The Inventor, the Innovator, and the City That Could Lead a Revolution
Some people chase comfort.
Others chase possibilities.
Julian Brown didn’t wait for permission.
He built a machine that turns garbage into clean fuel.
Tim Gourlay didn’t wait for market demand.
He turned an abandoned retail space into an obstacle course empire.
Two different industries.
Same disruptive mindset.
And this story ties them together—with one city at the heart of it.
A Fuel Revolution From a Backyard in Georgia
Julian Brown, a 21-year-old self-taught inventor from metro Atlanta, built something extraordinary: a solar-powered microwave pyrolysis reactor that converts plastic waste into usable fuels—diesel, gasoline, even jet fuel.
What sets Julian’s invention—called Plastoline—apart?
It runs off solar power and batteries.
It accepts dirty, unsorted plastics that would normally go to landfill.
It breaks down plastic via microwave-driven pyrolysis, not combustion.
The output? Clean-burning liquid fuels tested and validated by ASAP Labs.
In essence: plastic in, clean fuel out.
And it works. That’s why some believe it made Julian a target. He posted that he was “under attack.” Then he vanished in July 2025.
That’s why I’m sharing this now.
Not to capitalize on it.
But to protect the idea by making it public.
Now Let’s Talk About Tim
Back in 2018, I interviewed Tim Gourlay on my podcast.
He wasn’t trying to change global energy systems—but he was doing something just as disruptive in his world.
He took his startup—Fitset Pass, a multi-studio fitness membership—into Edmonton malls, turning underutilized space into something bold:
Fitset Ninja Warrior.
Think American Ninja Warrior meets family fitness.
Obstacle courses. Axe throwing. Drift trikes. VR pop-ups.
Tim filled a commercial void with community, challenge, and movement.
He didn’t wait for gyms to evolve.
He built something entirely different.
And the kicker?
He launched all of it in Edmonton—not Toronto, not LA.
No billion-dollar backers. No Shark Tank pitch.
Just vision, grit, and execution.
Sound familiar?
Why Edmonton Is the Common Thread
I’m not choosing Edmonton just because I live here.
I’m choosing it because this city is already built for innovation.
It’s industrial.
It’s energy-focused.
It has the tradespeople, the logistics network, and the space.
And when someone dares to try something new here—they can actually get it done.
If Edmonton can support what Tim did—turning dead mall space into a thriving, city-serving fitness destination—then it can absolutely support tech like Plastoline.
Where others see barriers, this city sees blue-collar brilliance.
Tim’s work proves it. Julian’s invention needs it.
What If We Turned Trash into an Economy?
Let’s imagine this.
You wake up in Edmonton in 2029.
You separate your plastics into bins—not because you have to, but because it earns you fuel credits.
Not sorted right? No credit.
Sorted perfectly? Your gas, heat, or power bill gets a break.
Plastic isn’t garbage anymore. It’s a resource.
And who’s competing now?
Not for oil leases… but for garbage contracts.
People would fight for the right to process waste—because that’s where the money (and the fuel) is.
How Edmonton Could Lead the Plastoline Revolution
Phase | Timeline | Description---------------------|---------------|------------------------------------------------------------Pilot | 6–12 months | Small-scale Plastoline reactor installed. Partner with local universities.Scale & Certify | +12–18 months | More units. Lab certification in Canada. Test fuel in municipal vehicles.Community Rollout | +18–24 months | Local drop-off + credit system for plastics.Industrial Shift | Years 4–5 | Use fuel in city fleet, delivery trucks, generators.Mass Integration | Year 5+ | Edmonton becomes a model city for waste-to-fuel tech.Just like Fitset grew from gym access to full-blown activation spaces across Alberta, Plastoline could grow from a shed to a civic cornerstone.
Pros & Cons (And Why They Matter)
✅ Pros:
Uses waste that’s already being collected
Reduces landfill cost and emissions
Stimulates local economy and trades
Doesn't require overhauling city infrastructure
Opens a new industrial category
⚠️ Cons:
May disrupt oil/gas relationships
Requires buy-in from city and province
Safety/emissions regulation needs strict oversight
Risk of being dismissed as “garage science”
Could affect recycling stream if mismanaged
But the risk of not trying?
That’s far worse.
The Real Link Between Tim and Julian
It’s not about fuel or fitness.
It’s about people who don’t wait.
It’s about seeing what’s broken—and building something better anyway.
Both Tim and Julian faced resistance. Both were told their ideas wouldn’t work. And both took matters into their own hands—one with scaffolding and rubber mats, the other with solar panels and pyrolysis chambers.
One built joy.
One built power.
Both built proof.
So What Do We Do Now?
We share.
We share Julian’s work so it can’t be buried.
We share Tim’s model so more people build where others see dead space.
And we remind Edmonton—this blue-collar, oil-and-snow-covered city—that we’ve done this before.
We’ve innovated.
We’ve adapted.
And we can lead again.
Want to follow along?
🎧 Listen to Tim’s 2018 episode on Spotify
🍎 Apple Podcast link
📺 YouTube
🎙️ My Podcast: Chasing Common Ground
📺 YouTube Channel
💪 Coaching & Training
🧠 Media Consulting
Innovation doesn’t always need funding.
Sometimes, it just needs someone to believe.
Let’s build the city that does.