Courtesy of Brian Jean

The Harper government announced they are investing $970,000 into a new alternative fuel technology, called lipid to hydrocarbon technology.

The new technology will take waste bi-products and convert them into valuable bi-products such as fuel, chemicals and solvents.  It's patented right here in Alberta.  It will take things like animal renderings and other things that cannot be utilized for a return on investment, and produce them into valuable products.

"We're taking money we receive from taxpayers and we're reinvesting in things that we can utilize to produce world class inventions around the world, sell those patented inventions, and make sure we produce industry that is competitive and at the forefront of technology," explains Brian Jean, Member of Parliament for Fort McMurray-Athabasca. "And that's exactly what we're doing because we are in a competitive global economy and with this we are showing the primary way that the government of Canada is supporting new technologies and processes that will add value to commodities."    

Jean says this is the way of the future because we are going to run out of hydrocarbon some day. He says this is actually going to create a pilot plant facility at the University of Alberta at the Agri-Food Discovery Place. "Along with the University of Alberta and the Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency, we are seeing after 8 years, a one litre per hour facility go up to a 20-50 litre per hour facility, which is a viable pilot product and then from there we go to commercialization."  The plant will be located at the U of A's south campus.

Jean says this is one step forward for the government of Canada in the initiative to create jobs and have growth in the economy, as well as creating a better quality of life for Canadians. "That's what it's all about and this is proof that it's exactly what we're doing."