Canada issues funding call for clean fuels projects

Natural Resources Canada announced invitation for funding applications for projects to produce clean fuels production.

Eligible fuels include sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), renewable diesel, biobased methanol, bio-crude, bio-oil, cellulosic ethanol, bio-hydrogen, renewable syngas, and renewable natural gas (RNG).

“The Energy Innovation Program (EIP) – Clean Fuels Call for Proposals will target research and development, pilot, and demonstration proposals that support the development of sustainable, cost-effective technologies critical to Canada’s leadership in the global clean fuels transition. This Call will invest in the clean fuels value chain, supporting technologies that facilitate production, transport and storage,” said the agency in its statement.

The programme funding will support clean fuels productions to advance innovative technologies, reduce lifecycle carbon intensity of clean fuels, increase availability of low-impact feedstocks for clean fuels production and improve and assess the logistics, economics, and scalability of clean fuel production processes.

The funding will also be extended to projects in clean fuels transport and storage.

The selection of projects will be done under two phases with the first expression of interest open to all eligible applicants with the second full project proposal phase to invited applicants only.

To note, the programme is already funding two SAF projects in Canada. One of these projects, “SAF from Agro and Forestry Biomass and from Municipal Solid Waste through a Hub and Spoke Approach”, sponsored by Enerkem Inc was awarded CAD$2m ($1.4m). Another project, called the “Production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel from flue gas–captured CO2 and low-carbon hydrogen”, led by SAF+ Consortium received CAD$2.15m ($1.5m) under the programme.

The applicants will be required to  complete and submit their Expression of Interest (EOI) via the application portal by 1:00pm ET on April 8, 2025.