Canada NewsWire

EDMONTON AND TORONTO, Nov. 22, 2011

EDMONTON AND TORONTO, Nov. 22, 2011 /CNW/ - A U.S.-based bioenergy company, The Power Alternative Inc. (TPA), and a consortium of Canadian and Alberta financial, operating and logistics partnersannounced today that they remain committed to building two separate 66 million litre a year biodiesel plants in Alberta.  The fully-integrated crush and biodiesel plants, each with a total capital cost of $30 million (CDN), would be located in northwestern Alberta (in the High Prairie region) and in northeastern Alberta(in Smoky Lake County).

"The projects we are proposing reflect both a vision and commitment tosmaller, regionally-sited plants that integrate with local and regional feedstock supply chains," said TPA Chair James Padilla Sr.  "Our ongoing series of local and regional agricultural producer information sessions have demonstrated our commitment to establishing win-win partnerships with local agricultural producers - preferably for off-grade canola and, in the future, for other non-food-grade feedstocks that are grown on more marginal or underutilized lands.With a $200 million a year regional expenditure multiplier associated with each plant, this ongoing dialogue with producers and other regional components of the supply chain will continue to be a priority." 

TPA President Jim Padilla Jr. added, "Alberta's and Canada's new mandated requirements for biodiesel production and blending with hydrocarbon-based diesel have created a significant opportunity for Alberta production.  This opportunity goes beyond just diesel fuel blending to include possible co-firing in coal-fired electricity generation -where biodiesel CO2 emissions are 78% less than petroleum-derived diesel - to aviation bio-fuels, bio-diluents, bio-fertilizer and bio-herbicide production.  These are all value-added green economy applications where Alberta - and particularly rural Alberta - clearly has significant potential to become a North American leader."

"The commitment is to have the first 66 million litre a year project up and running by the end of 2012, or early 2013 at the latest, a timeframe that was achieved with the constructionof TPA's recent modular-designed plant in Michigan," said Shane Pospisil, speaking on behalf of New West Opportunities Inc., the consortium of Canadian and Alberta financial, operating and logistics partners.  "Over the past several months, the focus has been on listening and talking to agricultural producers.  The project proponents are confident that the two proposed biodiesel plantsare now widely viewed as providing regional agricultural producers with highly-competitive off-grade supplyoptions, options that are located in their backyard and options that directly benefit their local economies."

Websites:

The Power Alternative:  www.ThePowerAlternative.com

New West Opportunities:  www.NewWestAB.com