The Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority (HOPA Ports) has secured the future operation of a biodiesel facility in Hamilton, Ontario, previously operated by Canada-based renewable energy company Biox Corporation.
The Biox facility had been operating at the port site for more than two decades, processing used cooking oil (UCO), animal fats and seed oils into biodiesel, HOPA Ports said on 22 September.
Since being built in 2005, more than US$70M had been invested in the 67M litres/year plant.
HOPA Ports had finalised an agreement with Biox – owned by World Energy/Hartree – on 15 August, securing the plant’s assets, preventing the liquidation of essential equipment and maintaining the plant’s ability to re-start operations.
The port authority said it was also actively engaging with industry partners to identify a suitable operator capable of maintaining biodiesel production at the facility.
Against this backdrop, it said regulatory progress had boosted the outlook for domestic biodiesel and the Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) had introduced a regulatory amendment to support the use of Canadian-produced biodiesel in provincial blending requirements.
“These collaborative efforts, combined with the Federal government’s recent announcement of production incentives, send a clear message of support for Canada’s renewable energy sector,” said HOPA Ports president and CEO Ian Hamilton.
The developments gave HOPA Ports the opportunity to help return the facility to active production and was in line with the Great Lakes fleet’s transition to marine biofuels, the company said.
An integrated port network, HOPA Ports has port assets in Hamilton, Niagara and Oshawa, Ontario, Canada.
