Bioenergy trade mission to Asia includes northern BC firms

A bioenergy trade mission to China and Korea, which included a pair of northern B.C. companies, could lead to more than $1 billion in investment throughout Canada, says the Canadian Bioenergy Association.

The six-day trade mission was meant to promote advanced bioenergy technology and to discuss partnership opportunities, building on a similar mission last year.

"Although we did well opening the door last year, we were astounded at the response in 2011 of Korean and Chinese investors wanting to participate in investments in Canada," said Douglas Bradley, president of the Canadian Bioenergy Association.

"Recognizing that equity markets are poor in North America at the moment, we are finding new ways to open up global markets for Canadian technology companies and introduce international investors to bioenergy investment opportunities here."

In Korea, the association said business-to-business meetings could yield as much as $500 million in investment. In China, more than 80 business-to-business meetings involved discussion of more than $600 million in investments.

Some of the Chinese potential investors included Shandong Baichuan Tongchuang Energy, China Fuel, GuoNeng Biomass Power Generation, Chang'an Capital and Sinoenergy Development Co., said the Canadian Bioenergy Association.

The two northern B.C. companies represented on the trade mission were Prince George-based DelTech Manufacturing and Conifex Timber, which has offices in Prince George and sawmills in Fort St. James and Mackenzie.

Two weeks ago, Conifex Timber Inc. reached a power-purchase agreement with B.C. Hydro that will allow it to build a $50-million bioenergy plant in Northern B.C.

The plant, to be built in Mackenzie where Conifex operates a sawmill, is expected to be complete by the end of 2012. It would be the first stand-alone bioenergy plant to be built in Northern B.C. following the B.C. Liberal government's launch of its bioenergy strategy more than three years ago.

There are several are proposals in northern B.C., including in Fort St. James and Burns Lake.