
“... emissions from the transportation sector (are_ fore-casted to exceed 1990 levels by 40 percent in 2020...”
INDRANI NADARAJAH
Seeking a second life for molecules
Ontario’s Biomass Resources – A Valuable Energy Advantage
By Don MacKinnonPresidentPower Workers’ Union
The European Union, and member countries like Denmark, Sweden and Germany are aggressively making biomass a larger part of their energy mix. Recently, Australia estab-lished a $100 million (U.S.) investment fund for projects that will produce biomass pellets for use in coal and oil generating stations. By comparison, Ontario is moving slowly.
Denmark’s Energy Agency defines biomass as the collective term for all organic sub-stances formed by photosynthesis such as forest and agricultural wastes as well as purpose grown crops. For decades, Euro-pean countries have recognized the inherent environmental and economic benefits of using this renewable, carbon-neutral fuel to produce electricity, heat and power trans-portation. As a result, European companies are negotiating to secure biomass supplies in Ontario and around the world.
While Europe moves forward, Ontario remains fixated on spending tens of billions of dollars for more intermittent wind and solar genera-tion while paying little attention to the prov-ince’s vast forest and farm biomass resources. Ontario’s approach is based on two arguments: wind and solar generation is renewable and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission free; and Ontario’s economy can be transformed through tens of thousands of new jobs created by these “green” technologies. Both arguments fall apart on close examination.
Intermittent wind and solar generation requires back up more than 70 percent of the time and Ontario plans to use natural gas generation for this purpose. As wind and solar expand, more and more natural gas generation will be required – not less.
Simple logic tells us this growing dependence on carbon-emitting natural gas generation will compromise the province’s ability to meet its GHG targets. This challenge will be even more difficult as Ontario becomes increasingly reliant on environmentally problematic U.S. shale gas. By comparison, biomass is renewable, it is carbon-neutral, it is not intermittent, it is “made in Ontario” and by utilizing it in our existing coal generating stations, it can dis-place carbon-emitting natural gas generation.
Increased investments in biomass supply chain infrastructure can create thousands more jobs in Ontario’s forestry, agricultural and trans-portation industries. It builds on Ontario’s sustainable competitive advantages with our vast forestry and agricultural resources. Unfortunately, Ontario has chosen to provide huge handouts to large multinational wind and solar developers in the unlikely hope that Ontario can challenge China’s growing world dominance in the manufacturing of wind towers and solar panels. This failed strategy recently cost the U.S. government half a billion dollars when a California-based solar panel manufacturer filed for bankruptcy.
Wind and solar advocates never provide a full accounting for the cost of chasing this option. Ignored are the costs of building back up natural gas generation, new trans-mission lines and smart grid technologies. Also ignored are the implications for Ontario’s energy security as the province’s reliance on natural gas imports increases and ultimately raises the price for both electricity and home heating costs. In the end, Ontario families and businesses will pay for this failed strategy.
Ontario Power Generation (OPG), academ-ics and private investors recognize that our province has the biomass resources, technol-ogy and infrastructure base to follow Europe’s lead. OPG has undertaken exten-sive and successful testing and research at the provincially supported Atikokan Research Centre and at other coal stations. OPG is now seeking approval to operate the Atiko-kan Generating Station with biomass fuel.
Although Ontario’s long-term energy plan acknowledges that the Nanticoke and Lamb-ton stations could be converted to use biomass and natural gas, no firm contract has been struck. It’s time for Ontario to recycle both of these provincially owned sites for mixed biomass and gas electricity generation.
The benefits include: renewable, carbon-neutral electricity available for peak demand; lower capital costs compared to new natural gas plants; use of existing generation and transmission infrastructure; thousands more jobs in Ontario’s forestry, agricultural and transportation industries; and continued economic benefits for the willing host communities. Other countries recognize Ontario’s biomass advantage and are coming here to secure our resources. Without decisive leadership, a comprehen-sive biomass strategy and a clear investment plan, Ontario will lose out on this sustain-able carbon-neutral energy resource.
OntariO’s BiOmass
resOurces can Deliver mOre
renewaBle energy anD
ecOnOmic Benefits
Carbon-neutral, renewable electricity can be generated from Ontario’s vast agricultural and forestry wastes and purpose grown crops. • Unlikeintermittentwindandsolarfarms,biomasscan
produce electricity when it is needed.• Existingcoalstations,withtheirvaluabletransmission
connections, can be retrofitted to utilize biomass.• Usingcarbon-neutralbiomassreducesgreenhousegases
and our reliance on price volatile natural gas.• Italsocreatesthousandsofjobsinagriculture,forestry
and transportation and provides the base for a high-value biomaterials industry.
Ontarians deserve reliable, secure, and environmentally responsible electricity at a price they can afford.
For more information please go towww.abetterenergyplan.ca
FROM THE PEOPLE WHO HELP KEEP THE LIGHTS ON