Among the fields and forests of Drayton Valley, Alberta, BioComposites Group is building a sustainable solution for the agriculture industry. The company repurposes hemp stalk, a waste material from farms, into a 100% compostable natural fibre used for construction, vehicles, and agriculture.
In their 18-person facility, BioComposites creates hemp-based animal bedding, natural fibre for car interiors, and hurd for “hempcrete,” an alternative to concrete. Many of the products they build are first-of-kind—providing sustainable substitutes for plastic and other materials.
BioComposites’ facility has faced a dramatic rise in power prices over the last five years. To better manage their energy costs, the company signed up for ERA’s Strategic Energy Management for Industry (SEMI) program.
“Energy has been on our minds for a while,” says Ross Wurm, Plant Manager, BioComposites Group. “We haven’t known an effective way to track our energy and make informed decisions. After our assessment with SEMI, we found areas for opportunity.”
The plant’s production lines have lengthy startup and shutdown times. After conducting a facility readiness assessment with SEMI, Ross and his team discovered how to program their lines to keep equipment going, even during shutdown processes.
“I’ve learned so much more about our equipment,” explains Ross. “Take electric motors, for example. Through SEMI, I’ve found out that if you overrun a motor, it can use energy recklessly and kick out. But, if you run it too slow, it will draw more energy than necessary. It’s all about optimization.”
SEMI recommended BioComposites participate in strategic energy management training, one of the program activities. Alongside other Alberta manufacturers, they’ve attended in-person and online workshops to expand their knowledge.
“Funding from SEMI goes hand-in-hand with training,” explains Ross. “It’s nice to be around other people going through the same experience. We’ve learned where to allocate our capital and how to make better choices to save energy and cut costs.”
ERA’s SEMI program provides industrial and manufacturing facilities with knowledge, expertise, and training in energy management. SEMI helps organizations increase profitability by reducing energy costs, growing skills and capacity building, and helping cover the cost of capital retrofits.
This $50 million program, with funding provided by the Government of Alberta and Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), will help the province’s industrial and manufacturing sectors increase competitiveness, improve energy efficiency, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.