Quebec Company Wins Clean BioEnergy Technology Award

GLOBE-Net, November 15, 2012 – Montreal-based bioenergy company Biothermica has won a global clean technology award for bio-energy and ranks among the world’s Top Ten Clean Technology companies chosen by the Global Cleantech Cluster Association (GCCA).

The GCCA rewards leading companies in the high-growth field of clean technology and renewable energy. This year, ten companies were finally selected among a record 200 nominations. Biothermica was the only Canadian winner.

Biothermica was rewarded for its active engagement in the destruction and utilization of methane emitted by landfills and underground coal mines. The company is responsible for the development, financing and implementation of the largest landfill gas power plant in Canada.

[stextbox id=”custom” float=”true” width=”200″ bcolor=”add3d5″ bgcolor=”add3d5″ image=”null”]Methane is the second most important GHG and is 25 times more potent than CO2 over a 100 year period. Coal mine methane and landfill gas emissions combined account for 17% of global methane emissions, namely 1,170 million tCO2e per year. [/stextbox]

Since 1996, the Gazmont power plant has generated more than 2 billion kWh of green electricity and reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by more than 11 million tons of CO2 equivalent (tCO2e), namely 700,000 tCO2e per year, the same as removing 150,000 cars from the road.

Biothermica also developed, financed and implemented the first coal mine ventilation air methane (VAM) destruction project at an active underground mine in North America. Based on the company’s proprietary VAMOX® technology, this project has been operational since March 2009 at a Walter Energy mine in Alabama, USA, and is registered with the rigorous Climate Action Reserve (CAR) carbon standard.

Over its first 3.5 years of operation, the project has reduced GHG emissions by more than 80,000 tons of CO2 equivalent (tCO2e).

“We are honored to have been selected by the GCCA, and would also like to thank Écotech Quebec, the Quebec clean technology cluster, for supporting our nomination”, said Guy Drouin, President of Biothermica.

“This award recognizes our long-time involvement in methane destruction and utilization, as well as the importance of tackling these emissions on a global basis”.

Based on the success of its VAMOX® technology in Alabama, Biothermica has partnered with Walter Energy to develop VAM oxidation projects at all of the company’s current and future suitable ventilation shafts. The first project under the agreement is planned to be operational in late 2013, reducing GHG emissions by some 400,000 tCO2e per year.

Ultimately, the implementation of the entire pipeline of projects is expected to reduce emissions by approximately 3 million tCO2e per year.

“Biothermica’s innovative technologies and projects are a clear illustration of the contribution of the clean technology industry to Quebec’s sustainable development and the future cap-and-trade carbon market, which will be linked with California through the Western Climate Initiative” said Denis Leclerc, President and CEO of Écotech Québec.

As a fully integrated project developer, the company monetizes the energy and carbon offset credits generated by its projects on the national and international markets. Biothermica has completed carbon and energy projects in North and Central America.

The GCCA’s Global Top 10 Winners represent the best of the association’s over 4000 member companies.  The GCCA Global Top 10 Winners were judged by 28 cleantech venture capital and private equity investors and serial entrepreneurs, who collectively manage over $3.5 billion in global clean technology investment.

For more information about Biothermica, visit www.biothermica.com