Call for Innovations: carbon capture and utilization (CCU) technologies for the Port-Daniel-Gascons cement plant

Écotech Québec, the Gaspésie Cleantech Hub and McInnis Cement, in collaboration with the Québec Ministère de l’Économie et de l’Innovation, are joining forces to launch an international call for innovations to identify carbon capture and utilization technologies for Port-Daniel-Gascons, McInnis cement plant.

“From the moment the company was founded, McInnis Cement has been exploring the option of replacing some of the hydrocarbons used as fuel for the plant with locally generated residual forest biomass so as to reduce its environmental emissions, explains Maryse Tremblay, Director of Communications and Corporate Social Responsibility at McInnis Cement. A study to verify the feasibility of this solution is underway and, depending on the conclusions, a pilot project using this method could take shape. McInnis Cement also wishes to identify the carbon capture and utilization technologies best suited to its situation, and also to explore other possibilities allowing further emissions reductions.”

“We have been organizing INNO+ events for the past several years. These calls for innovations help businesses in their search to find solutions to boost their competitiveness while improving their environmental footprint. This INNO+ targets developers with technology to capture and utilize CO₂, while maximizing the regional economic benefits of the cement plant,” notes Denis Leclerc, President and CEO of Écotech Québec.

This call for innovations will take place until May 2020 and will use specific criteria to evaluate the economic and environmental impact of the various proposals, while considering the social structure of the region. To foster a dynamic regional ecosystem, priority will be given to solutions that demonstrate potential for industrial symbiosis.

“The selected organizations will be invited to come to Gaspésie in June 2020 to take part in an innovation mission. They will have an opportunity to visit the Port-Daniel-Gascons cement plant, building business relationships with players in the region and participating in the second edition of our Rendez-Vous Carbone” adds Guy Pardiac, Director of the Gaspésie Cleantech Hub.

McInnis Cement uses 40% less fuel per metric ton of cement produced than traditional cement plants, making it one of the most environmentally efficient plant in its industry. It also utilizes a number of systems that reduce the emission of pollutants into the environment. It is the only cement plant in Canada that voluntarily complies with the strictest air emission standards in North America.

CO₂ is the most prevalent greenhouse gas responsible for climate change and as such is a pollutant often targeted for elimination. However, CO₂ is also a resource since it is a raw material used by many businesses. Therefore, the ideal solution is to deploy carbon capture and utilization technologies near major carbon-emitting industries so these emissions can be used by industrial players that consume CO₂. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), CO₂ capture and utilization solutions are a key element in the transition to a low-carbon energy sector.

For more information, please visit www.innoplus.ca/en

About Écotech Québec

The first organization of its kind in Canada, Écotech Québec represents Québec’s cleantech cluster. It supports key players from Québec—businesses, researchers, investors and associations—to help accelerate the development, financing and commercialization of clean technologies. As a non-profit organization, Écotech Québec relies on the financial support of the private sector, the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal and the governments of Québec and Canada. Écotech Québec is a founding partner of the CanadaCleantech Alliance, a member of the International Cleantech Network, and a founding member of the Solar Impulse Foundation’s World Alliance for Efficient Solutions.

About Gaspésie Cleantech Hub

As part of its efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, McInnis Cement is working closely with the Gaspésie Cleantech Hub (Pôle des technologies propres de la Gaspésie). The hub is an economic development organization created to help the region maximize the economic benefits of establishing the cement plant. The hub’s primary mission is to foster industrial symbiosis so that McInnis Cement can reduce the environmental footprint of its cement plant activities.

About McInnis Cement

McInnis Cement is a private company headquartered in Montreal, Canada. Located in Port-Daniel–Gascons in Canada, its cement plant is the first such plant built in 50 years to serve the northeastern North American market. Having built a deepwater marine terminal near the plant, McInnis Cement operates its own distribution network of terminals strategically located in Canada and the United States. This network quickly and efficiently serves markets along the east coast of North America and the entire perimeter of the Atlantic Ocean. As a new player in the North American cement market, the company aims to supply its customers with superior-quality cements that are consistently produced and reliably distributed in accordance with sustainable development principles. The high-technology McInnis cement plant meets or exceeds the strictest environmental standards, making it one of the most environmentally responsible facilities in the cement industry.

Contacts

Amélie Bergeron-Vachon
Director, Innovation, Écotech Québec
E-Mail: [email protected]

Maryse Tremblay
Director, Communications and Corporate Social Responsibility, McInnis Cement
E-Mail: [email protected]

Guy Pardiac
Director Gaspésie Cleantech Hub (Pôle des technologies propres de la Gaspésie)
E-Mail: [email protected]

Source: McInnis, press release, 2020-02-13.