Paul Morden, The ObserverFederal funding announced Friday for a sugar-from-biomass plant planned for Sarnia is welcome news, says Dave Park.The Sarnia farmer is president of the Cellulosic Sugar Producers Cooperative, a group forming to supply the corn stalks and leaves expected to be the main feedstock for a plant London-based Comet Biorefining announced last month it plans to build in the TransAlta Energy Park in Sarnia.Just over $10.8 million in funding from Innovation, Science and Economic development Canada for the Comet project was announced Friday, as part of more than $206 million in funding for 36 clean technology projects across Canada.�That's very welcomed news,� Park said.�It's a boost in the arm for the Sarnia area too, that the government has confidence in our area to be part of this emerging bio-economy.�Comet has said it plans to build a plant able to produce 27 million kilograms (60 million pounds) of dextrose sugar annually from locally sourced corn stover and wheat straw.�It's a positive development in the project, and we're happy to have Comet Biorefining setting up shop in the area,� Park said.Friday's announcement by Navdeep Bains, minister of innovation, science and economy development, came in the form of an investment in Sustainable Development Technology Canada (STDC,) an arms-length foundation created by the government.�This funding will support the commercialization of our feedstock-flexible technology and produce a much-needed raw material for the growing bioeconomy,� Comet founder and chairman Andrew Richard said in an e-mail.�By supporting Comet Biorefining, STDC is investing in Canada�s environmental goals and economic future.�According to background information on the STDC website, the total value of the Comet bio-refining project is $34.7 million.The dextrose sugar to be produced by the Comet facility is a basic building block for bio-based chemicals and bio-plastic.The company has said it plans to have the plant in Sarnia operating by 2018. ;pmorden@postmedia.com ;With files from The London Free Press
