NGIF EMISSIONS TESTING CENTRE SELECTS ALTOMAXX’S DRONE-BASED METHANE SENSORS FOR FIELD TESTING

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NGIF EMISSIONS TESTING CENTRE SELECTS ALTOMAXX’S DRONE-BASED METHANE SENSORS FOR FIELD TESTING


October 6, 2022

CALGARY, AB (October 06, 2022) Altomaxx Technologies Inc. has been selected to participate in NGIF’s Emissions Testing Centre (ETC) program, a division of NGIF Capital Corporation, to demonstrate and validate their drone-based methane sensors that detect and pinpoint leak locations along pipelines, well heads and natural gas facilities.

NGIF Emissions Testing Centre has a four-stage program where selected startups and their projects: are evaluated for eligibility (stage 1); undergo simulation testing in a controlled laboratory environment hosted by the University of Calgary (stage 2); undergo testing in a live industrial gas plant operations site hosted by Tourmaline Oil/Perpetual Energy West Wolf Lake Gas Plant (stage 3); and are provided a data/outcome report and validation to accelerate their commercialization (stage 4). This plug-and-play testing program for cleantech startups supports the development and testing of clean technologies to reduce methane emissions in the natural gas industry.

Altomaxx is a leading-edge drone-service provider focused on developing integrated solutions within the natural gas industry. With headquarters in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Altomaxx has five office branches across Canada and the United States. Their drone-based methane sensor is a Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (TDLAS) capable of determining methane at a lower detectable limit of 5 ppm-m.

Specifically, the NGIF ETC host site at the West Wolf Lake plant operated by Tourmaline Oil provides Altomaxx with a controlled field environment to evaluate the impact of different flight parameters, the accuracy of sensor emissions readings, the measurement of flare stack emissions and to gather data to quantify drone emission readings.


                 AltoMaxx' drone-based methane sensors in the field

Image: Altomaxx’s drone-based methane sensors in the field


“I am excited to see the field demonstration of cleantech startup Altomaxx and their drone-based methane sensor as it provides a faster survey time by allowing users to determine the exact location of methane leaks as opposed to walking the entire site,” said John Adams, President and CEO of NGIF Capital Corporation and Managing Partner of NGIF Cleantech Ventures. “The goal of the NGIF ETC is to provide a program for cleantech startups to demonstrate their solutions in a controlled laboratory site and on a live industrial site so that we can measure real results for industry validation and customer creation.”

“The NGIF ETC is a very valuable tool for companies like ourselves who are trying to bring new technologies to this ever-changing field,” says Christopher Haley, CEO of Altomaxx Technologies Inc. “The data that we gather at this facility will not only help us get a better baseline for our equipment, but it will help solve the global issue of Methane releases by offering an excellent and unique solution.”

“When we created the NGIF ETC, it was our vision to provide Canada’s natural gas industry with an avenue to assess cleantech solutions, access data and inform efforts around emissions management. It is exciting to see the NGIF ETC supporting Altomaxx’s drone-based methane sensor,” said Timothy M. Egan, President and CEO, Canadian Gas Association and Chair, NGIF Capital Corporation.


About NGIF Emissions Testing Centre
The NGIF ETC is a $27-million industry-led emissions testing program for multiple startups to validate their solutions in a collaborative and live gas operations environment. NGIF Emissions Testing Centre includes the host site of Tourmaline Oil and Perpetual Energy at their West Wolf Lake Gas Process Plant, instrumented for live testing. It also includes University of Calgary Research Centre laboratories, instrumented for both simulation testing and a data hub to store benchmarking results. The NGIF Emissions Testing Centre will see emissions detection, quantification, and reductions through multiple tech startup validation, while also creating benchmarking data and a research talent pool for the natural gas industry. The NGIF Emissions Testing Centre is operated by NGIF Capital Corporation.

About NGIF Capital Corporation
NGIF Capital Corporation is a Canadian venture capital (VC) firm offering grant and equity financing for startups that deliver solutions to the environmental and other challenges facing the natural gas sector. NGIF Capital Corporation is unique in how it brings Canada’s energy industry leadership to every investment. Like other VCs, it takes new companies and their ideas from concept to commercialization. Unlike other VCs, NGIF Capital Corporation has strong connections to every part of the gas value chain, from production through to end-use, offering it a means to test, develop, and accelerate the commercial implementation of innovative gas technology wherever it fits in the sector. The model benefits consumers, investors, and Canadian society as a whole. NGIF Capital Corporation operates NGIF Industry Grants (the original Natural Gas Innovation Fund), the NGIF Emissions Testing Centre, and NGIF Cleantech Ventures. NGIF Capital Corporation is wholly owned by CGA Enterprises, a venture of the Canadian Gas Association.

About AltoMaxx Technologies
AltoMaxx Technologies is a leading-edge drone-service provider, offering inspection services, integrated solutions, and capacity building within the Power Utility, Public Safety, and Oil and Gas industries. AltoMaxx drives the drone industry forward with its team of world-class technical experts, dedication to continuous improvement, and unwavering commitment to its clients. Headquartered in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador – with five offices throughout Canada and the United States – AltoMaxx serves an international client-base, deploying drone technologies in projects around the world. For more information, visit: www.altomaxx.com

About CGA
The Canadian Gas Association (CGA) is the voice of Canada’s gaseous energy delivery industry, including natural gas, renewable natural gas (RNG) and hydrogen. CGA membership includes energy distribution and transmission companies, equipment manufacturers, and suppliers of goods and services to the industry. CGA’s utility members are Canadian-owned and active in eight provinces and one territory. CGA members meet 38 per cent of Canada’s energy needs through a network of over 577,000 kilometres of underground infrastructure. The versatility and resiliency of this infrastructure allows it to deliver an ever-changing gas supply mix to over 7.4 million customer locations representing approximately two-thirds of Canadians. CGA members ensure Canadians get the affordable, reliable, clean gaseous energy they want and need. CGA is also working to constantly improve that gaseous energy offering, by driving forward innovation through the Natural Gas Innovation Fund (NGIF).


Media Information:

John Adams
President and CEO, NGIF Capital Corporation
Managing Partner, NGIF Cleantech Ventures
613-748-0057
jadams@ngif.ca

Ayoola Ajibare
Communications Coordinator, NGIF Capital Corporation
(403) 389-2212
aajibare@ngif.ca


NGIF ETC Investors Logo. NGIF logo surrounded by NRCan, Perpetual Energy, Tourmaline, Alberta Innovates, University of Calgary, and the CGA logos.


 

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At NGIF, we invest in companies who are leading in the development of clean technologies for energy and who have the potential to demonstrate significant and quantifiable environmental and economic returns.

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