PRESS RELEASE:
MUNICIPAL DISTRICT OF GREENVIEW AND COUNTY OF GRANDE PRAIRIE, ALBERTA BDO ZONE ISSUED ‘A’ RATING FOR WOODY BIOMASS
– ‘A’ Rating can help unlock Alberta’s forestry bioeconomy –
November 2, 2023
The Municipal District (MD) of Greenview, the County of Grande Prairie, and Ecostrat are pleased to announce the issue of a new Bioeconomy Development Opportunity (BDO) Zone rating for woody biomass.
The prestigious ‘A’ rating denotes ‘high quality’ feedstock supply chains and infrastructure, based on robust forestry and wood industry sectors, and local supply chains with a long history of stable performance. The Zone spans a radius of 120 km, centered around three key points: Grande Prairie, the Greenview Industrial Gateway (GIG), and the Hamlet of Grande Cache.
The Zone presents a self-contained industrial system with foundational infrastructure assets, including access to natural gas, water, electricity, a comprehensive transportation network, and the potential for carbon sequestration through a dedicated carbon capture hub– a significant advantage for low-carbon project development.
The MD of Greenview and County of Grande Prairie BDO Zone is Alberta’s first BDO Zone rating for woody biomass and supports the province’s efforts to become a global player in the clean energy transition.
“We are excited to receive the ‘A’ rating for woody biomass,” stated Greenview Reeve Tyler Olsen. “This recognition highlights the potential our region offers for bioeconomy growth. The Municipal District of Greenview is committed to working collaboratively with industry partners for the advancement and development of biorefinery projects within our region.”
“This rating validates what we already knew,” stated County of Grande Prairie Reeve Robert Marshall. “Our region is an excellent source of woody biomass. We intend to become an essential component of the bioenergy industry that supports our existing industry sectors and brings new technology to reduce emissions while increasing job opportunities and economic growth. We have the feedstock, suppliers, and infrastructure that make our region a top destination for biobased development.”
Jordan Solomon, Chairman of the BDO Zone Initiative added, “This ‘A’ Rating will support the region’s efforts to leverage exceptional infrastructure assets, catalyze bio-based economic development in the region, and play a pivotal role in advancing Alberta’s global position in the bioeconomy sector.”
To see the full BDO Zone Rating please click here, or visit www.bdozone.org.
About the Municipal District of Greenview
The Municipal District of Greenview No. 16 is the third-largest rural municipality in Alberta, encompassing the towns of Fox Creek and Valleyview, and the hamlets of Little Smoky, Ridgevalley, DeBolt, Landry Heights, Grovedale, and Grande Cache.
With a geographical expanse of over 32,000 square kilometers, Greenview’s economic foundation is rooted in key sectors: oil and gas, agriculture, forestry, and tourism. This diverse economic landscape provides a robust platform for growth. Greenview boasts a business-friendly environment, featuring one of the lowest commercial and industrial tax rates in Alberta, making it highly competitive. The region also benefits from a youthful, educated workforce, with a significant portion of the population in the working age bracket.
For more information about the Municipal District of Greenview, visit www.mdgreenview.ab.ca. Stacey Sevilla, Manager, Marketing and Communications (stacey.sevilla@mdgreenview.ab.ca)
About the County of Grande Prairie
The County of Grande Prairie No. 1 is a prime hub for ongoing economic growth. Strategically located in Alberta’s vibrant Peace Region, the County serves the industrial, commercial, and residential needs of Northwestern Alberta. As part of the larger Grande Prairie region, the County benefits from young, affluent demographics, regional strengths, and policies such as no provincial sales tax and low municipal taxes, as well as high levels of service.
A large selection of industrial/business parks, as well as sites for heavy industrial uses, are available in various sizes and levels of service, from completely serviced to non-serviced, and many include rail and major highway access.
Resources Road Industrial is one of several prime heavy industrial areas for bio-based project development with excellent access to major transportation routes, including CN Railway access. Situated to the south of Grande Prairie and just north of the MD of Greenview on Resources Road, the area encompasses the long-standing International Paper Site and has ample opportunity for additional heavy industrial development, covering 1,813 hectares with a power supply suitable for heavy industrial applications.
For more information about the County of Grande Prairie and the Resources Road Industrial Park, please contact the County Economic Development team at ecdev@countygp.ab.ca or visit www.countygp.ab.ca.
The BDO Zone Local Development Leader (LDL) is Hetti Huls, Economic Development Officer (hhuls@countygp.ab.ca).
About the Greenview Industrial Gateway (GIG)
The Greenview Industrial Gateway (GIG) is a large-scale industrial development that provides essential infrastructure for new bio-based development. Located in the northwest area of the Municipal District of Greenview, the GIG is on track to become one of Canada’s leading net-zero, eco-industrial developments, setting the gold standard for low carbon emissions in natural gas processing and manufacturing.
For more information about the Greenview Industrial Gateway (GIG), visit www.greenviewindustrial.ca or contact the BDO Zone Local Development Leader (LDL) Kyle Reiling, Executive Director (kyle.reiling@mdgreenview.ab.ca).
About The BDO Zone Initiative
The BDO Zone Initiative is an economic development platform that enables local communities to deploy powerful economic development tools – BDO Zone Ratings – to drive, accelerate, and catalyze biobased investment and commercial project development in BDO Zones.
A BDO Zone rating is a standards-based technical risk assessment of biomass feedstock, supply chain, and infrastructure attributes of a region with respect to the feasibility and development potential of new biofuel, renewable chemical, biogas, bioproduct, or clean hydrogen plants.
BDO Zone ratings help regions and communities attract new biobased project development and participate in the growing global bioeconomy by demonstrating the maturity of local biomass supply chains and whether or not they are developed enough to support biobased manufacturing without excessive risk.
For more information on the BDO Zone Initiative, please contact info@bdozone.org. To view all current and upcoming BDO Zone designations, visit www.bdozone.org or check out the BDO Zone LinkedIn page for all news and updates.
About Ecostrat
Ecostrat is the North American Leader in supplying biomass due diligence for biofuels, renewable chemicals, biogas, and bio-product project development and finance. Ecostrat led the USDOE/BETO funded project to develop the new investment Standards and Ratings for Biomass Supply Chain Risk which were subsequently used in the development of the CSA W209:21 Biomass supply chain risk National Standard of Canada.
The Advisory Group combines the BSCR Standards with powerful predictive analytics to understand and minimize supply chain risk. The Biomass Supply Group has 25 years of experience in sourcing and supplying more than 5 million tons of biomass feedstock for bioenergy, biofuel, and biochemical projects across North America.
Jordan Solomon is Chairman of the BDO Zone Initiative and President of Ecostrat. He has overseen the development and operation of biomass supply chains for more than 5,000,000 tons of feedstock over two decades for bioenergy, biofuel, and biochemical projects.
Jordan Solomon can be reached at jordan.solomon@ecostrat.com. For more information about Ecostrat, visit the company’s website at www.ecostrat.com or check out the Ecostrat LinkedIn page for all news and updates.
Download a full copy of the Media Release here.
