Alberta’s new tire-derived fuel (TDF) pilot project will test the viability of turning 1.5 million used tires into some 15,750 tonnes of shredded rubber that can be converted into fuel at Lafarge Canada’s new low-carbon fuel facility in Kananaskis, west of Calgary.
The pilot will be led by the Alberta Recycling Management Authority (ARMA), which since 1992 has recycled some 150 million tires as manager of the province’s tire recycling program.
While similar TDF projects have been launched in Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec, the pilot will be a first for Alberta.
Scrap tires are currently used in municipal landfills, playground surfaces, and landscaping materials, but new markets are needed to avoid tire stockpiles, Alberta’s government stated.
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“The Tire-Derived Fuel Pilot program is another step in resource recovery,” announced ARMA President and CEO Ed Gugenheimer in a statement. “This pilot initiative not only addresses near-term tire stockpile reduction needs from our Tire Recycling Program, but also brings the potential to further boost economic opportunities across the province.”
The new $38-million Lafarge facility already burns wood-based construction demolition waste for fuel that replaces half of its natural gas use. Project officials say they save 120,000 tonnes of material from landfill and reduce emissions by some 30,000 tonnes annually. Geocycle Canada, also a member of Holcim Group, is responsible for co-processing the waste into low-carbon fuels.
In a related announcement, Alberta’s government is also investing $10 million from the industry-funded Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction (TIER) fund to help launch the new Strategic Energy Management for Industry program. The program will cover the cost of energy assessments and capital retrofits to save Alberta-based industrial and manufacturing facilities money on energy bills.
“We are investing in lower-emission fuels and facility upgrades to set our energy sector up for continued success,” announced Alberta Minister of Environment and Protected Areas, Rebecca Schulz, in a statement. “These new initiatives will keep our province at the forefront of technological advancement and ensure Alberta continues to lead the way to reduce emissions and turn waste into energy.”
