Investment strengthens British Columbia's leadership in developing sustainable energy sources

University of British Columbia's Clean Energy Research Centre receives funding to support cleaner fuel research.

VANCOUVER, Oct. 11, 2018 /CNW/ - The University of British Columbia's Clean Energy Research Centre has received an investment of $913,516 to explore new energy sources that can significantly reduce the transportation sector's carbon footprint.

The funding was announced today by Joyce Murray, Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board and Minister of Digital Government and Member of Parliament for Vancouver Quadra, on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD).

The Clean Energy Research Centre is collaborating with another WD funding recipient to deliver this project. Squamish-based Carbon Engineering has developed the two technologies that are necessary to produce the fuel: the company's Direct Air Capture technology removes the CO₂ from the atmosphere, and their AIR TO FUELS^TM solution combines the captured CO₂ with hydrogen to synthesize hydrocarbon fuels. Together, the Clean Energy Research Centre and Carbon Engineering are exploring ways to scale up this technology for widespread use.

The Government of Canada is committed to supporting the development of technologies that will help build a sustainable economy. By investing in research facilities like the Clean Energy Research Centre, we are supporting new knowledge and innovations that help create jobs and a stronger economy.

Quick Facts

• Nearly a quarter of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions come from transportation.
• Carbon Engineering's Direct Air Capture plants can be built to capture one million tons of CO₂ per year, which is equivalent to the annual emissions of 250,000 average cars.
• The CO₂ captured can be synthesized into a variety of hydrocarbon fuels such as diesel, gasoline or Jet-A.
• The District of Squamish, the Squamish Nation and Carbon Engineering form the Squamish Clean Technology Association, and signed a Statement of Cooperation with the Clean Energy Research Centre in February 2016.

Quotes

"The University of British Columbia is a leading-edge research institution that is tackling one of our greatest challenges – creating sustainable energy solutions. By supporting the Clean Energy Research Centre, we're helping to drive innovation, job creation, and clean growth."
- Joyce Murray, Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board and Minister of Digital Government and Member of Parliament for Vancouver Quadra

"Canada's prosperity depends on our ability to stay competitive in the global economy. The Government of Canada is ensuring that research institutions like the University of British Columbia have the tools they need to partner with industry to develop made-in-Canada solutions that drive our economy."
- The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for Western Economic Diversification Canada

"This funding allows the UBC Clean Energy Research Centre to continue pursuing our mission of developing viable solutions for sustainable energy, for the benefit of future generations. With equipment and human resources made possible through the Western Diversification Program, we are helping our partners at Carbon Engineering optimize their carbon-dioxide capture process and produce synthetic fuel. The equipment will have a life beyond the pilot plant currently under development: it will become an effective platform for future research in clean energy technologies."
- Professor Walter Mérida, Director of UBC's Clean Energy Research Centre

"As a clean energy company that is moving towards large-scale commercialization, this funding supports our vital partnership with UBC's Clean Energy Research Centre. We're delighted to continue collaborating with CERC and to further work together to innovate and deliver low-carbon synthetic fuels that can dramatically reduce emissions in the transportation sector."
- Steve Oldham, CEO, Carbon Engineering Ltd.

Additional Links

• University of British Columbia
• Clean Energy Research Centre
• Carbon Engineering

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SOURCE Western Economic Diversification Canada

For further information: Ben Stanford, Regional Communications Manager, Western Economic Diversification Canada, Telephone: [phone], Email: [e-mail]; Wendy McHardy, Director, Marketing & Communications, University of British Columbia, Telephone: [phone], Email: [e-mail]