Esterhazy, Saskatchewan
The Esterhazy, Saskatchewan BDO Zone for Flax Straw is rated ‘A’.
Rating Issue Date: June 25, 2024.
'A' ratings denote high prospective viability of Feedstock Supply and Infrastructure and low expectations of default risk in the Zone. Capacity to support new biobased plant operations is considered strong.
Esterhazy, SK holds an investment-grade BDO Zone ‘A’ Rating for Flax straw. Issued in Jun 2024, the rating certifies approximately 63,400 gt/yr of reliable, low-risk biomass feedstock available within a Maximum transport distance is based on a 150-km driving distance from the center point (Esterhazy, SK).
A ‘A’ rating is an investment grade rating, signalling a reliable, low-risk feedstock supply. It signals to developers, lenders, and investors that Esterhazy, SK’s feedstock supply has undergone rigorous, standardized due diligence across 100+ risk indicators, the same framework applied to every BDO Zone across North America.
Every BDO Zone Rating assesses a region across three dimensions, mapped as expanding radii around a candidate site.
- Feedstock surplus: Data indicating at least 50,000 tonnes per year of excess feedstock available to support typical intake of new biofuels manufacturing plants.
- Supply chain strength: Evidence supporting long-term commitment to supply both quantity and quality by local farmers, forestry companies, food waste generators, haulers and municipalities.
- Sound infrastructure: Suitable transportation, logistic, operating and supporting infrastructure to meet the requirements for new facility operations.
Assets & liabilities
- Producers' strong interest to participate and supply a flax straw project
- No flax straw competition in the BDO Zone
- Existing harvesting, collection, and transportation equipment can support rated quantity without scale-up
- Positively rated infrastructure asset profile highlighted by public safety, healthcare, and land ownership
- 60% of available flax straw located more than 100 km outside Esterhazy, resulting in sensitivity to fuel cost
- Year-to-year variability of flax production poses medium-high risk to supply security
- Floods and drought significantly affect flax straw production and logistics
- World's largest potash operation creates upward wage pressure, reducing skilled labor availability
Infrastructure & sites
- Location: Currently, there is one space available located 2 km southeast of Esterhazy. This 10-acre greenfield parcel is situated in a commercial/industrial area, making it an ideal location for light to medium industrial developments.
- Infrastructure: Esterhazy offers a range of infrastructure features designed to support business development:
- Water Supply Source- new regional Water Treatment plant projected for completion in 2026. This will be capable of handling the water need of 8,000 people throughout the region.
- Sewage – Lagoons
- Broadband – 1Gbps download speed
- Highway -located on SK 22, a major provincial highway providing direct access to transportation routes.
- Utilities: The site has access to power and septic services, with natural gas
- Rail Access: Esterhazy has access to a private rail spur, located 10 minutes north of the Town, which is leased by a local flax seed processor and connects to the CN line.
- Electricity: SaskPower supplies electricity through a distribution system, with a capacity of 40 MW available, ensuring reliable power for industrial activities.
- One of the largest potash mining operations in the world, Mosaic operates multiple underground potash mines and processing facilities 7km east of Esterhazy.
Contacts
