In a bid to combat industrial greenhouse gas emissions and accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy, Canadian Energy Minister Jonathan Wilkinson announced a $12.5 million investment in six pioneering clean technology projects across British Columbia last Thursday.

The funding, part of the Energy Innovation Program, targets projects focused on carbon capture, utilization, and storage, as well as clean fuels and industrial fuel-switching initiatives.

Direct Air Capture

Among the recipients, Carbon Engineering ULC, based in Squamish, received $5 million — the largest share of the funding. The company will explore electrified solutions for its direct air capture technology, which extracts carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere.

This innovation has the potential to capture emissions regardless of their source, representing a transformative step toward net-zero targets.

Carbon Mineralization

In Vancouver, Arca Climate Technologies Inc. was awarded over $1.8 million to develop a system that uses mine waste to permanently store CO2 through carbon mineralization.

Additionally, the University of British Columbia secured nearly $1.5 million to harness byproducts from the pulp and paper industry to capture the industry’s emissions.

Municipal Waste Management

On the clean fuels front, British Columbia Biocarbon Ltd. received $2.5 million to transform municipal waste into bio-coal, a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels for the cement industry.

A trial at Heidelberg’s Delta cement plant will test the feasibility of this innovation, which could reduce emissions, landfill waste, and fuel costs.

Circularity

In Burnaby, Parkland Refining (BC) Ltd. was granted $980,500 to advance the co-processing of crudes, enabling the production of low-carbon fuels using existing infrastructure. Meanwhile, Highbury Energy Inc. in Vancouver received $710,000 to study the feasibility of using renewable fuel gas derived from wood residues to power a lime kiln at Cariboo Pulp and Paper in Quesnel.

“This investment underscores Canada’s commitment to clean technology innovation and industrial decarbonization,” said Minister Wilkinson in a statement. “By supporting projects that cut emissions while advancing economic opportunities, we are positioning Canada as a leader in the global energy transition.”

The projects are part of Canada’s broader strategy to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

The commitment to reducing carbon footprints through pioneering solutions positions Canada as a key player in the global effort to combat climate change, inspiring similar initiatives worldwide.

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