The Natural Gas Innovation Fund Announces its Finalists in Round 5 Funding Competition

March 6, 2020
Ottawa, Ontario
Natural Gas Innovation Fund

Today the Natural Gas Innovation Fund™ (NGIF) announced the finalists from Round 5 of its funding competitions for clean technologies for the end-use distribution of natural gas.

In 2019, NGIF launched a $1.5 million funding call targeting clean technology solutions for the end-use of natural gas. We are pleased to announce the approval of $700,000 in funding for four downstream finalists:

1. Blue-O Technology Inc. is a British Columbia-based company that was approved for $100K in funding for the development of highly active plate-shaped catalysts for low-cost proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers.
2. Carbon Upcycling Technologies is an Alberta-based company that was approved for $200K in funding for the prototype development and testing of the carbon dioxide membrane for carbon capture.
3. Point 3 Biotech Corp. is a British Columbia-based company that was approved for $300K in funding for the demonstration of Dairy/Poultry/Hog co-digestion to enable community-scale digester development.
4. Solistra Corporation is an Ontario-based company that was approved for $100K in funding for the pilot demonstration of the solar conversion of natural gas and carbon dioxide into synthetic gas.

In Round 5, NGIF has also approved the following clean technology solutions from an earlier funding call (Round 4). We are pleased to announce the approval of $426,500 for additional one downstream finalist:

5. Thermolift Inc. is a New York-based company that was approved for $426.5K in funding for the demonstration of an advanced natural gas-driven heat pump and air conditioner in Canada.

Funding for all finalists is subject to a negotiated contribution agreement.

NGIF is currently funded by five natural gas utilities (ATCO Gas Ltd., Enbridge Gas Inc., FortisBC Energy Inc., Pacific Northern Gas Ltd. and SaskEnergy) and seven natural gas producers (Birchcliff Energy Ltd., Canadian Natural Resources Limited, Chevron Canada Limited, Perpetual Energy Inc., PETRONAS Energy Canada Ltd., Shell Canada Energy, and Tourmaline Oil Corp). All of these investing organizations are dedicated to cleantech innovation for Canada’s natural gas sector.

Please visit www.ngif.ca for more information.

Quotes:
“With each new funding round, I am excited to see momentum growing for cleantech solutions in the natural gas sector. These start-up companies represented in this recent round of finalists have the potential to bring to market clean technologies that advance the environmental and economic performance of our sector.”

John Adams, Managing Director, Natural Gas Innovation Fund

“We started NGIF with a vision of how innovation and clean technology can advance the natural gas industry. I am pleased to see these companies funded today and look forward to watching their technologies continue to develop.”

Timothy M. Egan, President and CEO, Canadian Gas Association

About NGIF:
NGIF is an industry-led, industry-funded, granting organization created by the Canadian Gas Association that seeks to accelerate cleantech innovation in the production, pipeline transmission, and end-use of natural gas. In so doing, we aim to improve the environmental and economic performance of all in the sector. Our belief is that affordable, reliable, environmentally sound natural gas is a foundational fuel for Canada’s long-term well-being.

Associated Links:
Natural Gas Innovation Fund
Canadian Gas Association
NGIF LinkedIn
NGIF Twitter

Media Information:
Aysha Raad
Director, Communications
Canadian Gas Association
613-748-0057 ext. 310
araad@cga.ca

Fund Information:
John Adams
Managing Director
Natural Gas Innovation Fund (Fund I) NGIF Cleantech Ventures (Fund II)
613-748-0057 ext. 326
jadams@cga.ca