A Sault Ste. Marie company, SITTM Technologies Inc., is developing a small-scale, fully automated biodiesel production system.

Norm Jaehrling, Dr. Luc Duchesne and John Barbeau are hoping Number 7 will be lucky for Stick it To The Man (SITTM) Technologies Inc. SITTM is currently building prototype Number 7 in its line of high-efficiency, low-volume biodiesel production units.

A biofuel co-operative and sustainable biomass production zone project is moving forward with a financial boost from city council. Council approved funding the project to the tune of $30,000 from the economic development fund Monday.

The Grand Theatre was shining with bright stars on Wednesday June 10, 2009 when the Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre (SSMIC) held their fourth annual SSMARt (Sault Ste. Marie and Algoma Region) Innovation Awards. Formerly known as the SSMARt IT Awards, the gala ceremony honours and recognizes local talent in the science and IT sectors.

A one-year pilot project to determine how biodiesel affects the city’s transit buses has been deemed successful. Two regular buses and a parabus were tested for a year and results indicate emissions were low, engine wear improved but cost savings were minimal. Biodiesel is a clean burning alternative fuel produced from domestic, renewable resources, such as vegetable oils and waste oil products.