NGIF Announces $1.65M to Advance Technologies for Downstream Natural Gas

Hydrogen, renewable natural gas, and carbon capture utilization and storage projects are receiving funding from NGIF Industry Grants. Seven projects were selected for a total of $1.65 million in funding to advance technology innovations in the natural gas distribution sector. The approved projects have a combined value of more than $21 million in public and private investments.

“I am so encouraged by the high standard of startups, their leadership, and the disruptive potential of their innovations,” said John Adams, NGIF Capital Corporation President and CEO and NGIF Cleantech Ventures Managing Partner. “These recipients of funding from NGIF Industry Grants will help to accelerate clean technology development in renewable gases and carbon capture innovation. The NGIF model offers industry validation which is key to customer creation and market commercialization for startups.”

The competition was launched in May 2020 targeting cleantech startups and SMEs with solutions that can create value and mitigate environmental impacts in the distribution of natural gas in Canada. ATCO Pipelines, Enbridge Gas Inc., FortisBC, Pacific Northern Gas Ltd., and SaskEnergy will be investing from the downstream natural gas sector.

“When we created NGIF, we had a vision of how innovation could advance the natural gas industry, while also keeping affordability, resiliency, and the environment top-of-mind. This latest round of finalists demonstrates that innovation opportunity,” added Timothy M. Egan, President and CEO, Canadian Gas Association and Chair, NGIF Capital Corporation. “I’m excited to watch how these startups grow and how their technology solutions can support the sector.”

The projects approved will scale-up these technologies through prototype development, pilot, or demonstration and include:

HYDROGEN
HYDROGEN OPTIMIZED
Ontario
Development of large-scale green hydrogen production using rugged cell water electrolysis
Total Eligible Project Value: $900,000 | NGIF Approved Funding: $300,000

PLANETARY HYDROGEN
Nova Scotia
Pilot plant demonstration and optimization of the SeaOH2 process to produce hydrogen and sequester CO2
Total Eligible Project Value: $8,750,000 | NGIF Approved Funding: $150,000

PROTON TECHNOLOGIES CANADA
Saskatchewan and Alberta
Demonstration of mixing Hydrogen from Proton’s method into commercial Natural Gas pipeline
Total Eligible Project Value: $6,274,725 | NGIF Approved Funding: $150,000

AURORA HYDROGEN (Spin off from University of Alberta)
Alberta and Ontario
Development of Microwave pyrolysis of natural gas to produce blue hydrogen
Total Eligible Project Value: $2,026,800 | NGIF Approved Funding: $300,000*