Steps in Development
ATTENTION: You are using a browser that is out of date and not supported. Please note that the page may not display properly. It is recommended that you upgrade your browser to its most recent version.
There are modeling tools and software commercially available to perform pre-feasibility studies however none currently exist free of charge. Some of these tools are most specific to the production of biodiesel however may also apply to its use. Simple cost comparison methods can also be used to determine the viability of biodiesel use.
With respect to the production of biodiesel, a full techno-economic assessment should be performed to determine the availability and security of feedstock, handling, capital costs, chemicals, permits, etc. Links to existing models and studies can be found in the section below; a number of those performed for the Canadian context will be found on the GHGenius website. There is a substantial amount of information on biodiesel production and use available on the internet and in publications, however there is very limited experience building and operating biodiesel plants in Canada.
The biodiesel industry is strongly affected by politics, direct and indirect fiscal measures, and public demand. Accordingly economic models will be quite different in the US and Europe based on the level of subsidies for crops, capital and fuel. For example the feedstock approach is different for the three facilities currently operating commercially in Canada, as well as the biodiesel quantities being produced. Rothsay in Montreal, Québec produces 35million litres/year from used frying oils available locally. BIOX in Hamilton, Ontario uses soybean oil at a capacity of 60 million litres/year, while Milligan BioTech in Saskatchewan uses oil from distressed canola to produce 5 million litres/year of biodiesel and other canola-based products.
Modified: 04-03-2008
