By Cheryl Jahn

Another green investment for PG?

Mar 18, 2021 | 4:05 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – Back in October 2019, Tidewater Midstream announced its intentions to buy the Husky Oil refinery in Prince George. And, last week, the company announced expansion plans.

“Tidewater is proposing to construct a 3,000 barrel per day renewable diesel and renewable hydrogen complex located on the site of the existing Prince George Refinery, for an estimated total project cost of $215 to $235 million,” states the company in a written statement. ” The project will convert 100% renewable feedstock into renewable diesel that is fully compatible with conventional diesel engines. The renewable diesel will have a carbon intensity approximately 80 – 90% lower than conventional diesel and will be primarily supplied in Prince George and Central BC, leading to significantly reduced GHG emissions from diesel consumption in our region.”

Music to the ears of the City’s Manager of Economic Development.

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“I understand they’re still making a final investment decision but the fact that they’re intending to invest or doing research in order to invest in a green project and positively impacted the green economy in Prince George? That will create jobs, sustainable jobs into the future and a lot of development dollars to the city as well,” says Mellissa Barcellos.

At its latest meeting, Council received updates from two other companies looking to add to the green economy, Canfor/Arbios is looking at a facility at the Intercon facility on PG Pulp Mill Road, and Sustane is looking to a plant that will use landfill waste to generate clean energy.

So why Prince George?

“Tidewater has chosen to develop the proposed facility integrated with the existing Prince George Refinery in order to minimize the environmental footprint by taking advantage of existing logistics and utility infrastructure as well as the skilled workforce at the refinery. In addition, Tidewater is grateful to have received early support from the BC government on this initiative through the Low Carbon Fuel Regulations. Tidewater’s existing assets in BC and Alberta provide the Company with a strategic advantage in relation to the increasing federal carbon tax, Canadian Clean Fuel Standard, and BC Low Carbon Fuel Standard.”

Tidewater Midstream has also made upgrades to the existing facility for “a canola co-processing project at the Prince George Refinery, which is expected to commence operations in the fourth quarter of 2021. Co-processing utilizes existing refinery equipment to process renewable feedstock, such as canola, alongside crude oil to produce low-carbon fuels.”