Project Avance demonstrates a scalable, cost‑effective path to advanced biofuels by converting forestry residues into refinery‑ready ARC. The pilot campaign met performance targets, showing scientific and operational progress. By leveraging existing pyrolysis and refinery infrastructure, the approach reduces costs, enhances energy security, and proves abundant biomass can deliver viable low‑carbon fuels.
Some milestones are about proving a process can run. Others are about showing that it can work across real commercial feedstocks. Project Avance demonstrates both.
Through our collaboration with Bioénergie AE Côte-Nord, supported by Boeing, Alder has advanced the production of Alder Renewable Crude (ARC) from commercially produced fast pyrolysis oils derived from forestry residues.
The latest campaign focused on the final unit operation in Alder’s process and produced barrel-scale quantities of ARC using commercial fast pyrolysis oil sourced from operating international facilities. The results were consistent with our performance targets and process modeling, while demonstrating that the process can accommodate commercially relevant feedstocks produced by different fast pyrolysis systems.
That distinction matters for scale-up. Alder’s commercial strategy is designed to integrate with existing fast pyrolysis assets rather than depend on a single upstream technology or greenfield configuration. Demonstrating ARC production across multiple commercial pyrolysis oils helps validate that model.
Project Avance is built around a pragmatic commercial model:
These structural advantages are designed to support a cost-competitive pathway to advanced fuels by combining abundant forestry residues, existing pyrolysis infrastructure, and existing refinery assets.
Project Avance adds another important piece of scale-up evidence by demonstrating barrel-scale ARC production across multiple commercial pyrolysis oils.
We’re grateful to the teams and partners helping move this work forward.
Building momentum with technology validation, strategic partnerships, and new projects
ARC Bio demonstrates a pathway to convert Canadian forest residues into refinery-ready biocrude and ultimately jet-range fuel through refinery co-processing. The campaign produced barrel-scale ARC, demonstrated FCC co-processing and generated a SAF blend that met key ASTM fuel-property specifications, while generating data to support future commercial-scale deployment.
Project Avance demonstrates a scalable, cost‑effective path to advanced biofuels by converting forestry residues into refinery‑ready ARC. The pilot campaign met performance targets, showing scientific and operational progress. By leveraging existing pyrolysis and refinery infrastructure, the approach reduces costs, enhances energy security, and proves abundant biomass can deliver viable low‑carbon fuels.
Together with Boeing, Bioénergie AE Côte-Nord, and Alder Renewables, we are launching Project Avance to produce SAF from sawmill residues in Port-Cartier, Québec. Boeing is investing CAD $10 million in the project as part of its Industrial and Technological Benefits commitment to Canada. The project will use Alder’s technology to produce Alder Renewable Crude (ARC) for refining into SAF and other hydrocarbon fuels.