PARTNERSHIP INTAKE PROGRAM

Working with Trusted Partners across the Canadian innovation ecosystem creates a unified approach to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and securing Alberta’s lower carbon success. The Partnership Intake Program allows ERA to evaluate proposed projects referred by Trusted Partners, organizations with rigorous, fair, and transparent processes comparable to ERA’s.

This program acts as a catalyst to de-risk and deploy novel technology solutions by giving applicants the opportunity to leverage funding from both ERA and trusted partner organizations. When applicants provide ERA with a funding submission, they have the opportunity to have it shared and considered by other funding organizations. This allows technology innovators greater exposure to possible funding streams and access to later-stage funding opportunities beyond ERA’s scope. The approach reduces red tape for industry to apply and get funding; time and money better spent developing technology solutions and business practices.

Funded Projects

In 2018, ERA approved the first set of projects under the Partnership Intake Program. The process has been highly effective for accelerating innovation, maximizing impact through leverage of partner funds, and reducing the administrative burden for project proponents. The referral-based program allows ERA to consider funding promising technologies outside its traditional call for proposal process, allowing for ongoing opportunities to fund innovative GHG-reducing projects brought forward by Trusted Partners.

CANARY BIOFUELS
Bioenergy Technology Upgrade

Referred by Government of Alberta
Total project value: $28,600,000 | ERA commitment: $4,700,000

Retrofit an existing facility with a technology suite that will allow the plant to process local agricultural waste, inedible animal fats and used cooking oil into biodiesel fuel and glycerin.

QUIDNET ENERGY
Geomechanical Energy Storage

Referred by ERA’s Project Re-Entry Policy
Total project value: $11,400,000 | ERA commitment: $5,000,000

Develop an ultra-low-cost multi-gigawatt  geologic energy storage resource utilizing Quidnet’s modular pumped hydro storage technology.

GAZODUQ Inc.
Greenhouse gas emissions reduction in integrated, optimized natural gas transmission line systems

Referred by Government of Alberta
Total project value: $4,000,000 | ERA commitment: $2,000,000

Adoption of new technologies—electrification, artificial intelligence, machine learning—that can significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the pipeline transportation of Alberta’s natural gas.

RAZOR ENERGY CORP
Swan Hills Co-produced geothermal natural gas power project

Referred by Alberta Innovates
Total project value: $28,900,000 | ERA commitment: $10,000,000

developing the first-of-its-kind geothermal and natural gas hybrid power project in Swan Hills.

SERIOUS LABS
MELT VR Simulator Development

Referred by Government of Alberta
Total project value: $11,400,000 | ERA commitment: $2,000,000

Design, manufacture, and pilot a virtual reality (VR) commercial truck driving simulator to minimize driving time and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

BIOREFINEX
Lacombe Biorefinery

Referred by ERA’s Project Re-Entry Policy
Total project value: $46,000,000 | ERA commitment: $10,000,000

Commercialization of a patented thermal hydrolysis technology to transform animal waste into organic fertilizer and feedstock for RNG production at a new $46 million biorefinery.

CARBON UPCYCLING
Carbon Nanoplatelet Production from Exhaust CO₂ Emissions

Referred by XPRIZE Foundation
Total project value: $11,000,000 | ERA commitment: $1,500,000

Commercialization of an enhanced fly ash additive that is substituted for cement in the concrete manufacturing process.

CARBON CORP
Transformation of CO₂ to Valuable Carbon Nanotube Composites

Referred by XPRIZE Foundation
Total project value: $10,300,000 | ERA commitment: $3,000,000

Commercialization of a technology that transforms CO₂ into carbon nanotubes (CNT) for use in concrete, graphene, construction material, batteries, consumer electronics, and more.

LEHIGH CEMENT
Edmonton CCUS Feasibility Study

Referred by the Government of Alberta
Total project value: $3,000,000 | ERA commitment: $1,400,000

Conducting a feasibility study to assess the technical and economic viability of a commercial-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) project as a solution to cut GHG emissions in the cement industry.

IMTEX MEMBRANES CORPORATION
Energy Efficient Propylene-Propane Separation

Referred by Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC)
Total project value: $9,400,000 | ERA commitment: $3,000,000

Trialing of membrane technology that reduces energy and emissions intensity of light olefins used to support the production of polymers, plastics, and other products. The project will build out two commercial facilities in Alberta and Ontario.

FRACTAL SYSTEMS INC.

Referred by Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC)
Total project value: $22,000,000 | ERA commitment: $5,000,000

Fractal Systems Inc. is commercially deploying its Enhanced JetShear (EJS) technology for the first time at a Regional Hub facility at a midstream oil and gas site. The technology cost-effectively improves the quality and viscosity of bitumen; lowering transportation costs, increasing export pipeline capacity up to 20 per cent, and cutting wells-to-tank greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 11 per cent.

CARBON CLEAN ENERGY INC.

Referred by Economic Development, Tourism and Trade’s Economic Development Division
Total project value: $285,000,000 |ERA commitment: $5,000,000

Carbon Clean Energy Inc. is developing a $285 million, first-of-its-kind, wheat-based, biofuels facility that aims to create low carbon intensity ethanol in response to Alberta’s new renewable fuel standards. Known as Project Wheatland, the state-of-the-art plant features an energy self-sufficient design that will also generate clean power from biogas production.

SYLVIS ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES

Referred by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan)
Total project value: $14,000,000 | ERA commitment: $2,100,000

SYLVIS Environmental Services Inc.’s innovative BIOSALIX process will utilize municipal biosolids and other waste organics in the production of wood biomass. The project will be demonstrated on Westmoreland Coal Company’s Paintearth Mine.

TITANIUM CORPORATION INC.

Referred by NRCan
Total project value: $520,000,000|ERA commitment: $5,000,000

The project aims to remediate oil sands froth treatment tailings at Canadian Natural’s Horizon Oil Sands site. Titanium’s technology has the potential to create new economic opportunities by recovering high-value minerals contained in this tailings stream.

EAVOR TECHNOLOGIES INC.

Referred by Alberta Innovates, NRCan, SDTC
Total project value: $10,300,000 |ERA commitment: $1,000,000

Eavor Technologies Inc. has developed the world’s first closed loop geothermal system in a demonstration project near Rocky Mountain House, Alberta. The technology uses existing oil and gas drilling technology and expertise to collect heat from below the earth’s surface.

FSG TECHNOLOGIES INC.

Referred by SDTC
Total project value: $15,000,000 |ERA commitment: $4,800,000

FSG Technologies Inc. will design, build, commission, and operate a field pilot of its for their flash steam generation (FSG) at the Water Technology Development Centre Test Facility, located at Suncor Energy’s Firebag SAGD facility. The technology reduces the amount of natural gas necessary to generate steam through a combination of higher energy efficiency and reduced water treatment.

AMBYINT INC.

Referred by SDTC
Total project value: $6,600,000 |ERA commitment: $2,000,000

Ambyint has developed a digital platform solution for oil and gas producers to enhance productivity and efficiency. The overall project goal is the development and demonstration of a universal adaptive oil and gas well controller and autonomous operating capabilities.