Provincial Biofuel $10 Million Grant Fund Deadline Approaching January 7, 2009

The November 28th, 2008 announcement that the Province of BC will invest $10 million to support the production of liquid biofuels with demonstrated low greenhouse gas emissions strongly complements the Northern BC Business Advantage offered by the (Northern Development). Northern Development is an independent regional economic development corporation for central and northern BC that was initiated in 2004 by the provincial government to foster local decision making around economic diversification.

About the Call for Applications for Liquid Fuels from Biomass

Eligible projects to the Innovative Clean Energy (ICE) Fund will include those applying both conventional and second generation technologies. New production capacity using conventional biodiesel technology will be eligible in the call of proposals. Production should help meet new requirements under the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act for a five per cent minimum annual average renewable content in gasoline and diesel, beginning in 2010.

The closing date for applications to the Call for Applications for Liquid Biofuels from Biomass is 2:00 pm Pacific Standard Time – January 7, 2009.

Funding Priorities

The commercialization priorities include:

• the development of cellulosic ethanol technologies that convert softwood residues to low-carbon liquid fuels,
• the development and commercialization of other biofuel production technologies that provide significant reductions in full-cycle greenhouse gas emissions relative to petroleum based fuels
• the expansion of existing liquid biofuel production using conventional biodiesel technology to meet commercial demand within British Columbia Funding
• projects may apply to the Call for Applications for Liquid Fuels from Biomass and the ICE Fund Call for Applications for Rural British Columbia as separate applications
• preference will be given to projects that demonstrate significant leveraging of funds from both government and other sources
• the combined total of project funding from provincial and federal government sources may not exceed 75% of total project costs

Eligible Proponents

• Local Governments (municipalities and regional districts)
• School Boards
• Hospitals
• First Nations
• Not-for-profit societies registered under the Society Act
• Post Secondary Institutions
• Crown Corporations
• Public Utilities
• Companies registered under the Business Corporations Act, or BC Companies registered under the Canada Business Corporations Act.

Applying to the Call for Applications for Liquid Fuels From Biomass

Applications must meet the criteria and align with identified government priorities. Applications may be submitted for single year or multi-year projects.

Please refer to the following documents when developing a project application.

• Program Information and Application Guidelines ( 56KB)
• Application Requirements ( 103KB)

Submit Completed Applications to:

Hand Delivery or Courier:

Call For Applications for Liquid Fuels From Biomass
Confidential Materials
Clean Technology Solutions Branch
Ministry of Technology, Trade and Economic Development
7th Floor, 1810 Blanshard Street
Victoria, BC V8W 9N3

Mail:

Call For Applications for Liquid Fuels From Biomass
Confidential Materials
Clean Technology Solutions Branch
Ministry of Technology, Trade and Economic Development
PO Box 9327 Stn Prov Govt
Victoria, BC V8W 9N3

All Enquiries for the Call for Applications are to be Directed to:

Liz Wouters
Senior Program Advisor – ICE Fund
Clean Technology Solutions Branch
Ministry of Technology, Trade and Economic Development
Tel: 250-387-2883
email: Liz.Wouters@gov.bc.ca

About the Northern BC Business Advantage

Northern Development supports ethanol and biofuel production in central and northern BC, especially from wood fibre residues and oilseeds. The Northern BC Business Advantage will allow biofuel manufacturers’ access to Northern Development’s Capital Investment and Training Rebate. It provides eligible businesses in wealth-creating, export-driven sectors of the economy with up to $10,000 per new job based on direct capital investment and training expenditures related to the expansion or establishment of a business where two or more new jobs are created.