Source | Yasmin Abdeen, linkedIn

On Nov. 28, Alberta Innovates (Edmonton, AB, Canada) opened what it reports is Canada’s first carbon fiber production research facility. The facility, located at Alberta Innovates’ InnoTech facilities in Edmonton, was made possible by $10 million in funding from Prairies Economic Development Canada, and more than $1 million in facility upgrades funded by Infrastructure Alberta. It offers industry access to pre-commercial-scale production and testing, as well as expertise in hydrocarbon processing and carbon fiber development.?

Carbon fiber is made with petroleum-based products that are exported, but its price is currently prohibitive. Alberta Innovate believes that a version derived from Canadian bitumen has the potential to reduce the cost of carbon fiber production, and as a result, unlock new applications for its use.

“At Alberta Innovates, we don’t just see carbon fiber as a material — we see it as a catalyst,” says Alberta Innovates CEO Mike Mahon. “A conduit for cleaner energy, smarter design and resilient systems. It’s where science meets sustainability.” By using bitumen for high-value applications, Alberta has the potential to expand the material’s opportunities.

The facility’s first clients will be the finalists of the Alberta Innovates Carbon Fibre Grand Challenge (CFGC), a $20 million competition to accelerate the development of production for carbon fiber from bitumen-derived feedstocks and promote their use in manufactured products.

“One of the main challenges innovation faces is the gap between laboratory research and commercialization, often due to the lack of pilot-scale infrastructure,” says Yasmine Abdin, president and COO, Fibernx, a BC-based carbon fiber company that will be relocating to Alberta to be one of the facility’s first clients. “This facility allows us to validate our current manufacturing processes on a larger scale and identify the adjustments needed for real-life production. It serves as the vital link between research and manufacturing, to enable faster commercialization of carbon fiber technologies.”