Skip to content
Join our Newsletter

B.C. government announces new plant in Merritt to remove carbon dioxide from the air

The B.C. government has announced it will provide $2 million to help design a new plant in Merritt that will remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to make low carbon synthetic fuel.

The B.C. government has announced it will provide $2 million to help design a new plant in Merritt that will remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to make low carbon synthetic fuel.

Energy Minister Bruce Ralston and Chief Harvey McLeod of the Upper Nicola First Nations made the announcement at a news conference in Squamish.

Ralston said the plant, which is to be operated by Squamish-based Huron Clean Energy, will be a world leader in carbon capture to create low carbon hydrogen synthetic fuels, which can be used for the marine, aviation and other transportation industries. The plant will be powered by hydroelectricity.

He said once built, the Huron Clean Energy’s Merritt Electro Fuels Project will create about 100 million litres of synthetic fuel a year and capture about 250,000 tonnes of carbon annually. It will also create 4,000 construction jobs and 340 long-term jobs operating the plant.

“This innovative, world-leading project will support our economy’s shift away from fossil fuels while creating new jobs and opportunities for British Columbians,” said Ralston.

Huron has an equity partnership and land-lease arrangement with the Upper Nicola Band, which will receive a part of the equity interest in the project as consideration for the land lease and other services, according to the B.C. government.

The funding is part of the B.C. government’s $50-million plan to attract industries to B.C. so they can reduce their carbon footprint by using hydroelectricity.

The new plant is expected to be operation in 2025.

Last month, B.C. Hydro and the provincial government announced a new five-year plan for the Crown corporation that provides incentives for people to switch from fossil fuels to electricity to power their homes, businesses and vehicles.

Under the plan, B.C. Hydro will spend nearly $190 million to promote fuel-switching in homes, buildings, vehicles and industry.