2012
Renewable Energy
Vincent Chornet headshot
Clean50 Award Logo

Vincent Chornet

Co-founder, President and CEO, Enerkem

Enerkem has created a unique technology and process that can turn the non-recyclable portion of municipal solid waste into ethanol—and so offers communities a combined opportunity to both meet the demand for cleaner energy and a sustainable solution to traditional waste management. Since 2000, Vincent has guided Enerkem to use its proprietary thermochemical technology to convert waste—such as unrecyclable household garbage, demolition debris and used utility poles—into chemical-grade syngas, which is used to create renewable intermediate chemicals that form everyday products. Enerkem’s full-scale commercial plants are expected to have the capacity to each convert 100,000 dry tonnes of waste into 36 million litres of ethanol and renewable chemicals per year. The company has locations in Quebec and planned locations in Alberta and in the U.S.