Frequently asked questions
You have questions, we have answers.
The product
What is biofuel?
Biofuel is a fuel produced from renewable organic matter, derived from biomass such as plants and forest residue, which explains the “bio” prefix in biofuel.
What is biofuel used for?
Biofuel is mainly used in the transport sector to complement or replace conventional fuels.
What is biomethanol?
Biomethanol, produced by RCV, is a type of biofuel obtained by transforming biogenic waste and residual biomass.
What are the benefits of biofuel?
The use of biofuels helps reduce dependence on fossil fuels, thereby also reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the transport industry.
Biofuels are renewable in the short term, as they are produced from crops that can be renewed and/or replanted. On the other hand, fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas, and coal are considered non-renewable on the human scale, as they take millions of years to form.
Biofuels can be produced locally more easily, contributing to energy independence.
Biofuels are renewable in the short term, as they are produced from crops that can be renewed and/or replanted. On the other hand, fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas, and coal are considered non-renewable on the human scale, as they take millions of years to form.
Biofuels can be produced locally more easily, contributing to energy independence.
Is there a market for biomethanol?
The biomethanol market is growing, particularly due to increased demand for greener, more sustainable fuels, to help in reducing the carbon footprint in all transport sectors. The use of biomethanol as a viable alternative for the maritime transport industry is increasing in popularity.
What is RDF?
RDF stands for Refuse Derived Fuel. RDF is generally made up of carbon- and oxygen-rich materials such as wood waste and many forms of solid waste that cannot be recycled, such as construction waste, materials rejected by sorting centres, etc.
What is syngas?
Syngas, or synthesis gas, is the product resulting from the combustion of RDF into carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H2).
The process
How is biofuel produced?
There are several technologies and methods used to produce biofuels. Recyclage Carbonne Varennes uses a process in which biomass is converted to methanol via gasification, syngas cleaning, and methanol formation.
How is it possible to extract carbon from waste?
Carbon can be extracted from waste that contains a certain level of carbon. Recyclage Carbonne Varennes will use carbon-rich waste stream sources such as wood waste like bark and other non-recyclable biogenic waste.
Is hydrogen a renewable energy?
Hydrogen is renewable, depending on the process used. We will use renewable hydroelectricity, purchased from Hydro-Québec, in an electrolyzer to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. Electrolysis that uses renewable electricity, as implemented by Recyclage Carbonne Varennes, is therefore a renewable form of hydrogen.
What is an electrolyzer?
An electrolyzer uses electricity to split water into its two basic chemical constituents: hydrogen and oxygen. There are several different technologies, but they all basically work using a process involving an anode, a cathode, and an electrical source. The main difference resides in the barrier or electrolyte between the anode and cathode used to separate the two elements. Recyclage Carbonne Varennes has chosen proton exchange membrane (PEM) technology due to its proven higher efficiency.