CHAR Technologies Ltd. and joint-venture partner The BMI Group have completed Phase 1 mechanical and electrical construction at the Thorold Renewable Energy Facility in Ontario, Canada. The 50/50 joint venture facility is transitioning into full end-to-end operational kick-off and initial commercial production. The milestone enables the facility to generate its first commercial revenues while establishing a supply path for industrial end-users seeking decarbonization solutions.

Industrial decarbonization, particularly in energy-intensive sectors like steelmaking, faces a shortage of commercially viable alternatives to fossil carbon. High-temperature thermal processes require dense, high-fixed-carbon materials that match the thermodynamic properties of coal and coke. Scaling bio-based substitutes requires capital-intensive manufacturing infrastructure that must clear strict engineering and safety standards before delivering consistent, industrial-grade volumes to off-take partners.

To resolve these industrial supply bottlenecks, CHAR Technologies and The BMI Group constructed a dedicated facility designed to process biomassBiomass is a complex biological organic or non-organic solid product derived from living or recently living organism and available naturally. Various types of wastes such as animal manure, waste paper, sludge and many industrial wastes are also treated as biomass because like natural biomass these More via high-temperature pyrolysisPyrolysis is a thermochemical process that converts waste biomass into bio-char, bio-oil, and pyro-gas. It offers significant advantages in waste valorization, turning low-value materials into economically valuable resources. Its versatility allows for tailored products based on operational conditions, presenting itself as a cost-effective and efficient More. The infrastructure received capital backing from federal and provincial funding mechanisms, including the Forest Sector Investment and Innovation Program, the Forest Biomass Program, the Investments in Forest Industry Transformation program, and FedDev Ontario, alongside direct project-level equity from The BMI Group. The facility features a high-temperature pyrolysis kiln capable of outputting specialized biocarbon products for heavy industry. Final regulatory clearances from Ontario’s Electrical Safety Authority and Technical Standards and Safety Authority are underway as individual thermal systems reach operating temperatures.

Phase 1 operations are designed to produce up to 5,500 metric tons of biocarbon annually. The resulting biocarbon will be supplied to industrial off-take partners, including steelmaker ArcelorMittal Dofasco, to substitute fossil carbon in steel manufacturing. Successful operational execution at Thorold establishes a foundation for CHAR Technologies to initiate Phase 2, which expands site capacity through a second pyrolysis kiln, methanation equipment for synthetic gas processing, and pipeline infrastructure for renewable natural gas injection.