Microsoft has signed a long-term agreement to purchase 626,000 tonnes of carbon removal credits over 15 years from a biomass-based carbon capture project in Saskatchewan, Bioenergy Insight reported.
The deal is with North Star Carbon Solutions LP, a joint venture between the Meadow Lake Tribal Council and Svante Technologies. It marks Microsoft’s first agreement in Canada for carbon removal using bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) and is also considered the first such project in the country with Indigenous ownership.
The North Star project will be set up alongside the MLTC Bioenergy Centre, a renewable energy facility that uses waste biomass from a nearby sawmill. At full capacity, the plant is expected to generate up to 90,000 tonnes of carbon removal credits each year. The captured carbon dioxide will be transported and permanently stored at a dedicated underground storage site managed by the project developers.
The project is scheduled to begin commercial operations in early 2029, with Svante currently funding development until a final construction decision is taken.
Project stakeholders said the agreement highlights growing confidence in biomass-based carbon capture solutions. Scott Gardner, president of Svante Development, said Microsoft’s long-term commitment sends a strong signal about the quality of the project and the readiness of the Canadian market to support such initiatives.
Jeremy Norman, tribal chief of the Meadow Lake Tribal Council, said the project reflects the community’s focus on sustainable forest management while also creating economic opportunities for local people. He added that it demonstrates how Indigenous leadership can contribute to climate solutions.
Phillip Goodman, director of carbon removal portfolio at Microsoft, said scaling solutions that ensure long-term carbon storage and proper monitoring is essential to meet climate goals.
The project is expected to create around 50 jobs during the construction phase and about 10 permanent jobs once it becomes operational.
