Minister Sohi Highlights Investments in Canada's Clean Energy and Clean Technology

VANCOUVER, May 28, 2019 /CNW/ - Investments in clean energy and cleantech create new opportunities and jobs for middle-class Canadians, including those in rural, remote and Indigenous communities. These investments are helping Canadians grow our economy, fight climate change and leave a healthy planet for our kids and grandkids.

The Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Canada's Minister of Natural Resources, today discussed Canada's ongoing investments in our clean energy future ? one with good, middle-class jobs and a strong, clean energy economy where Canada remains a destination of choice for international investors.

Four key principles continue to guide Canada's actions in developing a clean energy economy. They are:

• Powering Clean Communities through more solar and wind farms; more hydro, tidal and geothermal power; and more battery storage for renewable power;
• Using More Renewable Fuels such as hydrogen, renewable natural gas and biomass;
• Powering the World by developing Canada's resources in even more sustainable ways, including cleaner oil and gas, and bringing those resources to world markets; and
• Saving Energy as the most affordable way to save money and cut pollution.

Minister Sohi also highlighted the importance of continuing to develop Canadian energy in partnership with Indigenous peoples. No relationship is more important to the Government of Canada than the one with Indigenous peoples, and we will continue to work together toward a cleaner energy economy.

Canada's investments in our energy future are guided by the work of the Generation Energy Council, which proposed pathways for the Government of Canada on how to move forward toward a strong, clean energy economy.

To highlight the Government's approach, Minister Sohi announced investments under each of the four energy principles. They are:

• An investment of $10.4 million for Skidegate Band Council and Old Massett Village Council to begin transitioning Haida Gwaii to 100 percent renewable energy ? bringing clean power to communities by expanding an existing hydroelectricity installation and deploying a solar photovoltaic and energy storage system to significantly reduce diesel fuel use.
• An investment of $1.5 million for Esk'etemc First Nation to help expand their wood-based biomass district heating system in Alkali Lake, B.C. ? helping them use more renewable fuels.
• An investment of $1.5 million for Carbon Upcycling to test its carbon nanoplatelet production technology from CO₂ emissions ? a process that makes powering the world more sustainable.
• An investment of $2.1 million for Qikiqtaaluk Properties Inc. for a deep-energy retrofit of Nunavut's Arctic College residence building to save energy and cut pollution.

The Minister made his comments at the Clean Energy and Mission Innovation Ministerial meetings in Vancouver, where ministers, high-level officials and business leaders from over 25 countries gathered to accelerate progress toward a clean energy future.

Quotes

"Canada's energy future is driven by innovation and responsiveness to climate change, and is informed by Generation Energy, the largest national conversation about energy in our country's history. This is the moment to spur innovation, create jobs, foster competitiveness, lift up workers and their families and grow a prosperous economy that supports our environment for generations to come."

Amarjeet Sohi
Minister of Natural Resources

"SysEne is proud to be part of developing Esk'etemc's district heat system and chipping enterprise. Programs like Canada's Clean Energy for Rural and Remote Communities help launch projects like Esk'etemc's, which will make use of a natural resource that would otherwise be wasted to reduce GHG emissions, provide economic opportunity to the band members and promote the energy autonomy of the Esk'etemc First Nation."

Chris Norman, P.Eng.
Esk'etemc First Nation

"It's a very exciting time for Haida Gwaii, and the timing is right to do our part as we move to Renewable Energy."

William Yovanovich, SBC Chief Councillor
Skidegate Band Council

"Nunavut is experiencing first-hand the environmental impacts of the world's energy consumption. Qikiqtaaluk Corporation is committed to leading the transition from Nunavut's reliance on diesel to a more diversified and clean energy environment. NRCan investments demonstrate the Government's commitment to building partnerships with Indigenous organizations and building clean communities."

Harry Flaherty, President and CEO
Qikiqtaaluk Corporation

"Carbon Upcycling Technologies is honoured to be part of this mission to build a cleaner world. As we shift toward a world powered by sustainable energy, there is a need to close the loop on our emissions. Our objective is to convert the pollution of today into the materials of tomorrow and make CO₂ a green, economically viable solution. The continued support from Natural Resources Canada will aid us in validating our thesis that carbon is a versatile material that will play a role in making this vision a reality."

Apoorv Sinha, CEO/Founder
Carbon Upcycling Technologies

Related Links

Canada's energy future

Generation Energy Council

Nunavut Arctic College Student Residence Deep Energy Retrofit

Carbon Nanoplatelet (CNP) Production from Exhaust CO₂ Emissions

ENERGY FUTURE ANNOUNCEMENT

BACKGROUNDER

Skidegate Band Council Project

• Project title: Haida Gwaii Clean Energy Project
• Project partners: Skidegate Band Council, Old Masset Village Council, NRStor, Atlantic Power Fund: CERRC
• Project location: Moresby Lake, Haida Gwaii; Old Masset, Haida Gwaii
• Total project cost: $30.42 million over three years
• Funding from CERRC: $10.378 million over three years

Project summary
The Haida Gwaii Clean Energy Project seeks to transition the island to 100 percent renewable energy using a multi-phased approach. The Clean Energy for Rural and Remote Communities program will fund Phase 1 of this project, which has two distinct stages. Local training programs as well as community energy literacy will be incorporated in each aspect of the project.

The first stage of the project will expand the 6 MW hydro generation asset at Moresby Lake through a dam raise, the construction of saddle dams and the commissioning of a previously installed 300 kW turbine. It will also incorporate a training and jobs program for ongoing maintenance of the MLGS transmission line.

The second stage seeks to deploy 2 MW of solar generation and energy storage following detailed siting work and a feasibility study. An interconnection study will be completed to ensure integration with the BC Hydro system, and detailed engineering, design and permitting will be completed.

Lastly, additional techno-economic studies will be conducted to determine potential for additional renewable energy technologies and grid optimization in order to achieve 100 percent renewable energy across Haida Gwaii. The Skidegate Band Council and the Old Massett Village Council have formed a partnership, Tll Yahda Energy, to initiate, develop and own renewable energy projects on Haida Gwaii. "Tll Yahda" conveys the Haida concept of "making it right."

Esk'etemc First Nation

• Project title: Esk'etemc District Heating System Expansion and Wood Chip Supply Project
• Project partners: NRCan
• Fund: CERRC
• Project location: Alkali Lake, B.C.
• Funding from CERRC: $1,472,300
• Total project cost: $1,472,300

Project Summary
NRCan is providing an investment of more than $1.4 million for Esk'etemc First Nation to help them expand their wood-based biomass district heating system in Alkali Lake, B.C. The expansion will serve the community members by replacing propane heating in five local buildings: a fourplex housing unit, a multi-purpose band building, the church, the fire hall and the school gym. The community will also set up its own woodchip production operation to better control the cost of its wood fuel supply.

Carbon Upcycling Technologies, Inc.

• Project title: Carbon Nanoplatelet (CNP) Production from Exhaust CO₂ Emissions
• Project partners: COSIA Carbon X-Prize, Burnco Ready Mix Concrete, Lafarge-Holcim, Positec
• Fund: Energy Innovation Program
• Project location: Calgary, Alberta
• Total Project Value: $4.67 million
• EIP Funding: $2.45 million; amendment funding $1.5 million

Project summary
Phase I of this project saw the construction of a pilot demonstration facility that will capture CO₂ emissions and combine them with low-grade solid feedstock (e.g., derived from fly ash from coal power plants) to create exfoliated carbon nanoplatelets (CNPs). CNPs can be added to concrete mixes, which results in a concrete with enhanced compressive strength. The demonstration plant has a production target of 500kg of CNPs/month.

The pilot plant provides samples to initiate commercial sales of the product into existing concrete product lines, while helping to create successful market entry and direct sequestration and valorization of CO₂ emissions in Alberta. By upcycling fly ash, the technology facilitates the development of progressive regulations around higher cement displacement of cement with fly ash, thereby reducing the carbon footprint of new builds and retrofits.

Phase II of the project will include testing at the Alberta Carbon Conversion Test Centre (ACCTC) to progress to a full day of operations. All sub-segments of the integratedpProject system will be tested and undergo safety testing. Subsequently, the three-month operation of the integrated project will be achieved with over 80 percent operational uptime. Operation and testing reports confirming two tonne per day maximum capacity of production will be proven more than five times, as will be CO₂ capture of over 200 kilograms per day.

In Phase II Carbon Upcycling will create additives for the construction, polymers, lithium-ion battery additives for the energy storage and renewable energy industries using its proprietary, patent-pending mechano-chemical exfoliation process.

Qikiqtaaluk Properties Inc.

• Project title: Nunavut Arctic College Student Residence Deep Energy Retrofit
• Project partners: Nunavut Arctic College, Nunavut Nukkisautit Corporation
• Fund: Green Infrastructure
• Project location: Iqaluit, Nunavut
• Funding from Green Infrastructure: $2,057,000
• Total project cost: $4,370,000

Project Summary
The main objective of this project is to develop a deep energy retrofit of a four-storey, 42,900 sq. ft., 56-unit student residence for Nunavut Arctic College, targeting a 50 percent energy reduction in whole-building energy consumption.

Performance improvement will be confirmed through an extensive measurement and verification phase and compared with pre-retrofit benchmark data. The project aims to verify the affordability of, and create market confidence in, the methods and technologies of deep energy retrofits in Nunavut.

In the North, there is a greater emphasis on retrofit activity and improvements to existing buildings. Strategically, this project hopes to deliver lessons learned in terms of retrofit strategy. There are great opportunities to replicate this technology across the North, thereby benefiting Canadians.

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SOURCE Natural Resources Canada