Building a testing facility that utilizes an alternative approach to processing biofuels is one of 21 projects led by small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) receiving $44.4 million from the Government of Alberta through Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA)’s Emerging Innovators Challenge.
The funding is being sourced from the Government of Alberta’s Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction (TIER) fund.
On Friday, July 12, 2024, Rebecca Schulz, Minister of Environment and Protected Areas, made the announcement alongside ERA’s CEO, Justin Riemer in Calgary at SixRing’s production facility.
Funded projects, worth a combined total of $162.7 million in public and private investment, include piloting an approach to monitor wildfire impacts and detect methane leaks from space, deploying a treatment method for oil sands process-affected water, a new technology to recycle plastics, a novel facility to remove containments from soil, advanced digital solutions for energy efficiency, demonstrating the effectiveness of AI-powered lighting in commercial greenhouses and vertical farms, and more.
“We are giving Alberta’s clever, forward-looking small and medium businesses the resources and support they need to launch their innovation-driven technologies faster and grow their startups to create jobs, save money, and lower emissions here at home and around the world, said Schulz.
“Small and medium-sized enterprises are critical to Alberta’s economy. The Government of Alberta’s investment through ERA’s Emerging Innovators Challenge will provide 21 SMEs with access to capital and support services, allowing them to commercialize their technology, increase their competitiveness, and reduce emissions,” said Riemer.
Funding amounts range from $250,000 to $5 million and each project will be piloted, demonstrated, or deployed within the Province of Alberta. Projects span industrial sectors including power generation, agriculture, agri-food, forestry, oil and gas, fertilizer, construction, electricity distribution, and more.
The 21 projects, if successful, have the potential to deliver annual greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions of 217 thousand tonnes, cumulative reductions of 1.2 million tonnes by 2030, and 5 million tonnes by 2050. This funding is also projected to create 879 person-year jobs in the province as well as have a $238 million GDP impact in Alberta by 2027.
Funded projects include Archer BD Inc., ArkeaBio, Arolytics Incorporated, Boundary Energy Inc., DERBI Corp., ElectroKinetic Soil Treatment Inc, Etalim Inc., Great Northern Power Corp., H2nanO Incorporated, Highwood Emissions Management, Kathairos Solutions Inc, Landmark Group of Companies, NTWIST Inc., OptiSeis Solutions Ltd., Resolve Plastics Recycling, Rokk Energy Technologies, SixRing, SmartGRO Bioengineering Inc., Sultech Global Innovation Corp., Ultracoustics Technologies Ltd, and Wyvern.
All ERA funding recipients must produce a final outcomes report shared publicly for the broader benefit of Alberta and other funding proposals. Funding recipients will be required to report on project outcomes, achievements, and lessons learned including GHG reductions, job creation, and other environmental, economic, and social benefits.
