EDMONTON, AB (September 19, 2024): The NGIF Emissions Testing Centre (ETC) Program is pleased to announce that it has been awarded $750,000 in grant funding from Alberta Innovates to advance methane emissions management technology. The project aims to support cleantech startups in developing innovative solutions to reduce methane emissions in the natural gas industry.
The NGIF ETC program, administered by NGIF Accelerator, provides technology providers with “free-to-user” access to state-of-the-art lab facilities at the University of Calgary, and field trial sites (including the West Wolf Lake Gas Plant jointly owned by Tourmaline Oil Corp. (Tourmaline) and Perpetual Energy and other Tourmaline locations). Through the ETC program, startups focusing on technologies addressing, amongst other things, methane detection and quantification, methane mitigation, methane slip, and commercialization readiness support, undergo rigorous validation processes to accelerate their technology development.
This initiative is crucial for meeting proposed federal and provincial regulations and advancing innovation in methane management across the natural gas industry. The project will focus on de-risking multiple innovations shortlisted from the ETC program intake funnel to accelerate their commercial deployment.
“This grant funding from Alberta Innovates will allow us to accelerate the testing and validation of innovative methane emissions management technologies,” said John Adams, CEO of NGIF Accelerator and Managing Partner, Cleantech Ventures Fund I. “Through the ETC Program, we aim to provide actionable data to inform emissions reduction strategies and drive innovation in the natural gas industry and Alberta.”
By supporting research and innovation in methane management, NGIF Accelerator and Alberta Innovates aim to contribute to Alberta’s responsible energy development and improved environmental performance while fostering innovation.
The NGIF ETC program has received funding in the past, from NRCan under the Canadian Emissions Reduction Innovation Network (CERIN) initiative and from PrairiesCan.
“The NGIF ETC program allows cleantech developers to test their technologies in live operating environments with potential end users, thereby accelerating the commercialization process. They can gain valuable technical and industry expertise, collect data, and validate and modify their technologies according to industry needs,” noted Adams.
“Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, and this testing centre represents an important opportunity to continue to reduce emissions associated with the oil and gas sector. Alberta has made significant strides in methane emissions reduction over the past ten years, and this funding will enable continued success,” said Claude Ghazar, Director, Recovery Technologies, Alberta Innovates.
Bryan Helfenbaum, Vice President, Clean Energy, Alberta Innovates, notes that “Alberta Innovates’ partnership with NGIF and support for their ETC program enhance Alberta’s energy leadership by fostering innovation. This next phase of methane reductions will require further ingenuity to achieve emissions reduction targets.”
“The ETC Lab is not only beneficial for cleantech developers to test, debug, and refine their technologies but also to accelerate them to get their technologies tested in the field,” said Ian Gates, Professor, Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering at the University of Calgary. “Also, the Lab environment enables highly qualified personnel training on methane emission technologies, technology development, and commercialization.”
Scott Volk, Director of Emissions and Innovation, Tourmaline Oil, said, “Tourmaline is pleased to work with the NGIF Accelerator, Perpetual Energy, the University of Calgary, and Alberta Innovates to continue building on the success of the ETC program, with 4 new cutting-edge trials to be completed in the coming year. As a company, Tourmaline remains laser-focused on reducing methane emissions, and the ETC is an important enabler of the technology and innovations that will help us and all of the industry advance our methane mitigation targets.”
“Canadians want and need the affordable, reliable, clean energy service offering they have come to expect from the natural gas industry. When we created NGIF, it was our vision to bring the entire natural gas value chain together to support cleantech development that enhances environmental and economic performance for the sector. Alberta Innovates funding is dedicated to helping ETC in that regard, particularly with efforts to meet the emission control standards the Government of Canada has established,” said Timothy M. Egan, President and CEO, Canadian Gas Association and Chair, NGIF Capital Corporation.
For more information about NGIF Accelerator and the NGIF Emissions Testing Centre Program, visit www.ngif.ca
About the NGIF Emissions Testing Centre Program
The NGIF Emissions Testing Centre program involves collaboration between industry, academia, and government. It involves public support to ensure cleantech companies have a dedicated space to develop, test, and field-validate technologies to measure, monitor, and reduce methane emissions and to fast-track methane technologies to market through knowledge dissemination and fostering commercialization. The program is unique in that it provides cleantech companies with free access to testing and commercialization support for rapid scale-up of technologies from concept to commercial–ready deployment. The ETC lab at the University of Calgary provides capabilities to test and de-risk technologies in a controlled environment, complemented by live field trials at the West Wolf Lake Gas Plant (jointly owned by Tourmaline Oil Corp. and Perpetual Energy), along with other Tourmaline assets. NGIF Accelerator supports technology developers in scaling up by disseminating knowledge and providing commercialization support.
About NGIF Accelerator
NGIF Accelerator is the not-for-profit arm of NGIF Capital and operates all technology and innovation programs. The NGIF Accelerator mandate is to de-risk and accelerate technology development by supporting startups through their pilot projects, field trials, and industry validation. It will coordinate with federal and provincial governments to co-fund projects to advance market commercialization. NGIF Accelerator currently operates the Industry Grants program and administers the NGIF Emissions Testing Centre program.
About Canadian Gas Association
The Canadian Gas Association (CGA) is the voice of Canada’s gas energy delivery industry, including natural gas, renewable natural gas (RNG), and hydrogen. Its members are distribution and transmission companies, equipment manufacturers, and suppliers and other service providers. Today, natural gas meets almost 40 per cent of the country’s energy needs.
About Alberta Innovates
Alberta Innovates manages nearly 1,300 projects in a portfolio valued at $1.33 billion. It works with innovators in all sectors of the economy and all corners of the province to drive entrepreneurship, applied research and industry development. With their impact-based funding programs and services, Alberta Innovates is transforming energy systems for a net-zero world, promoting the responsible use of land and water, leveraging provincial strengths in agriculture, and contributing to improved health and well-being by harnessing digital tech and data. Alberta Innovates is also advancing emerging technologies and strengthening entrepreneurship for a strong and diversified economy. From funding to commercialization, Alberta Innovates is Alberta’s innovation engine. Learn how Alberta Innovates.
Contract Partners:
Media Information:
John Adams
President and CEO, NGIF Accelerator
President and CEO, NGIF Capital Corporation
(613)-748-0057
jadams@ngif.ca
Ayoola Ajibare
Communications Coordinator, NGIF Capital Corporation
(403)-389-2212
aajibare@ngif.ca
