British Columbia awards C$8M to 12 pre-commercial clean energy, technology projects with total investment value of US$79M; projects include biomass heat, power, tidal energy, wood pellet production

Rachel Carter

VICTORIA, British Columbia , July 25, 2011 (press release) – Twelve new Innovative Clean Energy (ICE) Fund projects will receive a total of $8 million from the Province to support the development of new clean energy technologies. These projects will create jobs and local investment, benefiting B.C. families and communities.

The ICE Fund helps B.C. entrepreneurs, communities and First Nations demonstrate the viability of their pre-commercial clean technologies to investors and customers worldwide. Since 2008, 56 projects have been approved and are receiving funding to develop new energy solutions to real, everyday energy and environmental challenges. This includes solutions like biomass gasification to produce biogas, which is a clean heating alternative to fossil fuels.

These 12 B.C. entrepreneurs, communities and First Nations will invest about $71 million in their projects. With government's support of $8 million, this brings the total investment in green innovation to $79 million.

Quote:

Rich Coleman, Minister of Energy and Mines -

"These twelve new ICE Fund projects bring 475 jobs and almost $79 million in investment to B.C. communities, creating a strong green economy for all British Columbians. For example, the Tsay Keh Dene First Nation is producing heat from wood waste, a clean energy solution for this diesel-based and the EcoSmart Foundation is installing the first B.C. grid-connected solar plant on a brownfield mine site."

Facts:

* These 12 new ICE projects will bring $79 million in investment and 475 jobs to about 10 B.C. communities.

* The projects will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 87,782 tonnes per year - the equivalent of taking 17,212 passenger vehicles off of the road.

* Since 2008, the Province has approved more than $72 million for 56 clean energy projects across B.C., representing a value over $390 million in total project costs through the ICE Fund.

* So far, 12 ICE Fund projects are complete and have created 271 construction jobs and 103 ongoing jobs.

* Through the ICE Fund, the Province supports a broad range of technological applications, including: ocean tidal and wave, solar, geoexchange, micro-hydro, wind, bioenergy, waste utilization, and energy conservation and management.

Learn More:

* To learn more about the ICE Fund, visit: www.icefund.gov.bc.ca

BACKGROUNDER

ICE Fund Projects

* ASG Canada Energy Inc., Anahim Lake - $1 million. The project will convert waste biomass to biodiesel and show how communities and industry can use the excess heat and electricity for power.

* Awesense Wireless Inc., Kelowna - $85,000. This project will use wireless technology to monitor power usage and help detect electricity theft.

* Canadian International Aircraft Technologies Group Inc., Winfield - $225,000. This project will retrofit aircraft to replace traditional propulsion technology with electric motors and energy storage components.

* Cedar Road LFG Inc., Nanaimo - $1 million. This facility, located at the Regional District of Nanaimo landfill, produces 1.3 MW of electricity from biogas for sale to BC Hydro. The project will demonstrate a solution for the storage and dispensing of biogas for commercial vehicles as well as a new heat recovery system that will capture waste heat for the district.

* Corinex Communications Corp., Various Locations - $1 million. This project will deploy next generation Clean Tech Smart MicroGrid technology to support clean energy resources and electricity conservation.

* EcoSmart Foundation, Kimberley - $1 million. This will be the first B.C. installation of a grid-connected solar power plant on a brownfield mine site. It will also show how solar tracking technology can be adapted for northern climates.

* Mavi Turbines Inc., Prince Rupert - $470,000. This project will build, deploy and monitor a commercial scale tidal energy converter specifically designed to serve remote communities.

* MineSense Technologies Inc., Princeton - $269,000. This project will demonstrate technology that provides ore composition information for upgrading low-grade copper ore at the mine prior to milling.

* Nations Energy Corp., Kamloops - $1 million. This commercial-scale torrefaction plant will convert mountain pine beetle damaged wood into bio-coal fuel pellets. The pellets can be used at power stations, in boilers and in cement kilns as an alternative to coal.

* Pytrade Canada Inc., Kitimat - $1 million. This project will build a fast-pyrolysis plant that will heat biomass to produce bio-oil, charcoal and gas. The bio-oil can be used to create electricity for the grid.

* Tsay Keh Dene First Nation, Williston Lake - $81,000. This will be the first solar powered LED lighting system at an airfield in B.C. The system will reduce greenhouse gas emissions in this diesel-powered community.

* Tsay Keh Dene First Nation - $1 million. This project takes wood waste from the shores of Williston Lake to produce heat and electricity for this diesel reliant community. This wood waste has about as much energy as 30 million litres of diesel.

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