By Communications Staff
Friday, October 16, 2009
The University of Western Ontario opened a new $5-million biofuel facility today (Friday) and unveiled the first sale of a university-developed harvester that turns agricultural byproducts into a material for creating fuels, chemicals and fertilizers.
John Milloy, Ontario Minister of Research and Innovation, led the official opening of the Institute for Chemicals and Fuels from Alternative Resources (ICFAR), located at Western's Experimental Research Farm on Wonderland Road north of London.
"There's enormous global demand for sustainable biofuels and Ontario is in a strong position to seize this opportunity," says Milloy.
Nearly 100 members of the farming community, industry, government, academics and politicians were on hand to open facilities designed to test the next generation biofuel technologies being developed by Western researchers.
WORLDiscoveries Executive Director Paul Paolatto announced the sale of the first Agri-therm mobile pyrolisis unit to the government of Mexico, though the University of Vera Cruz, for $1 million. WORLDiscoveries is the business development office for the university, Robarts Research Institute and Lawson Health Research Institute.
Paolatto says more deals may be in the pipeline.
"We have more than 250 qualified leads around the world," says Paolatto, adding "there is nothing more important to the team at Agri-therm than to add a decal that says 'Made in London, ON.'"
The portable unit can be hauled from one farm field to the next to process waste such as corn husks into a solid bio-char and bio-oil. This material then becomes an eco-friendly ingredient in fertilizers, fuels and chemicals, including environmentally friendly insecticides and pesticides.
The patented, mobile pyrolysis unit has been undergoing testing and revisions for the past several years. Pyrolysis uses heat to break down complex chemical substances into simpler substances.
ICFAR is also expected to house two new energy-related research chairs and provides workspace for visiting scientists and students from Canada and abroad.
The new research facility, led by Engineering professors Franco Berruti and Cedric Briens, will help place Ontario at the forefront of global biofuel research.
The institute received $5 million from the province last July, and has already created eight new jobs while allowing 20 graduate students to pursue research leading to Masters and PhD degrees.
"I thank the Government of Ontario for its vision and commitment to world-leading research in facilities like ICFAR," says Western President Amit Chakma.
"Investments in researchers and knowledge creation, technology transfer and commercialization are taking place at universities through institutes like ICFAR and will result in new industrial collaborations, the creation of new long-term jobs and a more diversified green economy in Southwestern Ontario."
The facility has generated huge interest in the local agricultural community.
"More sustainable biofuels is good news for Ontario farmers and good news for our families," says Maria Van Bommel, MPP for Lambton-Kent-Middlesex. "It means a cleaner, healthier environment, and sustainable innovation-based jobs for rural Ontario."
