British Columbia is making significant strides towards its clean fuel goals and low-carbon future with the completion of Canada’s first standalone renewable diesel refinery. The announcement was made by the Province and Tidewater Renewables on June 16, 2023.
The Tidewater facility will use bio-feedstocks like canola, tallow, and tall oil to produce renewable diesel, which offers an impressive 80% to 90% reduction in carbon emissions compared to fossil fuel diesel. By blending renewable feedstocks with transportation fuels, the process lowers their carbon intensity and supports the fight against climate change.
The $380-million renewable diesel refinery was built with the support of the Province’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS), which provides credits for actions that increase the use of low-carbon fuels or reduce the carbon intensity of such fuels.
Once fully operational, the facility is expected to produce over 3,000 barrels of low-carbon fuel per day, equivalent to approximately 170 million liters annually. Additionally, the refinery will generate renewable hydrogen, potentially supplying excess renewable hydrogen for other purposes.
Earlier this month, mining giant Rio Tinto became the world’s first open pit mine to fully transition its heavy machinery from fossil diesel to renewable diesel at its Boron, California operation.
Source: News Release
Image of PGR Renewable Diesel & Renewable Hydrogen Complex: Tidewater Renewables