Thanks to a $1.1 million grant from the Mining Innovation Commercialization Accelerator (MICA) Network, Saskatchewan-based business Prairie Clean Energy (PCE) is working towards reducing the potash industry’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by up to 80 per cent using a local renewable and sustainable product made from flax straw.
Flax straw transformed to biofuel pellets
This innovative GHG emission reduction project aims to revolutionize the decarbonization of the potash industry by turning flax straw into a pelletized form of biofuel that can generate low-carbon bioheat, replacing natural gas for heat generation. PCE has developed a patent-pending process to transform the flax straw into dense feedstock with consistent quantity that can be used in biomass boiler systems. These systems can be integrated into the existing energy assets of the potash industry, as well as other industries using natural gas or coal. PCE has proven through extensive testing that their flax straw pellets have a high caloric value that is ample for both heat and baseload power generation.
Biomass boilers: a sustainable alternative
Used extensively in Europe, biomass boiler systems generate both heat and power through the combustion of biomass instead of natural gas, coal, or other fossil fuels. Modern bioheat combustion systems are highly engineered mechanical systems that provide space heat, domestic hot water, and steam for community and commercial buildings and industries. They can also generate electricity using steam turbines. Using renewable biomass as fuel, biomass boilers are a sustainable alternative to fossil fuel-based systems.
Tonnes of flax straw on the prairies
Flax straw is abundant – more than 1.5 million tonnes of flax straw are produced on the Canadian and U.S. prairies every year – renewable, and a low-carbon solution, making it an incredible source of biomass and a promising pathway to decarbonization.
Significant carbon-intensity reduction
By utilizing PCE’s flax straw pellets, the carbon intensity of heat consumption can be significantly reduced in the potash industry. Prairie Clean Energy’s chief product and supply chain development officer, Dr. Mahmood Ebadian, states, “We estimate that by displacing fossil fuels with prairie biomass, we can support the potash industry in lowering greenhouse gas emissions significantly. This project focuses on deep decarbonization using a local renewable energy source and a proven bioheat technology.”
What is flax straw?
Flax straw is a waste by-product of harvesting flax seed. The straw has no nutrients, cannot be tilled into the soil, and has no market value. Farmers have almost no choice but to burn the straw in their fields. However, flax straw is an excellent fuel source. It burns clean and hot, generating low ash content and a high-net calorific value.
“Managing straw waste is a major challenge for flax producers,” says Mark Cooper, CEO of Prairie Clean Energy. “The only viable option before now was to burn the straw right there in the field. Using that wasted straw to provide an alternative low-carbon heat solution for the potash industry is the ultimate win-win.”
As an alternative to natural gas, bioheat generated from Prairie Clean Energy’s flax pellets will greatly reduce the potash industry’s carbon footprint. This switch from natural gas to bioheat can significantly help the industry meet its sustainability goals.
Living lab pilot operation launching
The $1.1 million MICA grant is being used by Prairie Clean Energy and Saskatchewan Polytechnic (Sask Polytech) to launch a living lab pilot operation at an agriculture field site near Moose Jaw, Sask. This collaboration serves as a testing ground to highlight the potential of renewable fuel derived from prairie biomass to heat buildings. The living lab pilot will include a demonstration biomass boiler system, which will be used to heat an equipment storage centre, while also providing teaching space for Sask Polytech’s Agriculture and Food Production program.
Assisting the potash industry reduce its carbon footprint
The partnership between PCE and Sask Polytech, made possible by the MICA grant, will assist the potash industry in reducing its carbon footprint and reaching its sustainability goals. By transitioning from natural gas to PCE’s flax straw pellets, using bioheat can be a game-changer for the potash industry.
For more information on PCE and flax straw pellets
If companies are interested in reducing GHG emissions and curious about the pilot project process with PCE or its pellets, they can contact PCE at info@prairiecleanenergy.com or visit www.prairiecleanenergy.com for more information.
