Energy Efficiency Industrial News
Quebec and Canada invest in CEPSA Chimie Bécancour

March 6, 2021 – Ottawa and Quebec announced investments of over $123,000 for CEPSA Chimie Bécancour, a petrochemical company that produces linear alkylbenzene—a component used in the production of detergent that is also entirely biodegradable and does not accumulate in the environment.

“The reduction of our greenhouse gas emissions, as well as a constant increase in our competitiveness, are two objectives of prime importance for our organization,” said Pierre Lahaie, general manager, CEPSA Chimie Bécancour. “Thanks to this project, we can implement several technical improvements to our equipment and our processes and, thus, make better use of our resources.”

The investments aim to reduce energy costs, improve energy efficiency and reduce GHGs from CEPSA’s facility, NRCan reports. The company will also contribute its findings to a pool of knowledge in the field of process integration: a global energy analysis of how organizations can best use and recover heat.

Benoit Charette, Quebec’s Environment minister, says the province has set aside $579.2 million to support the implementation of energy efficiency and energy conversion projects of companies such as CEPSA Chimie Bécancour “that are committed to making more sustainable energy choices”.

“Better energy management helps these companies save more money and improves their competitiveness in a world that is increasingly shifting toward a low-carbon economy,” Charette added.

The Quebec’s $83,000 investment in the project is provided by EcoPerformance, a program implemented as part of the 2030 Plan for a Green Economy. The $40,000 federal investment is provided by Natural Resources Canada’s Energy Efficiency for Industry Program, which helps fund Canadian industrial facilities’ energy management projects.