EDMONTON — Canadians might soon take flight, courtesy of municipal landfills.According to a Friday announcement made by the federal government, Alberta could cash in on a new initiative to curb greenhouse gas emissions in the aviation industry. The Liberal government announced it was issuing a nationwide challenge to develop clean and affordable biojet fuel for the aviation sector.At an announcement made at the Alberta Aviation Museum, Minister of Natural Resources Amarjeet Sohi said the challenge would benefit both the economy and the environment.“It’s a win-win situation for the economy, it’s a win-win situation for the environment,” he said. “It will help us grow our economy, create jobs here.”In 2016, Canada signed onto an international aviation agreement to curb emissions, with participants aspiring to achieve carbon-neutral growth by 2020 and a 50 per cent reduction in emissions by 2050.Biojet fuel is made from sustainable sources like vegetable oils, sugars, animal fats and even waste biomass. In Alberta, such fuel can be manufactured from agriculture and forestry byproducts and municipal solid waste.Sohi said the government doesn’t have a definite date for when the aviation sector could be running entirely on renewables, but said industry in Alberta can take advantage of the government incentives.“We have wealth of natural resources, including our agricultural production here, that can be definitely used to foster that kind of innovation.”As per the announcement, Ottawa will launch two competitions. The green aviation fuels innovation competition will provide $2 million apiece for four teams who develop the most economical and environmentally sustainable aviation fuel. The winner gets a $5-million grand prize.Another competition will award the first participant to fuel a Canadian commercial flight using a minimum 10 per cent blend of made-in-Canada biojet fuel a prize of $1 million.There is R ...
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