Burnaby agricultural research company Diacarbon Energy Inc. won the B.C. Bioenergy network prize at the British Columbia Innovation Council's New Ventures Competition.
The company was awarded $20,000 for the win, and also tied in the competition for second prize in the Shildroth Agritech Innovation category, winning another $10,000.
The awards ceremony took place Sept. 15 in Vancouver.
"I think it was a huge honour to win two prizes," said Jerry Ericsson, Diacarbon's president and co-founder, in a phone interview. "We're very excited."
Diacarbon shared the Shildroth Agritech Innovation award with KOK Technologies.
BCIC-New Ventures is one of North America's biggest technology business idea competitions.
Diacarbon was the only Burnaby company in the top 25.
The company builds machines to convert biomass into carbon-neutral fuel or biochar soil conditioners, according to Ericsson, who has worked in biological agricultural research for the past eight years.
Biochar is charcoal created by decomposing biomass, which is organic material from living and dead plants and animals. The biomass waste (such as manure) or raw biomass (such as wood fibre) is converted into three fuel types: liquid bio oil, solid biochar and synthesis gas (a mix of combustible gases).
Diacarbon started as a research company to investigate the effects of biochar in the soil in 2009. The company initially entered the Commercialization of Agricultural Technology Competition, also hosted by the B.C. Innovation Council, and won a $10,000 voucher to prepare a business plan, according to the company's website.
In April, Diacarbon was awarded $37,000 from the British Columbia Institute of Technology's commercialization fund, part of the school's commercialization assistance program.
The company will use the $30,000 winnings from the New Ventures Competition as working capital, according to Ericsson, who also said they will be attending more trade shows and conferences.
"We plan to establish ourselves more in the biofuel community," he added.
Ericsson said he also plans to continue the growth of the company, as he believes there's a good market for small-to medium-scale biofuel plants.
"We can actually convert this biowaste locally into products that can be used locally," he explained. "Ours is really a regional solution to small to medium-sized communities and businesses."
