Airex Energy

What Airex Energy does

Airex Energy is a Canadian clean-technology company headquartered in Laval, Quebec, founded in 2008 with commercial operations commencing in 2016. The company develops and deploys proprietary biomass torrefaction technology — its patented CarbonFX and CarbonFX-HT processes — to convert residual biomass into biocoal, biochar, and biocarbon. It sells turnkey torrefaction systems to industrial customers and operates its own production facilities, notably the Bécancour plant (operational since 2016) and the Carbonity plant on the Côte-Nord. End-markets include energy and heat, metallurgy, soil conditioning, biofuels, and building materials.

The company's revenue model combines equipment/project sales of turnkey torrefaction systems with ongoing biochar/biocoal production. A material monetization lever is certified carbon credits: Airex holds Puro.Earth and EBC certifications, and its biochar is reported to sequester 2–3 tons of CO2 per ton of product, enabling sale of registry-anchored carbon removal credits. Named customers and counterparties span utilities (NB Power), industrial OEMs (Andritz), research and pilot partners (AHE, BEL labs), an Indigenous community partnership (Wiikwemkoong), and corporate carbon buyers (Microsoft via a SUEZ forward carbon credit purchase contract), with Puro.earth serving as both registry and customer channel.

In May 2024, Airex was acquired by SUEZ, integrating the company into a global environmental services platform. This followed a C$38M Series B led by Cycle Capital in March 2023 and a Series D first closing in June 2024 led by SUEZ. Post-acquisition, the company has signaled international expansion into Europe and Asia, reinforced by leadership additions including a new COO and a Board appointment.

Name

Airex Energy

Legal name

Airex Energy Inc.

Website

https://airex-energy.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Airex Energy is a Canadian cleantech company that uses proprietary biomass torrefaction technology (CarbonFX and CarbonFX-HT) to convert residual biomass into biocoal, biochar, and biocarbon for industrial energy, metallurgy, agricultural, and construction markets, monetizing certified carbon credits via Puro.Earth and EBC.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biomass Conversion & Biochar Manufacturing

NAICS

Biomass Electric Power Generation (221117)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Cogeneration Services & Small Power Producers (4991)

akta.pro primary industry

Bio-based Carbon Products & Advanced Bioproducts (Biochar, activated carbon, carbon black alternatives) (EUAAAIAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Biochar, Activated Carbon & Soil Amendments (from forest biomass) (IMAMALAH), Carbon Removal Credits Trading (DAC, BECCS, Biochar, Mineralization) (EUAGAIAL), Cellulosic Biofuels & Renewable Fuels (2G ethanol, SAF intermediates) (IMAMALAA), Emissions Control & Flue Gas Cleanup for Biomass Heat/Power (SCR/SNCR, ESP/Baghouse) (EUAAAGAK)

Keywords

• Biomass torrefaction technology
• Biocoal production
• Biochar manufacturing
• Biocarbon for metallurgy
• Carbon removal credits

Headquarters

HQ city

Laval

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Biocoal/Biochar/Biocarbon Product Sales: Sale of torrefied pellets (biocoal), biochar, and biocarbon products to industrial customers for applications in energy generation, metallurgy, soil conditioning, and building materials.
2. Pilot-Scale Testing Services: Testing and analysis services using patented CarbonFX technology to help customers evaluate feedstock potential and product outcomes before committing to full-scale deployment.
3. Carbon Credits: Sale of certified carbon dioxide removal (CDR) credits generated through biochar carbon sequestration. The company is Puro.Earth certified and uses Cula.tech dMRV software to track carbon sequestration.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Airex Energy provides turnkey industrial solutions using proprietary CarbonFX and CarbonFX-HT technologies that convert residual biomass (forest, agricultural, animal manure, and municipal waste) into three product categories: biocoal (torrefied pellets) for power generation and district heating, biochar for agriculture, soil conditioning, and carbon sequestration, and biocarbon for high-temperature metallurgical processes. The company sells finished products, operates industrial-scale production facilities, and offers pilot-scale testing services and Puro.Earth certified carbon removal credits.

Product overview

Airex Energy provides turnkey solutions using proprietary CarbonFX technology that converts residual biomass into three main product categories: biocoal (torrefied pellets) for energy and heat applications, biochar for soil conditioning and carbon sequestration, and biocarbon for metallurgy and industrial processes. The company operates industrial-scale production facilities in Bécancour and Côte-Nord, Canada, and offers pilot-scale testing services. The product portfolio includes both technology solutions (for clients to implement themselves) and finished products (biocoal, biochar, biocarbon) for direct purchase, along with carbon credits generated from biochar production.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Biocoal Solution

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 100% coal co-combustion rate with torrefied pellets
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Puro.earthcoreTechnology or IntegrationPuro.earth provides carbon credit certification ensuring high-quality carbon dioxide removal (CDR) with trusted and verifiable standards. Airex Energy is Puro.earth certified for biochar carbon credit generation.
• Cula.techcoreTechnology or IntegrationCula.tech provides digital MRV (measuring, reporting, and verifying) software used by Airex Energy to accurately track the carbon sequestration of their biochar products.
• SUEZflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSUEZ acquired Airex Energy in May 2024 as part of its climate change mitigation strategy. This represents a strategic acquisition to expand SUEZ's decarbonization offerings.
• 5N PluscoreOthers5N Plus President and CEO Gervais Jacques serves as Chairman of Airex Energy's Board of Directors, providing governance oversight and strategic guidance.
• ARBECminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading Québec lumber manufacturer partnering with Airex Energy for sustainable wood valorization solutions.
• InnofibreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCellulosic Products Innovation Center providing research and development support for biomass valorization technologies.
• CTRIminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCenter for Industrial Residues (CTRI) - technology center focused on industrial residue management and valorization.
• FPInnovationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorld's largest forest products research center providing R&D support for wood and biomass applications.
• NSERCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNatural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada - funding and supporting research partnerships.
• BiopterreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch center specialized in biomass, environmental technologies, and horticultural products.
• CRIBIQminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerQuébec Consortium for Research and Innovation in Industrial Bioprocesses supporting bioproduct development.
• Alberta InnovatesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlberta-based innovation agency helping technical industries find solutions, develop products, and bring technologies to market.
• NRC-CNRCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Research Council of Canada providing research support and technical expertise.
• Agriculture and Agri-Food CanadaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal department supporting agricultural innovation and sustainable farming practices research.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Carbofex: Finland-based industrial biochar producer using pyrolysis to convert forest and agricultural residues into certified biochar for agriculture, environmental, and carbon removal applications. Directly comparable as a European biochar producer targeting carbon credit and soil amendment end-markets.
• Pyreg: German manufacturer of carbonization/pyrolysis systems that produce EBC-certified biochar from biomass residues at industrial scale. Closely comparable technology platform and target customers (industrial biochar producers, agriculture, carbon credit developers).
• Biochar Now: US-based industrial biochar producer operating commercial-scale pyrolysis facilities and supplying certified biochar for agriculture and carbon removal markets. Direct competitor in North American biochar production with overlapping end-markets.
• Standard Biocarbon: Maine-based manufacturer of biochar using proprietary pyrolysis technology, with production capacity and forestry residue feedstock utilization. Directly comparable biochar manufacturer serving similar soil conditioning, filtration, and carbon removal customers.
• Pacific Biochar Benefit Corp: US West Coast biochar producer with proprietary pyrolysis systems and certified carbon removal credit offerings. Directly comparable as a vertically integrated biochar producer selling both product and CDR credits.

Emerging players

• CarbonScape: New Zealand-based technology company developing biomass-to-biocarbon processes for use in steelmaking and other industrial applications. Comparable in its focus on converting biomass into metallurgical-grade carbon substitutes, an overlapping end-market with Airex's biocarbon line.
• Heirloom Carbon: US-based DAC carbon removal company using enhanced limestone-based capture technology. Comparable as a competitor in the high-durability voluntary CDR market, where it competes for the same corporate offtake dollars that support Airex's biochar credits.

Others

• Carbonfuture: German-based digital marketplace and registry for high-quality carbon removal credits, including biochar. Comparable as an enabling infrastructure layer in the biochar-based CDR value chain where Airex also participates via Puro.earth certification.

Broad incumbents

• Andritz: Austrian industrial group with broad biomass processing, drying, and pelletizing equipment offerings serving pulp, paper, and bioenergy industries. Comparable as a broader incumbent in the biomass valorization equipment value chain and is also a current Airex customer/partner.
• Valmet: Finnish industrial technology provider serving pulp, paper, energy, and biomass conversion markets, including heat and power from biomass. Comparable as a broad incumbent in biomass-to-energy equipment and adjacent processing technologies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/airex-energy

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors8 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Airex Energy