VANCOUVER, BC — Lignol Energy Corporation, a leading technology company in the cellulosic ethanol and biorefining sector, today announced that a project led by its wholly-owned subsidiary, Lignol Innovations Ltd., has been awarded up to $1.18 million in funding assistance from BC Bioenergy Network Association (BCBN). With this contribution, BCBN will provide funding to Lignol to work with several British Columbia Universities to support mission-driven lignin research for commercial applications.
   
The goal of this project is to develop the foundation for a renewable chemicals industry within the Province of British Columbia and to further support the development of a biofuels industry. This project will further develop expertise in the production and functional utilization of Lignol's HP-LTM lignin, derived from locally available non-food, biomass feedstocks and leverage the established world renowned centres of excellence at BC Universities and other research institutions, such as FP Innovations.
   
"BC companies like Lignol will help our province reach its potential as a clean energy powerhouse," said Blair Lekstrom, Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources. "Research like this contributes to BC's leadership in the commercialization of cellulosic ethanol and other biofuels, and in the promotion of innovative clean and renewable energy and biorefining solutions."
   
"This project is a great fit for our mandate of supporting relevant, mission driven research and building a world class bioenergy capability here in BC" stated Michael Weedon, Executive Director of the BC Bioenergy Network.

"Lignol has defined the research agenda needs by working with some of BC's leading research universities and other research institutions to accelerate the commercialization of their technology. This is the kind of collaborative approach that we need more of in BC to really fast track the efforts of our technology companies to get their products to market," Weedon added.
   
"British Columbia is a province rich in resources as well as technical and scientific expertise. This represents an exciting opportunity, through our expanded partnership with BCBN and collaboration with BC's Universities and Research Institutions, to establish BC as a world-leading centre for the production and commercialization of renewable biochemicals from non-food, ligno-cellulosic feedstocks," said Ross MacLachlan, President and CEO of Lignol. "Lignol's team of 50 dedicated employees now includes a talented technical development team, including seven PhD Scientists, many of whom are graduates of BC Universities. This project, lead by Dr. Alex Berlin, Lignol's Vice President of Research, represents an excellent opportunity to expand our working relationships with the Universities and Institutions of BC, which could serve as a model for future collaborations between Industry and Academia," MacLachlan went on to say.

For more information about the BCBN, visit www.bcbioenergy.ca.
For more information about Lignol, visit www.lignol.ca.

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