Round 13 Funded Projects

1. Lead organization: Alterna Energy Inc., Prince George, British Columbia

Project Title: Scale Up to Commercial Plant

Environmental Benefit: Climate Change / Clean Air / Clean Water

Economic Sector: Forestry, Wood Products and Pulp & Paper Products

Consortium members:
Alterna Energy Inc.
Natural Resources Canada – CANMET ENERGY
All Wood Fibre Ltd.

Project Description:
Alterna Energy Inc. will build and demonstrate a multi-module biocarbon production facility that will convert 110,000 tonnes of green wood residues (bark, forest waste including pine-beetle infested wood, hog fuel and sawmill residues) annually into 25,000 tonnes of biocarbon. The process can cost effectively carbonize and pelletize almost any form of biomass with virtually no external energy inputs. The biomass to biocarbon conversion process is extremely fast (1.5 hours versus the traditional 2-5 days) with high yields (80% to 90% on a carbon basis) and the biocarbon product can be pelletized and used as a more efficient alternative to wood pellets. Since the physical and chemical properties of biocarbon are similar to coal, the product can be utilized in existing coal-fired generating stations with limited modifications.

2. Lead organization: A.U.G. Signals Ltd., Toronto, Ontario

Project Title: Intelligent Drinking Water Monitoring System

Environmental Benefit: Climate Change / Clean Air / Clean Water

Economic Sector: Energy Utilization

Consortium members:
A.U.G. Signals Ltd.
EPCOR Water Services Inc.
Communications Research Centre Canada
National Water Research Institute
University of Toronto
FuseForward International Inc.
University of Calgary

Project Description:
A.U.G Signals Ltd. will develop and demonstrate the Intelligent Drinking Water Monitoring System (IDWMS), an early warning digital signal processing software system with associated sensor sites. The IDWMS enables the improved detection of contaminants and leaks in municipal drinking water distribution networks. The project will use the Edmonton water system to demonstrate improved monitoring and management of a water distribution network resulting in anticipated reduction of potential water loss, contamination and risks to public health.

3. Lead Organization: dPoint Technologies Inc., Vancouver, British Columbia

Project Title: Commercialization of High Efficiency ERV Core

Environmental Benefit: Climate Change / Clean Air

Economic Sector: Energy Utilization

Consortium members:
dPoint Technologies Inc.
Ecologix Heating Technologies
Windmill Development Group
Tridel Group

Project Description:
dpoint Technologies Inc. will demonstrate a low cost, high performance polymer membrane used to recover sensible (heat) and latent (moisture) energy in residential and small commercial units. Building on its previous work developing heat and humidity exchangers for the fuel cell industry, dpoint has produced an Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV) “cartridge” using a patented pleating technique. With a total effectiveness of up to 65% (using counter cross flow core) for both cooling and heating, it will add another 10% in building energy savings while increasing the quality of the air, and will not freeze in winter like current ERV’s.This three-year project will focus on improving smaller decentralized Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems at low and medium ventilation rates and measure heating and cooling load reduction.

4. Lead organization: EcoSynthetix Inc., Milton, Ontario

Project Title: Replacement of Petroleum Based Latex Binder in Coated
Recycled Box Board

Environmental Benefit: Climate Change / Clean Water /Clean Soil

Economic Sector: Forestry, Wood Products and Pulp & Paper Products

Consortium members:
EcoSynthetix Inc.
Cascades Canada Inc.

Project Description:
EcoSynthetix Inc. in conjunction with its consortium partner Cascades will demonstrate its proprietary high tech biolatex binder, a latex produced from renewable feedstocks, as an alternative to petrochemical products used as binders in coated recycled paperboard manufacturing processes. The high cost of oil and the need for improved environmental benefits have forced manufacturers to find an appropriate and competitive alternative to these products. With performance capabilities equal to or greater than the standard oil based products at a lower price, the use of biolatex binder will result in multiple environmental benefits including significant greenhouse gas emission reductions and higher usage of recycled paper, as well as reduced production costs.

5. Lead organization: General Fusion Inc., Burnaby, British Columbia

Project Title: Acoustically Driven Magnetized Target Fusion

Environmental Benefit: Climate Change / Clean Air

Economic Sector: Power Generation

Consortium members:
General Fusion Inc.
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Powertech Labs Inc.

Project Description:
To date, attempts at fusion reactions with the objective of producing power have been extremely complex and expensive. General Fusion Inc. is developing fusion technology which uses acoustic waves to create a fusion reaction, thereby generating inexpensive and plentiful electricity without greenhouse gas emissions, pollution, or long lived radioactive waste streams. General Fusion is embarking on the second phase of its technology development which involves the construction of the core components and the assembly of a full scale engine to demonstrate attractive conversion efficiencies. The project will verify the technical and economic viability of General Fusion’s Acoustically Driven Magnetized Target Fusion technology. General Fusion’s engine, when commercialized, has the potential to displace traditional fossil fuel energy sources, greatly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. General Fusion’s demonstration will produce 600MJ of thermal energy per cycle.

6. Lead organization: Greenfield Ethanol Inc., Toronto, Ontario

Project Title: GFE-Biochemical Lignocellulosic Ethanol Demonstration Project

Environmental Benefit: Climate Change / Clean Air / Clean Water / Clean Soil

Economic Sector: Energy Exploration and Production

Consortium members:
Greenfield Ethanol Inc.
Andritz Ltd.
Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation – Innovation Development Fund

Project Description:
GreenField Ethanol Inc. (GFE) proposes to demonstrate a biochemical technology process for lignocellulosic ethanol production which addresses many of the issues producers are currently facing, including the costs of feedstock supply and pretreatment processes, the efficiency of conversion processes, the high cost of enzymes for hydrolysis, the cost of concentration and purification and the value of co-products. This process will be integrated into an existing ethanol facility on a pre-commercial, pilot scale using corn cobs - the non-food residuals from harvesting corn - as the feedstock. The consortium has developed improved pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis processes that could be applied to first generation ethanol facilities so they can be retrofitted to second generation facilities. If successful, GFE estimates conservatively the ability to produce 70 million litres per year of ethanol, based solely on corn cobs, at commercial scale by 2015.

7. Lead organization: Innoventé inc., St-Ferréol-les-Neiges, Quebec

Project Title: Innoventé St-Patrice

Environmental Benefit: Climate Change / Clean Water / Clean Soil

Economic Sector: Waste Management

Consortium members:
Innoventé inc.
Institut de Recherche et de Développement en Agroenvironnement
inc. (IRDA)
F. Menard inc.
Kruger inc.

Project Description:
Innoventé and its partners will further develop and demonstrate the SHOC™ (Drying and Sanitization by Controlled Oxidation) technology, a drying process used to transform organic residues like manures, municipal sewage, food processing wastes and pulp and paper mill sludges, into a bio-energy material called BEFOR (BioEnergy From Organic Residues). BEFOR is a dry, odourless, aseptic product with a high calorific value which is ideal as a green renewable energy source. Most organic residues have to be dried in order to have value for energy applications. The SHOC™ technology uses the heat recovered from composting and other sources of renewable energy to finish drying the granular biomass and to produce a bio-energy material. The SHOC™ technology uses up to six times less energy than conventional drying methods, thus greatly limiting adverse environmental impacts. BEFOR has a high energy content and can alleviate the supply shortage of biofuels, substitute fossil fuels or be used as a soil nutrient.

8. Lead organization: Integran Technologies Inc., Toronto, Ontario

Project Title: Environmental Alternative for Hard Chrome Plating

Environmental Benefit: Climate Change / Clean Air / Clean Water

Economic Sector: Energy Utilization

Consortium members:
Integran Technologies Inc.
Morph Technologies Inc.
Pratt & Whitney
Standard Aero
Velan Inc.

Project Description:
Integran Technologies Inc. will demonstrate the use of Nanovate™ CR nanometal coating in aerospace, automotive shock, and industrial valve applications. This technology can be used to manufacture functional coatings that have exceptional sliding wear and corrosion protection. The coating properties make it an excellent alternative for hard chrome in a wide variety of applications. Existing hard chrome plating processes are a workplace concern given the associated health impacts from exposure such as lung cancer and nasal septum and skin ulcerations. The highly efficient coating process to be demonstrated in this project is expected to avoid these health issues, as well as reduce greenhouse gas emissions and water pollution from the coating process.

9. Lead organization: Nexterra Energy Corp., Vancouver, British Columbia

Project Title: ICE Engine Demo

Environmental Benefit: Climate Change / Clean Air

Economic Sector: Power Generation

Consortium members:
Nexterra Energy Corp.
GE Energy
Royal Roads University

Project Description:
Nexterra Energy Corp. will demonstrate an innovative biomass gasification-to-internal combustion engine (BG-ICE) system for small-scale (2-20MWe), distributed power generation. The system - the first to allow direct firing of an ICE using syngas - is expected to set a new standard for converting biomass to electricity, with simple-cycle efficiencies of more than 20% over conventional steam-based power. The system works by gasifying biomass residue using Nexterra’s patented up-draft gasification technology to produce a clean synthesis gas (syngas). The syngas is then treated in a proprietary conditioning system prior to directly firing the syngas into a high-efficiency internal combustion engine.

10. Lead organization: Paragon Soil and Environmental Consulting Inc., Edmonton, Alberta

Project Title: Subsoil Injection of Compost Pellets

Environmental Benefit: Climate Change / Clean Air /Clean Soil

Economic Sector: Agriculture

Consortium members:
Paragon Soil and Environmental Consulting Inc.
Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute
Highmark Renewables Research
University of Saskatchewan
Canadian Natural Resources Ltd.
Talisman Energy Inc.
Bonavista Energy Trust
TransCanada Pipelines Ltd.

Project Description:
Meeting regulated standards for land reclamation after oil drilling activities are completed on a site is often a lengthy and expensive process. Paragon Soil and Environmental Consulting Inc. will develop and demonstrate its organic pellet injection system that simultaneously loosens soil compacted by activities associated with oil well drilling, while adding organic pellets. The pellets help to prevent re-compaction by introducing organic material and promoting deep root growth. The Paragon technology reduces the time to meet the standards by improving soil quality leading to faster land reclamation while reducing the cost from repeat treatments.

11. Lead organization: Performance Plants Inc., Kingston, Ontario

Project Title: Improved Cellulosic Conversion

Environmental Benefit: Climate Change / Clean Water /Clean Soil

Economic Sector: Agriculture

Consortium members:
Performance Plants Inc.
Saskatchewan Research Council
Lignol Energy Corp.
Advanta
University of Ontario Institute of Technology
Edenriver Energy LLC

Project Description:
The ability to efficiently convert cellulosic feedstocks to ethanol is essential to the success of next-generation ethanol initiatives. Performance Plants Inc. (PPI) will use its advanced trait development methodology to modify the cell wall structure of cellulose fibres which will make it easier to release useable sugars that can then be more easily converted into alcohols. The advantages of easily releasable sugars from the cell wall translate in the ethanol production process by: lowering energy requirements which reduce emissions, lowering enzyme requirements and accelerate processing times, as well as producing additional value added chemicals. PPI will apply its successful trait technology, developed for the agriculture sector, to enhance the yield of dedicated, non-food energy crops.

12. Lead Organization: REGEN Energy Inc., Toronto, Ontario

Project Title: REGEN Energy

Environmental Benefit: Climate Change / Clean Air

Economic Sector: Energy Utilization

Consortium members:
REGEN Energy Inc.
Celestica
Confederation Freezers
Ontario Power Authority
Centennial College
Energy Profiles Ltd.

Project Description:
Many energy demand management tools for buildings currently exist, but they are often highly complex to operate and install. In this project, REGEN will demonstrate its scalable, self-organizing wireless energy control technology that simplifies building control systems. These cooperating electricity peak demand management EnviroGrid™ controllers can also act as remote control demand response units. The EnviroGrid™ technology is also a key enabler of “SmartGrid.” In their simplest mode of operation, the wireless controllers, by exchanging information with each other, are able to determine which devices should be allowed to operate at any given point in time. This can lead to a reduction of the peak demand by up to 30% without affecting comfort levels in the building. The performance of this simple, easy to install, low cost, load control swarm-based technology will be validated, optimized and commercialized at four demonstration sites during the two-year project including a renewable energy site to show how REGEN’s technology easily and inexpensively facilitates the “SmartGrid.” New controller features will be developed including adaptive duty cycle, trailing maximum load a highly scalable communications gateway.

13. Lead organization: SunCentral Inc., Vancouver, British Columbia

Project Title: Solar Canopy Illumination System Development

Environmental Benefit: Climate Change / Clean Air

Economic Sector: Energy Utilization

Consortium members:
SunCentral Inc.
University of British Columbia
British Columbia Institute of Technology
BC Hydro
Public Works and Government Services Canada
Natural Resources Canada
3M Canada Company
Ledalite Architectural Products
Busby Perkins and Will, Architects
Morrison Hershfield
York Communications

Project Description:
The SunCentral Solar Canopy Illumination System provides daylighting to the core of multistory buildings using low cost tracking mirrors and simple light guides in a modular design. The technology consists of two sets of components: one that collects the sunlight on the exterior façade (the solar canopies) and a second one that distributes it up to 20 metres into the building core (the solar light guides). This technology, made of components expected to have a lifetime of more than 30 years, can be easily retrofitted into existing buildings undergoing renovations or included into the design of new buildings. It is expected to cost effectively reduce energy for standard commercial building lighting by at least 25%.

14. Lead organization: SyncWave Systems Inc., Pemberton, British Columbia

Project Title: SyncWave Demonstration

Environmental Benefit: Climate Change / Clean Air

Economic Sector: Power Generation

Consortium members:
SyncWave Energy Inc.
Marinus Power LLC
University of Victoria – Faculty of Engineering
Cianbro Corp.

Project Description:
SyncWave Energy Inc. (SEI) has developed a robust, modular and self-tuning wave energy technology that is designed to reliably operate for over 20 years in extreme wave and weather conditions. SEI’s technology has the potential for more efficient power conversion than any existing wave energy converter as a result of its ability to precisely tune to any practical wave condition without damping control losses and to generate power from both directions of travel of its floats. This is accomplished while maintaining a low materials intensity/footprint and sea floor impact. This project will culminate in the demonstration of a 100 kW nameplate capacity SyncWave Power Resonator (SPR) off the coast of Vancouver Island.

15. Lead organization: TROPE DesignResearch Ltd., Halifax, Nova Scotia

Project Title: Insulated Translucent Solar Panel

Environmental Benefit: Climate Change / Clean Air

Economic Sector: Energy Utilization

Consortium members:
TROPE DesignResearch Ltd.
Southwest Properties
Kohltech Ltd.

Project Description:
Trope DesignResearch Ltd.’s thermal storage device is the integration of a highly efficient solar energy storage material with high performance fenestration (HPF), double glazed-Argon windows. SolArch™, the combination of these components, is translucent, especially in its thermally charged phase, allowing light to pass through the absorption surface, improving natural light inside a building The technology, which can be used as exterior building cladding or as windows, uses a natural convection method for redistributing stored heat when the interior temperatures drop, normally at night. This innovation has the potential to reduce energy demands from businesses and consumers, leading to reduced greenhouse gas emissions. During the course of the project, 300 panels measuring 2m2 each will be manufactured and mounted to the exterior of buildings at three different sites in order to test their performance.

16. Lead organization: Vive Nano, Toronto, Ontario

Project Title: NANO

Environmental Benefit: Climate Change / Clean Air / Clean Water / Clean Soil

Economic Sector: Energy Utilization

Consortium members:
Vive Nano
A large international crop protection company
NOVA Chemicals Corp.
NEO Material Technologies (Division: AMR)
University of Western Ontario

Project Description:
Vive Nano has developed a disruptive nano-technology platform to cost effectively produce nanoformulations of agricultural chemicals and industrial catalysts, leading to economic and environmental benefits for all Canadians. The technology allows for the production of ultra-small nanoparticles that don’t agglomerate, thereby reducing the amount of chemical product required for a given application. This allows for the production of agricultural chemicals that will have the benefits of reducing spray water use rates and lowering contaminants in soil, as well as nanoformulations of catalysts that will decrease energy requirements for industrial production. This three-year project will involve constructing a manufacturing pilot plant at approximately half industrial scale, optimization of the nanoformulations and manufacturing processes, production, characterization of the products, and field trials of the end products.