Canadian biofuel startup Forge Hydrocarbons Corp. has secured an equity investment from Shell Ventures and a follow-on contribution from Valent Low-Carbon Technologies, which will help build a 28.4 MMly (7.5 MMgy) renewable diesel facility in Sombra, Ontario, at a cost of CAD$30 million, according to the company.

“Collaboration will be key to a successful energy transition,” said Andrew Murfin, Shell’s general manager of advanced biofuels, “and Shell’s investment in Forge to progress this commercial-scale project can help accelerate this technology.”

Forge’s patented Lipid-to-Hydrocarbon technology creates renewable jet fuel, diesel and naphtha from waste fats and oils and, according to the company, is “cheaper to produce than conventional renewable diesel.”

The technology was invented by David Bressler at the University of Alberta and licensed through TEC Edmonton to Forge, which was founded by Tim Haig, who also founded Biox Corp.—now a part of World Energy.

The company says it will “tap into abundant, low-cost and often untapped lipid feedstocks.”

Shell Ventures joins Forge’s funders and collaborators including World Energy, Lockheed Martin, Valent Low-Carbon Technologies and Sustainable Development Canada.