Taking a significant step towards its ambitious carbon reduction goals, Michelin Canada, in collaboration with Vyterra Renewables, the Verschuren Centre, the Greenspring Bioinnovation Hub, and Invest Nova Scotia, successfully conducted a two-week trial using Low Carbon Fuel Oil (LCFO) at its plant in Waterville, Nova Scotia.
Michelin Canada conducted a 2-week combustion trial of approximately 150,000 litres of Vyterra Renewables’ Low Carbon Fuel Oil (LCFO) at their Waterville, NS facility in Q4 2023. To evaluate performance and identify considerations for future implementation, Michelin engaged the Verschuren Centre (VC) in partnership with Greenspring Bioinnovation Hub to conduct an independent technical assessment of the trial.
The VC established a performance baseline by collecting data from the Michelin Waterville plant’s thermal system, including fuel consumption, steam temperature, pressure, and mass flow rates. During the trial, VC staff observed the process, interviewed Michelin and Vyterra personnel, and documented anecdotal lessons learned regarding trial setup, adjustments, and operations.
Post trial, the VC analyzed results for performance and carbon intensity of the LCFO and compared these metrics with the baseline fuel to demonstrate the carbon reduction achieved during the trial and in future production scenarios. The resulting report aims to provide documentation of the LCFO trial process, results and provide insights, and recommendations for exploration of future LCFO applications.
Based on lifecycle carbon intensity estimates for LCFO and CNG, the trial contributed to reduce lifecycle carbon emissions by more than 80% compared with the baseline. More specifically, by consuming LCFO Michelin was able to almost reduce its Scope 1 GHG emissions entirely from CNG combustion, without causing more Scope 3 GHG emissions. There will be N2O emissions from combusting LCFO that will be required to be counted as a GHG emission. However, the N2O emissions will make up less than 1% of the current GHG levels. Therefore, LCFO has the potential to make a significant contribution to Michelin’s carbon goals.
