Enerkem

Enerkem was based on a revolutionary idea: manufacturing biofuels and renewable chemical products from non-recyclable waste. Ours is an innovative, sustainable solution for waste management and energy diversification. 

Enerkem’s disruptive technology converts non recyclable municipal solid waste (i.e. garbage) into clean fuels and renewable chemicals.

Enerkem Alberta Biofuels is the world’s first commercial biorefinery to use municipal solid waste to produce methanol and ethanol. Now in operation in Edmonton, Canada, the Enerkem Alberta Biofuels facility is the result of more than 10 years of efforts to scale up Enerkem’s technology from pilot and demonstration, to full commercial scale.

Enerkem’s breakthrough technology is the ultimate result of a desire to create clean energy and value-added products from otherwise wasted materials. This technology was initially inspired by the research and development led by Dr. Esteban Chornet, Professor Emeritus at the Université de Sherbrooke (Québec, Canada). Professor Chornet and his son Vincent saw the opportunity to develop a revolutionary technology and bring it to the market.

Vincent Chornet, as President and CEO, has been the guiding force behind Enerkem’s development since 2000, obtaining more than C$ 300 million in private financing and government support, and growing the company to 200 employees. Enerkem recently started operating its very first full-scale commercial facility in Edmonton, Canada, and additional biorefineries are currently being developed in North America and around the world.

As Chief Technology Officer, Esteban Chornet has been providing vision, mentoring and engineering expertise in catalytic reactions and process integration, while leading the team that developed the company’s proprietary technology.