Expander Energy Secures Environmental Approval for Bio-Synfuel Facility Phase One
CALGARY, Alberta — September 10, 2026 — Leads & Copy — Expander Energy Inc. has received approval under the Alberta Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act for the initial phase of its Wheatland Bio-Synfuel Facility near Calgary. The facility is projected to produce 8.3 million liters per year of renewable Bio-Synthetic fuel.
Recent discussions with aviation partners have underscored a pressing demand for second-generation Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) that avoids competition with food resources. In response, Expander is seeking an amendment to its approval to increase bio-syngas generation and Fischer-Tropsch (FT) unit capacity. This expansion could boost the facility’s total output to 36 million liters annually of renewable bio-synthetic fuels and allow for the use of alternative feedstocks like agricultural residues, sewage sludge, and used railway ties.
The expanded facility will utilize Expander’s patented Enhanced Biomass to Liquids (EBTL®) technology. Key aspects of the project include processing up to 112,000 dry tonnes of landfill-diverted wood waste annually. The facility’s output will comprise 36 million liters per year of Bio-SynJet® (SAF), Bio-SynDiesel® (RD), Renewable Naphtha, and Bio-Wax. The project is designed to displace fossil fuels, with an anticipated annual CO2 avoidance of up to 100,000 tonnes. Through permanent underground sequestration of bio-carbon via the East Calgary Carbon Transportation and Sequestration Hub, the fuel is expected to achieve a net-negative lifecycle carbon intensity as low as -15 gCO2e/MJ, a figure validated by Canada’s Federal Fuel Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Model and BC’s GHGenius.
Expander’s proprietary Gasification and Fischer-Tropsch (GFT) technology suite, incorporating electrolysis pathways (BETL® and CETL®), is expected to make small-scale production costs competitive with current HEFA and HDRD fuels. Larger facilities are anticipated to further reduce production costs, approaching those of conventional fossil jet fuel. The Wheatland project is the first in a series of developments planned for Alberta and Northern British Columbia, areas benefiting from available biomass and carbon sequestration infrastructure.
“Regulatory approval, along with secured land and feedstock, are key elements in securing both government and private project financing. Expander Energy is actively engaging with strategic partners to secure project funding,” said Steve Kresnyak, Executive Vice President and CTO of Expander Energy Inc. “We will continue to share more details as these partnerships are finalized, with the target of delivering price-competitive, second-generation GFT SAF for aviation in 2029.”
Expander plans to advance project development to secure funding in late 2026, with commercial production targeted for 2029. Upon completion, the Wheatland facility is intended to serve as a global demonstration site for next-generation bio-synthetic fuel production.
Expander Energy Inc. is an energy technology company based in Calgary, Alberta, that has developed a patented suite of transportation fuel production technologies. These technologies convert biomass, captured carbon, and low Carbon Intensity electricity into low life cycle carbon intensity synthetic diesel fuel (Bio-SynDiesel®) and synthetic kerosene jet fuel (Bio-SynJet®). Expander’s Bio-Energy Carbon Capture and Sequestration (BECCS) solution uses cellulosic biomass to produce next-generation low CI synthetic fuels while capturing bio-carbon for geologic sequestration.
Source: Expander Energy Inc.
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