Features Bioeconomy Environment & Sustainability
Feds invest in Canadian-based cleantech innovation

Mar. 14, 2017 – The federal government is committing up to $20 million to support clean energy projects at the pre-commercialization stage. As part of a $40-million joint initiative that will be matched by British Columbia, the investment aims to help companies with innovative projects at the prototype, field testing and demonstration stages.

Interested parties can submit their applications next month to Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC).

Navdeep Bains, minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, also announced funding for two B.C.-based companies working to develop clean technology, one of which is Canfor Pulp Products, a green energy producer as well as global producer of pulp and paper products.

Canfor says the $13-million non-repayable contribution through SDTC will help further develop and demonstrate a technology that will take a waste product from its production processes and develop it into a low-cost biofuels product. Canfor explains its new biocrude “could be refined by existing refineries into next-generation biofuels and biochemicals that can be easily integrated into conventional fuels markets.”

“We have the opportunity to create a truly renewable biofuel that can easily integrate with conventional fuels to dramatically lower environmental impacts. This funding from SDTC provides critical support as we look to operationalize this truly transformative green technology,” said Martin Pudlas, vice-president, operations, Canfor Pulp Products.

The second investment is a $10-million non-repayable contribution to the Automotive Fuel Cell Cooperation (AFCC), a joint venture with Germany’s Daimler AG and Ford Motor Company that develops new fuel cell modules to be used in automotive applications.