Enerkem Alberta Waste-to-Energy Plant Gains Waste Management Financing

Enerkem Inc.’s planned waste-to-energy facility in Edmonton, Alberta, is closer to opening, and the company secured financing with Waste Management of Canada Corp. and another firm for the operation.

The Montreal-based Enerkem said in a news release employees have begun working at the Enerkem Alberta Biofuels LP facility, getting training. Enerkem expects commissioning of the plant to begin this summer, and it eventually will employ 30. The company said it will be one of the first full-scale advanced biofuels facilities in North America. It will use the city of Edmonton’s non-recyclable and non-compostable waste to produce renewable fuels and chemicals.

Enerkem said it closed a $37 million (Canadian) financing arrangement with the subsidiary of Houston-based Waste Management and Palm Springs, Calif.-based EB Investments Inc. The two companies took a minority investment in Enerkem Alberta in late 2011.

Enerkem also is building a waste-to-biofuels facility in Mississippi.