About Us

Timeline of Progress

The origins of the BC-SMART initiative date back to 2012 when studies by the International Energy Agency Bioenergy Task 39 working group recognized the potential of drop-in biofuels. After further work, the Task 39 group published it’s report in 2014 identifying the opportunities and challenges of drop-in biofuels along with recommendations to enhance their commercial viability. These early efforts laid the groundwork for the BC-SMART initiative.

Drop-in Biofuels

In the short-term, electrification and other technologies such as fuel cells cannot provide the “long-distance” and other attributes required by marine, aviation, rail and trucking sectors. However, drop-in biofuels do provide a viable clean fuel solution.

Drop-in biofuels are:

• biomass-derived hydrocarbons with potentially lower carbon intensity compared to fossil fuels
• functionally equivalent to petroleum fuels
• fully compatible with existing petroleum infrastructure
• a pathway to engage the “oil-sector”, particularly the oil refineries

Our Value

• Provide a vehicle for committed industry, government and academic institutions and organizations to contribute to BC decarbonising efforts (i.e. recruit stakeholders to expand the consortium)

• Establish an action plan with clear goals and timelines that supports the goals of the CleanBC Plan

• Identify the funding required to develop a co-processing strategy at BC’s refineries while encouraging the supply of biobased feedstocks/intermediates (“conventional” and “advanced”)

• Establish robust low carbon fuel supply chains for the marine, aviation, rail and trucking sectors

BC-SMART Roadmap to decarbonise long-distance transport

The BC-SMART Roadmap recommends action in three, related areas:

• Expand the BC-SMART low carbon fuels Consortium that brings together a “coalition-of-the-willing” that will develop a long-lived, commercially viable process to supply and help decarbonise the long-distance transport sector operating in British Columbia and beyond. This stipulates the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, to confirm commitment to promoting drop-in biofuel production and use while identifying specific goals, objectives and the time lines needed to establish commercial production and use of drop in biofuels

• “Software” recommendations. Build on, and further develop, the policies and regulatory measures that will help establish the production and use of feedstocks and low carbon drop in biofuels by the long-distance transport sector (Government lead)

• “Hardware” recommendations. Invest in the supply chain and infrastructure that already exist to help produce and distribute low carbon intensity biofuels while facilitating a co-processing strategy at local refineries (Industry lead)

Role of the BC-SMART Secretariat

• Showcase BC efforts in lowering carbon intensity of long-distance transport to companies, governments and other national and international organizations

• Connect: bring together the key “vested-interests/coalition of the willing” required to establish the producers and users (supply chain) of low carbon-intensity transportation fuels

• Facilitate consortium operations by providing access to pertinent publications and up to date information through the BC-SMART website and by fostering dialogue through regular workshops and seminars

• Evaluate: monitor and assess efforts undertaken by other jurisdictions in decarbonising long-distance transport

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