About renewable fuels

Renewable fuel types

Renewable fuels are made from biological sources, such as:

• grains (including wheat, corn, barley and sorghum)
• oilseed crops (including canola, soy and camelina)
• cellulose from plant fibres
• switch grass and straw
• forestry biomass and wood processing residues
• livestock waste (including tallow)
• municipal solid waste

Benefits

Emerging technologies have the potential to convert Alberta’s waste materials to bioenergy products, including renewable fuels.

The RFS will:

• help the province meet its climate goals and support Alberta’s renewable fuels sector by encouraging development of renewable energy and facilitate a market for the consumption of renewable fuels
• reduce carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide emissions and smog-creating compounds
• encourage research, development and innovation of technologies for renewable fuel production from biomass and conversion of waste to energy
• support the revitalization of Alberta’s agriculture and forestry sectors and rural economies

Additional environmental advantages:

• renewable fuels are biodegradable
• the production of renewable fuels can have less energy use, reduced water and improved technologies for the use of waste
• the use of renewable fuels in Alberta has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions up to one million tonnes each year (equivalent to taking 260,000 vehicles off Alberta's roads each year); new, more efficient technologies will further reduce GHG emissions
• renewable fuels production provides useful co-products such as distiller’s grains used as a livestock feed, from ethanol production by fermentation

Contact

Connect with the RFS program:
Email: [email protected]