Government of Canada invests over $45 million in advanced clean technology projects

Sustainable Development Technology Canada–funded projects exemplify innovative technology practices for improved environmental outcomes and job creation

September 19, 2016 – Vancouver, British Columbia – Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, today announced an investment of over $39.6 million in 14 innovative clean technology projects across Canada. The projects, which are being carried out in British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec, span several sectors, including waste management; energy, exploration and production; power generation; energy utilization; and agriculture. Minister Bains also announced $5.5 million in new funding for three previously funded Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) projects.

The announcement was made at DarkVision Technologies Inc., which will receive $3 million in SDTC funding for the development of oil and gas well imaging technology. Projects are funded through SDTC’s SD Tech Fund. This investment is part of the Government of Canada’s support of clean technology to diversify Canada’s economy, open access to new international markets, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create well-paying middle-class jobs for Canadians.The Government of Canada has allocated a total of $915 million for the fund to invest in pre-commercial Canadian clean technology projects that have the potential to meet market demand and to achieve Canada’s environmental and economic goals in priority areas.

Quotes

“Through today’s investments, we hope to reinvigorate energy innovation in this country. We want to see all industries, all sectors, indeed all Canadians, including the middle class, benefit from this country’s amazing potential for long-term growth and success. We imagine a Canada leading the world out of this period of slow growth.”

– The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development

“The investments announced today by Minister Bains demonstrate clean technology’s ability to deliver tremendous economic and environmental opportunities to Canadians. SDTC works to bring economically viable innovations to market. The goal is to support globally competitive Canadian companies that produce tangible environmental benefits that also make Canada’s economy more competitive.”

– Leah Lawrence, President and CEO, Sustainable Development Technology Canada

“DarkVision is pleased to receive this level of SDTC funding and support for the rollout of our downhole imaging technology. Our product helps oil and gas operators resolve critical problems in their wells that create inefficiencies. We are excited to work with both SDTC and our consortium partners in bringing this technology to market and helping the oil and gas industry in Canada lower its costs, become more competitive and reduce its environmental footprint.”

– Stephen Robinson, CEO, DarkVision Technologies Inc.

Quick facts

• Budget 2016 provides for an additional $50 million over four years, beginning in 2017–18, to Sustainable Development Technology Canada for the SD Tech Fund.
• SDTC is an arm’s-length foundation created by the Government of Canada to promote sustainable development and support projects that develop and demonstrate new technologies to address issues related to climate change, air quality, and clean water and soil. SDTC invests in Canadian companies that, through their innovative technologies, contribute positively to Canada by creating quality jobs, driving economic growth and protecting the environment.
• As of December 2015, SDTC had approved investments of over $840 million in clean technology companies across the country.
• DarkVision has won numerous awards, including first prize in the 2014 BCIC-New Ventures Competition for the B.C. high-tech start-up with the most potential.

Associated links

• Sustainable Development Technology Canada
• DarkVision Technologies Inc.
• Budget 2016: An Innovative and Clean Economy
• Clean Technology, Innovation and Jobs – Let’s Talk Climate Action
• Natural Resources Canada – Let’s Talk Clean Resources
• Canada’s Innovation Agenda

Sustainable Development Technology Canada approved projects

British Columbia

Axine Water Technologies Inc.
Sector: Waste Management
Project Title: Electrochemical Treatment of Recalcitrant Industrial Wastewaters
Funding: $2,000,000

DarkVision Technologies Inc.
Sector: Energy, Exploration and Production
Project Title: Downhole Imaging System for Alberta In-Situ Oil Sands Wells
Funding: $3,000,000

Illusense Inc.
Sector: Energy, Exploration and Production
Project Title: Laser-based Technology for Inspection of Oil and Gas Pipelines
Funding: $1,600,000

Saltworks Technologies Inc.
Sector: Waste Management
Project Title: Removal and Destruction of Ammonia from Wastewaters
Funding: $4,000,000

Schneider Electric – Solar
Sector: Power Generation
Project Title: SmartESS Inverter
Funding: $1,803,186

Sepro Mineral Systems Corp.
Sector: Energy Utilization
Project Title: Sepro Continuous Gravity Concentration Technology
Funding: $440,000

Ontario

Advonex International Corporation
Sector: Energy Utilization
Project Title: Bio-derived Base Oil for Automotive and Industrial Lubricants
Funding: $4,250,960

e-Zn Inc.
Sector: Power Generation
Project Title: Long Duration Energy Storage Technology for Solar Energy
Funding: $700,000

Hatch Ltd.
Sector: Energy Utilization
Project Title: Blast Furnace Dry Slag Atomization and Recovery
Funding: $561,200

Rockport Networks Inc.
Sector: Energy Utilization
Project Title: Energy-Efficient Photonic Networking
Funding: $4,635,000

Opus One Solutions Energy Corporation
Sector: Power Generation
Project Title: Transactive Energy Network
Funding: $5,353,500

Quebec

Aeponyx Inc.
Sector: Energy Utilization
Project Title: Development of an Optical Circuit Switch for Telecommunication Applications
Funding: $1,900,000

Group NanoXplore Inc.
Sector: Energy Utilization
Project Title: Reducing the Footprint of Electric-Motor-Driven Systems, by using Graphene-Enhanced Engineering Plastics
Funding: $3,300,000

Manitoba

Farmers Edge Inc.
Sector: Agriculture
Project Title: Automated Decision Support System for Precision Agriculture
Funding: $6,107,563

Additional SDTC investments for previously announced projects

Ranovus Inc.
Project Title: Efficient Data Center Interconnect
New SDTC Funding: $3,650,000
Total SDTC Funding: $7,898,681

Temporal Power
Project Title: Distributed Grid-Scale Energy Storage
New SDTC Funding: $1,100,000
Total SDTC Funding: $5,247,236

Hydrostor
Project Title: Underwater Compressed Air Energy Storage Demonstration
New SDTC Funding: $800,000
Total SDTC Funding: $2,971,011