The recipients were awarded $10,000 each to put towards developing business plans for the next round of competition. Out of 60 applicants to this competition, 22 companies were successful in moving forward to the proof of concept stage.

The winning companies are involved in a diverse range of advanced science and technology innovations in the agriculture, food and bioproducts sectors. Top applicants will be required to make a presentation to a panel of expert judges for a chance to win a portion of the $600,000 proof of concept money.

Several companies involved in manure management have advanced to the next round of the competition. These include:

Bakerview EcoDairy Ltd.’s objective is to create cost-effective sustainable anaerobic digester systems for conversion of dairy manure to by-products such as biogas, heat, bedding, and fertilizer. The anaerobic digester will be located on the Bakerview EcoDairy in Abbotsford, B.C., and will showcase innovative and sustainable farming practices to the public.

Enviro-Quest Technologies Inc. proposes to develop methods for mixing crude glycerol, a by-product of biodiesel, into the anaerobic digestion process to increase methane yields based on waste streams that are available in B.C. Laboratory and pilot plant studies will evaluate the use of waste glycerol as co-substrate in anaerobic digestion of manure/sewage in particular.

Sungard Building Products has developed an innovative device and process that permits the densification, compaction, reduction, dewatering and reuse of a wide range of agricultural wastes, including animal manures, straws, grasses, chaffs and stover into usable products suitable as clean burning fuels for existing and new combustion, heating and energy systems.