Imperial Oil announced it will build a new renewable diesel facility on its Strathcona Refinery site in Edmonton, Alberta. The project will be the largest renewable diesel facility in Canada and the first of its kind in Alberta. Imperial’s Strathcona plant is expected to produce more than one billion liters of renewable diesel annually. This will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the Canadian transportation sector by about 3 million metric tons per year – in accordance with Canada’s Clean Fuel Regulation.
“Imperial supports Canada’s vision for a lower-emission future, and we are making strategic investments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from our own operations and to help customers in vital sectors of the economy reduce their emissions,” said Brad Corson, Imperial chairman, president and chief executive officer. “The investment at our Strathcona refinery will deliver immediate benefits to the local economy creating jobs and contributing to a lower-emission energy future for our employees, neighbors and communities.”
The renewable diesel project was first announced in August 2021 with the support of the Province of British Columbia. A significant portion of the renewable diesel from Strathcona will be supplied to British Columbia in support of the province’s plan to lower carbon emissions.
Imperial's renewable diesel facility will produce a low-carbon fuel, made with hydrogen produced through the use of carbon capture and storage technology. The company has reached an agreement with Air Products for a low-carbon hydrogen supply. Combining low-carbon hydrogen and bio feedstocks with a proprietary catalyst to produce premium lower-emission diesel fuels reduces greenhouse gas emissions relative to conventional fuels, increasing efficiency, reducing waste, and creating high-value products.
Site preparation and initial construction are already underway with an expected operational date of 2025. The project is expected to create about 600 direct construction jobs, along with hundreds more through investments by business partners.