Renewable diesel refinery is first in Canada, completed in B.C.

Construction has been completed on a stand-alone renewable diesel refinery in British Columbia, the first of its kind in Canada.

Officials, including Premier David Eby, were in Prince George to celebrate the milestone for the $380-million facility run by Tidewater Renewables.

A government statement says the process involves blending feedstocks, such as canola and tallow, with transportation fuels to lower their carbon intensity.

Tidewater CEO Rob Colcleugh says the facility will produce renewable diesel, which offers an 80 to 90 per cent reduction in carbon emissions compared with fossil fuel diesel.

Eby says more than 40 per cent of the project's cost came from the province's low-carbon fuel credits, given to companies that use more fuels like hydrogen, electricity, renewable gas and diesel.

Officials say the facility will be fully operational "in the near future" and is expected to produce more than 3,000 barrels of low-carbon fuel a day along with renewable hydrogen.