First published by Business in Vancouver on July 22, 2024
Recipients include new joint venture between Westport Innovations and Volve
Written by Nelson Bennett
Nine B.C. clean-tech companies are getting $7.6 million in grant funding from the B.C. Centre for Innovation and Clean Energy (CICE) to help fast-track the companies’ technology development, commercialization and adoption.
The winners were selected through of a call for innovation, which attracted nearly 200 applicants, according to a CICE press release.
The winning companies have technology in four areas: energy storage, carbon management, low carbon and biofuels, and hydrogen.
They include HPDI, a new joint venture between B.C.’s Westport Fuel Systems (TSX,Nasdaq:WPRT) and Volvo Group, which is developing components for hydrogen combustion engines for the heavy duty trucking sector.
The other company in the hydrogen category to receive grants is Vancouver’s PH7 Technologies Inc., which is commercializing an electrolyzer for an extraction process to get more copper out of low-grade ores, while also producing green hydrogen.
Other recipients are:
Energy Storage
- Brokkr Mineral Resources Corp. which is developing a nature-based bio-hydrometallurgical process for low carbon extraction and purification of battery-grade nickel and cobalt;
- Fuse Power Management Ltd., which developed a vehicle-to-grid system that optimizes efficiency in charging electric buses;
- Telescope Innovations Corp. which converts crude lithium chloride brines into battery-grade lithium carbonate;
Carbon management
- Arca Climate Technologies Inc., which uses historical mine waste to permanently sequester CO2;
- CO280 Solutions Inc., which is developing large-scale CO2 removal for the pulp and paper industry;
Low carbon fuels
- Hydron Energy Inc., which is commercializing a process for converting raw bio-gases into clean refined fuels; and
- Salish Environmental Group, which is developing co-generation technology that uses construction, demolition, and forestry wood waste to produce heat and electricity to power greenhouses.
“These projects are essential for British Columbia’s goals of building a clean economy and healthier environment with good-paying jobs for people and more economic opportunities for communities,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation.
“We are proud to support CICE in nurturing innovation, generating employment, and ensuring long-term sustainability for our province.”
The CICE was set up in 2021 with $105 million in funding from Shell Canada, and the B.C. and federal governments as a clean-tech accelerator, with a specific focus on five sectors: carbon capture and management; hydrogen production, use and distribution; biofuel and synthetic fuel production; renewable natural gas; and battery technology, storage and energy management.
To date, CICE has invested $31 million in 47 clean energy and climate technology projects valued at over $170 million.