Thank you, Mr. Chair. Good afternoon.
Enerkem is a private Quebec company that produces biofuels and renewable chemical products using residual materials such as non-recyclable and non-compostable waste. Using its exclusive technology, Enerkem converts residual material headed to the landfill into added-value products such as biomethanol and ethanol.
Enerkem was founded by two visionary men who are today still part of the senior management team: Dr. Esteban Chornet, a world-renowned scientist; and Mr. Vincent Chornet, a renowned entrepreneur and businessman.
Headquartered in Montreal, Enerkem employs 170 people across Canada, and 30% of them are engineers. The company operates both a pilot facility and a demonstration facility in Quebec, and just last week inaugurated Enerkem Alberta Biofuels, its first full-scale commercial facility. This game-changing plant is located in Edmonton. It is the world's first full-scale facility to convert residential waste into biofuels and renewable chemicals. Enerkem is also developing additional biorefineries in North America and globally, based on its modular manufacturing approach.
The company's next project is a biorefinery facility in Varennes, Quebec, and it will use construction and demolition debris. This first-of-kind facility is supported by the next generation biofuels fund, managed by SDTC.
Enerkem's technology is a breakthrough innovation that uses non-recyclable garbage instead of petroleum to produce liquid transportation fuels and renewable chemicals. It is a true biorefinery. This technology reduces our collective dependence on fossil sources. It is transforming the way that communities manage their waste by offering a sustainable and economical alternative to landfilling and incineration. It is complementary to upstream recycling and composting.
Last week, we officially launched our first full-scale facility, with Mayor Iveson, from Edmonton—