In April, we reported on Burnaby-born Svante Technologies advancing in Alberta thanks to a partnership with Vancouver-based Mercer International, a global producer of forest products such as pulp, lumber, and timber.
The carbon capture project targets biogenic CO2 emissions from Mercer’s Peace River pulp mill, where the biomass is sourced from sustainably managed forests.
The B.C. company’s Peace River pulp mill produces approximately 475,000 tonnes of hardwood and softwood pulp annually.
Mercer is pushing to slash emissions significantly by 2030 and one of the strategies it intends to adopt in Canada is carbon sequestration.
In Alberta, carbon sequestration is the obvious tactic to apply, according to Mercer International chief executive officer Juan Carlos Bueno.
“The reason why we’re doing it there is because the mill is located in Alberta, where you have geological formations that are suitable for sequestering CO2,” Bueno informed Andrew Snook of Pulp & Paper Canada.
“You don’t have to take it long distances,” he continued, referring to the carbon. “You’re right where you need to be, and that makes the project financially viable.”
But investing fully in the project is no minor consideration. There is an estimated price tag north of $500 million, according to P&P, and would require extensive support from both the Province of Alberta and Government of Canada.
“We’re working with them, going through all the phases that are needed, before we are ready for an investment decision,” Bueno explained. “Alberta is incredibly supportive in both the policy framework and offsetting the technology risks, and that makes a difference.”
The Mercer CEO also wants to ensure “the technology works” at scale.
Svante’s capture system uses proprietary filters designed to selectively capture carbon dioxide from industrial flue gas. These filters are coated with nano-materials that bind CO₂ molecules while allowing other gases to pass through. Saturated filters are then heated to release the CO₂, which can be compressed for transport and storage.
Bueno says Svante has already tested and demonstrated its cleantech, but that this project would be the upstart’s first large-scale pulp mill investment.
“We would be the first of a kind for their technology,” he said, “and that’s why it takes a bit longer to make sure that we have it all squared through,” suggesting a timeframe of two years before a final decision is made.
Should the investment occur, construction is pegged at another two years, with carbon sequestration forecast to begin by the end of 2029.
Svante is on TIME & Statista’s Top Greentech Companies of 2025, the 2025 Global Cleantech 100, the XPRIZE Foundation’s XB100 – World’s Top 100 Deep Tech Companies, and the Corporate Knights’ Future 50 Fastest Growing Sustainable Companies.
The Canadian cleantech secured $137M from the Canada Growth Fund in 2024 to accelerate the company’s development and construction of commercial-scale carbon capture and removal projects.
Last month, Svante announced a global first: a gigafactory dedicated to producing commercial-scale carbon capture and removal filters.