Despite the abundance of biomass feedstock in Northern British Columbia (BC) and the existence of a mature forest products industry, the bio-fuel industry is slow to develop. Several barriers, including the lack of awareness, lack of capital, lack of incentives, lack of guaranty for long-term availability of feedstock and technological limitation are impeding the development of this industry. This study used both primary and secondary sources of information as well as exploratory research to evaluate: 1. The nature and amount ofbiomass feedstock available in BC and in Northern BC 2. The status of the technologies that are emerging in the market place for conversion of biomass into fuels and chemicals. 3. The incentives offered by the provincial and federal governments to assist and promote the development of a bio-fuel industry in Northern BC. 4. The options that can be used to finance these technologies in Northern BC. While Northern BC has vast biomass resources and there are several biofuel technologies that can be demonstrated in the region, their capital intensity calls for risks sharing and for strategic financing options. Effective use of government incentive programs and strategic partnership can be leveraged for access to more capital and better financing terms. Development of smaller scale mobile units and/or integration of the technologies in local pulp and paper mills would seem the most cost effective approach for Northern BC.
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