Expander Energy’s bio-fuel certified net-zero

Independent, third-party analysis confirms negative carbon intensity for Expander Energy Inc’s Bio-SynDiesel.

Expander Energy has developed a way to turn wood waste and other biomass into green, net-zero carbon emissions diesel fuel and plans to start production in 2024, 26 years ahead of Canada’s Net-Zero Carbon emissions pledge.  The Alberta-based company developed and patented its own technologies to answer the challenges of creating Fossil Free Net-Zero Carbon Intensity bio-synthetic fuels.

Expander’s new Enhanced Biomass-to-Liquids (EBTL) system shifts the paradigm for converting cellulosic biomass to Bio-SynDiesel. The process comprises steam methane reforming (SMR), Fischer Tropsch synthesis (FTS), and Expander’s patented tar-free biomass gasifier, plus conventional gas scrubbing and compression to recover pure bio-carbon dioxide for sequestration.

A minimum size EBTL plant with a single gasifier produces 24,000 litres per day of Net-Zero Bio-SynDiesel and sequesters 50 tonnes of net bio-carbon dioxide per day. This compares to 12 tonnes per day of carbon dioxide removed by the recently completed Orca Direct-Air-Capture project in Iceland.

The fuel produced complies with North America’s ASTM D975 and Europe’s CEN 15940 diesel specifications as “drop-in” or as fully fungible blend stock to meet current and future low carbon fuel standards (LCFS). Key properties are 100% renewable, high Cetane Number (>70), zero sulphur, high stability and biodegradability.

Slave Lake plant

Expander plans to construct its first EBTL facility in Slave Lake Alberta adjacent to the Vanderwell sawmill.  This location offers the shortest timeline to commercial operation since Expander has completed a Front End Engineering Design package and obtained an Alberta Environment and Parks permit. 

The site addressees all the key prerequisites for success – ample wood waste biomass; fuel gas supply; road and rail access; low carbon intensity electric power; carbon dioxide disposal facilities; experienced forestry and energy industry labour force and close proximity to British Columbia – the most mature low carbon fuel market in Canada.

Expander plans to build several more plants, and license technology by providing engineering/technical support and fabrication of critical proprietary components to meet Canada’s growing need for low carbon fuels.

European support

Air Technic of Prague, Czechia developed the Biomass Gasification technology with European Union support to generate renewable, green power.  Several of its gasifier units have run continuously producing tar-free syngas, receiving formal EU Certification.  The current version of the gasifier technology is co-patented by Expander and Air Technic specifically for FT synthesis to Bio-SynDiesel.

The EBTL process achieves its low, negative Carbon Intensity by feeding only bio-carbon to the FTS reactor and SMR; utilizing low carbon intensity electrical power; and recovering and sequestering by-product bio-carbon dioxide.  Natural gas only supplements the fuel to the SMR furnace.