SAINT-MATHIEU-DE-BELOEIL, Quebec--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Electro Carbon's first tonnes of ECOWAY50, an environmentally friendly potassium formate formulation used in the aviation industry for runway de-icing, have been acquired by Quebec's largest airports. Manufactured on an industrial scale for the first time in the world with an innovative electrochemical process involving the transformation of CO2 by electrolysis, Electro Carbon's potassium formate now enables airports to replace conventional de-icing products made solely from fossil fuel.
The Quebec airport industry shines with its sustainable vision. Montreal Airport (ADM), Montreal Metropolitan Airport (MET), Québec City’s Jean Lesage International Airport (YQB), Trois-Rivières Airport (YRQ) and Mont-Joli Regional Airport (YYY) have become the first airports in the world to use ECOWAY50, the cleanest runway de-icing fluid in the world, distributed to Canadian airports by Avjet.
"This environmentally-friendly de-icing solution, certified to current international standards, will not only enable ADM to rely on local supplies, but also make a concrete contribution to the fight against climate change. Our organization is proud to take a leading role in integrating innovative and sustainable practices into its winter operations, starting with the Mirabel innovation hub. This new partnership illustrates ADM's commitment to working with local companies like Electro Carbon to promote Quebec know-how while setting new standards in safety, efficiency and environmental responsibility," says Martin Massé, ADM's Vice President, Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability.
Prior to Electro Carbon, Canada's entire potassium formate needs were met by molecules produced mainly in Asia or the Middle East, using conventional production methods relying on fossil fuel. Ultimately, producing one tonne of ECOWAY50 will generate a net reduction of 2.15 tonnes of CO2. This impact is set to grow as Electro Carbon increases its production capacity to several thousand tonnes of environmentally friendly, entirely green, potassium formate per year.
"Canadian civil and military airports can now buy a green molecule produced right here in Canada, with an innovative electrochemical process that reduces their carbon footprint at an equivalent price of a conventional product," says Martin Larocque, co-founder and CEO of Electro Carbon.
"The future of green chemistry holds the promise of significant progress in the fight against climate change," says Ulrich Legrand, co-founder and CTO of Electro Carbon. The green chemicals market is expected to reach $229.9 billion by 2030.
Electro Carbon celebrates this milestone and is already exploring other industrial applications such as the road sector, which could benefit greatly in a context where the massive use of road salts causes considerable economic and environmental damage to soil, water and infrastructures. "The notion here of acquisition costs, as opposed to the total costs caused by the use of road salts, needs to be considered," explains Martin Larocque.
About Electro Carbon
Founded in 2019, Electro Carbon is a green chemistry company located in St-Mathieu-de- Beloeil, Quebec. In the transition to carbon neutrality, potassium formate produced by Electro Carbon offers an alternative with a positive impact in several industries, such as de-icing runways, roads and sensitive infrastructures. It is also used in agriculture as a fertilizer and as a heat transfer fluid for buildings and factories. Electro Carbon won the 2021 prize for the most innovative start-up in Quebec. It also won Canada 2025's Clean50 and Clean16 awards. Electro Carbon's innovative electrochemical process is the fruit of numerous collaborations, including with the National Centre for Electrochemistry and Environmental Technology (CNETE), numerous academic partners and a solid ecosystem of business partners.
