Alberta projects receive $15M in provincial funding

Edmonton, AB – Seventeen projects in Alberta are receiving a share of $15 million in funding from the provincial government. The projects focus on value-added agriculture, fire prevention, sustainable resource planning, climate change and energy production, among others.

Following is a description of some of the projects receiving funding, along with contact person and funding total.

Platform Technology for Pre-Commercial Demonstration of Functional Food and Ag-Industrial Product Processes This project will develop infrastructure capacity to move beyond bench-scale research into pilot and process demonstrations. Bio-products involved could include development of materials with improved functionality like biodegradability, non-petroleum based fuel additives, or novel plant based cosmetic and food ingredients. Total project cost is $3.8 million, with additional funds provided by Alberta government departments, the University of Alberta and industry. Matthew Machielse, Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development. $2,750,000

Demonstrating Innovative Eco-Efficiency Technologies in the Upstream Oil and Gas Industry This project takes four energy efficient technologies designed for the oil and gas industry to the demonstration phase. These technologies have already shown promise in saving energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Total cost of this project is $7.8 million, with additional funds provided by the project sponsor, the federal government and industry. Cindy Goodyear, Alberta Economic Development. $1,500,000

Project Sponsor Project Outline Funding
Alberta Mercury Emission Control Technology Development Program A two-year program to commercialize Alberta coal mercury control technology. ATCO Power, EPCOR and TransAlta created the program, with input from Alberta Environment, and will evaluate and test promising technologies at selected Alberta generating stations. Total project cost: $2.9 million, with additional funding provided by Alberta Environment, ATCO, EPCOR, TransAlta and other industry sponsors. Robert Moyles, Alberta Environment. $1,435,000

Platform Development Flax for Bio-Product Production This project supports the growth of Alberta’s bio-products industry and increases opportunities for Alberta farmers. The project will accelerate a four year, multi-stakeholder initiative to evaluate the use of flax as an industrial feedstock. Total project cost is $6.5 million, with additional funds provided by the project sponsor, private industry, the federal government and other provincial governments. Linda Hall, Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development. $1,250,000

New Tools for Tracking Landscape Change and Animal Health for Effective Management and Conservation of Species at Risk This project will provide Alberta government departments with new tools and methods for managing land use, to protect ecosystem health and create sustainable development. The new tools will focus on the Alberta grizzly bear populations as a key indicator of ecosystem health. Total project costs are $1.9 million, with additional funds provided by the Alberta government, federal and municipal governments, the University of Saskatchewan and private industry. Dave Ealey, Alberta Sustainable Resource Development. $ 973,000

Advanced Technology for Air Emissions Management in Alberta Alberta Research Council will collaborate with Spectrasyne Limited to transfer knowledge related to Spectrasyne’s air emissions monitoring unit. Within the scope of the project an advanced air emission monitoring unit will be designed, built, and demonstrated. The project will lead to an improved method of emissions management and provide feedback to companies to assist them in the identification of emission reduction opportunities. Sectors that will benefit from this technology include agriculture, oil and gas, and pulp and paper manufacturing. Total project costs are $3.9 million, with additional funds from other federal and provincial sources. Allan Chambers, Alberta Research Council. $ 950,000

Project Sponsor Project Outline Funding
Connecting Entrepreneurs and Innovative Technologies to the Market Place with Technology Demonstrations This project seeks to help Alberta innovators commercialize their technologies through assistance with business planning and market intelligence. The project will also provide demonstration opportunities for six promising technologies to potential end-use customers. Total project cost is $2 million with additional funds provided by the project sponsor, Climate Change Central, industry and the federal government. Cindy Goodyear, Alberta Economic Development. $725,000

Development and Demonstration of Direct Heat Storage Solar Thermal Panels Alberta Research Council researchers have created a new technology concept for direct heat storage solar thermal panels. Field tests show this solar thermal panel is more energy efficient because it can store the heat from solar energy collected during the day and use the stored energy at night. This project takes the concept to the development and testing stage in preparation for demonstration and commercialization of the solar panels. Total project cost is $1.4 million, with additional funds provided by ARC, Natural Resource Canada and private industry. Kaz Szymocha, Advanced Materials, Alberta Research Council. $700,000