What do we do?
Biofuel produced by upcycling waste
Beginning in 2026, more than 200,000 tonnes of non-recyclable waste and residual biomass will be upcycled each year1 to produce biomethanol.
1 Source : RCV
What makes Recyclage Carbonne Varennes biofuel unique?
The Recyclage Carbonne Varennes plant will upcycle non-recyclable waste destined for landfill sites. It will also use biomass, which otherwise decomposes and produces CO2. The carbon extracted from these solid materials will be added to the green hydrogen produced on site to produce biomethanol.
Biomethanol: A concrete alternative to waste disposal
The technology that Recyclage Carbonne Varennes will use, developed by Enerkem, makes it possible to upcycle large quantities of non-recyclable waste. This approach is part of an innovative circular economy policy.
How does green hydrogen come into the picture?
Non-recyclable waste and residual biomass are abundant in carbon, but limited in hydrogen. Adding green hydrogen allows the process to convert more of the available carbon into methanol.
This is why the plant will have its own 90 megawatt electrolyzer, which will be the largest capacity commissioned in Québec to date. This equipment will use renewable energy to transform water into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen generated can then be transported to the biorefinery, where it will be used to produce methanol.
Greener fuel for maritime transport
Biofuel is highly sought-after as a means of reducing the carbon footprint in areas where electrification is difficult or impossible. The quantities Varennes will produce are intended to help maritime transport go green.
Biomethanol is the ship fuel with the lowest carbon footprint. Production will help reduce GHGs worldwide. This GHG reduction is equivalent to taking nearly 30,000 vehicles off the road every year1.
1 Source : RCV