UMA joins with company to develop BioOil

One of Canada’s largest consulting engineering firms, UMA Engineering, is venturing into the field of alternative energy. The Vancouver-based company has signed a memorandum of understanding with DynaMotive Energy Systems Corporation to develop commercial projects using DynaMotive’s patented pyrolysis system.

The process converts the abundant discarded wastes of the agricultural and forestry industries to make BioOil, a renewable and environmentally friendly fuel. For example, the company has just completed a series of BioOil combustion tests at Canfor’s facilities in Prince George, B.C. that showed the fuel could be direct fired and could replace natural gas without any adverse effects on the lumber quality. In that instance, the process used wood residue from pine, spruce and fir white wood and bark. The waste would otherwise be simply burned in beehive burners, creating greenhouse gases. Sugar cane bagasse is a typical agricultural by-product that is also abundant and can be used to make the fuel.

UMA and DynaMotive, also of Vancouver, expect to sign a strategic agreement within six weeks. Andrew Kingston, President and CEO of DynaMotive, said “UMA’s proven expertise and experience will allow us to deliver high quality installations on time and on budget. Over the past months we have jointly established a strong team and we look forward to our first project together.”

Peter Smith, Senior Vice President of UMA’s Industrial division, commented: “Our capabilities and experience in servicing multiple projects match their development plans and provide us with the opportunity to offer cost effective energy solutions to the Forestry and Power industries in Canada. Our firm’s commitment to this relationship and our belief in DynaMotive’s business potential are reflected in the joint marketing, technology reviews, and project management activities now underway.”