2002/25 (a)

BACKGROUNDER

CLIMATE CHANGE ACTION FUND (CCAF) TECHNOLOGY EARLY ACTION MEASURES (TEAM) PROJECTS ANNOUNCED MARCH 14, 2002

The Government of Canada established the $150-million Climate Change Action Fund (CCAF) in the 1998 federal budget. The Fund is designed to encourage projects that build public awareness and understanding of the climate change issue, conduct research on climate change and promote early actions by Canadians to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Government allocated an additional $150 million in the 2000 federal budget for the renewal of the CCAF and an additional $60 million for various energy efficiency and renewable energy programs. These are part of an overall Government of Canada commitment of $1.1 billion made in 2000 for climate change action.

Technology Early Action Measures (TEAM), a component within the CCAF, supports cost-effective technology projects that will lead to significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

The eight projects described below will receive approximately $1.4 million from NRCan and $6.1 million from TEAM. The total Government of Canada contribution is approximately $7.7 million, including $200,000 from other federal departments.

Athena Sustainable Materials Institute: Software to Assess GHG Emissions from Buildings

Project objective: Athena Sustainable Materials Institute is developing a software tool that demonstrates the potential for GHG reduction during the design and renovation of buildings. The software will show the potential environmental impacts of building materials and promote less harmful alternatives.

By using green building design principles and materials, the facility could save a total of 1,440 tonnes of GHG emissions.

Project proponent: Athena Sustainable Materials Institute, Merrickville and Ottawa, Ontario
Total budget: $765,000
TEAM/CCAF contribution: $225,000
Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) contribution: $90,000
Athena and industry partners contribution: $451,000

Biox Corporation: Improved Processing of Bio-Diesel

Project objective: Biox Corporation is building a process demonstration unit with a capacity of one million-litre/year, the first of its size in Canada. The unit will produce bio-diesel from vegetable oils, waste fats and greases, using a new process that cuts feedstock and processing costs related to bio-diesel production by as much as 50 percent. This presents a major opportunity for bio-diesel to compete with petroleum diesel. Construction is underway at Trimac Truck Lines in Oakville, Ontario.

The project is expected to save 13 tonnes of CO₂ per year/15,000 tonnes per year within ten years.

Project proponent: Biox Corporation, Oakville, Ontario
Total budget: $1,227,694
TEAM/CCAF contribution: $464,569
Government of Canada contribution (NRCan, National Research Council): $138,125
Biox and industry partners contribution: $625,000

La Société des technologies de l'aluminium Ltée: Automated System for Aluminum Industry

Project objective: La Société des technologies de l'aluminium (STAS) Ltée is developing a fully automated anode changing system for use in the aluminum industry. The system uses remote-control and computer-driven technology to replace worn anodes. Among other benefits, the system will reduce energy consumption, emissions and heat losses. The technology will be demonstrated at the Lauralco aluminum plant in Deschambault, Quebec.

By improving the anode replacement process, the system is expected to reduce energy consumption by 94,500 gigajoules per year per plant or the equivalent of 15,500 barrels of oil.

Project proponent: La Société des technologies de l'aluminium Ltée, Chicoutimi, Quebec
Total budget: $4,935,500
TEAM/CCAF contribution: $802,500
Government of Canada contribution (NRCan, NRC): $350,000
STAS and industry partners contribution: $3,783,000

Polymarin-Bolwell Composites Inc.: Manufacturing of Wind Turbine Blades

Project objective: Polymarin-Bolwell Composites Inc. (PBC) is developing a blade-making technology for wind turbines for domestic and international markets. The technology can be applied to generic wind turbines and used on other glass-fibre products that PBC manufactures. The company has also applied their manufacturing process to aircraft flight simulators.

The technology developed by this project has reduced the use of harmful solvents and waste air emissions at the Polymarin-Bolwell plant by 95 percent.

Project proponent: Polymarin-Bolwell Composites Inc., Huron Park, Ontario
Total budget: $1,790,000
TEAM/CCAF contribution: $960,000
PBC and industry partners contribution: $830,000

Sorentec Ltée: Food-Cooling Products for Commercial Kitchens

Project objective: Sorentec Ltée is working to develop and commercialize three rapid food-cooling products for small- and medium-size commercial kitchens. The new technology is more energy-efficient than existing products due to its improved design and increased heat transfer.

The three products are expected to result in reductions of 352 tonnes of CO₂ per year.

Project proponent: Sorentec Ltée, Québec, Quebec
Total budget: $4,989,000
TEAM/CCAF contribution: $802,500
NRCan contribution: $250,000
Sorentec and industry partners contribution: $3,936,558

Conserval Engineering: Solar Crop Drying

Project objective: Conserval Engineering is demonstrating cutting-edge solar air-heating technology at test sites throughout Central America and Asia. The three-year project is an important step in proving the viability of solar technology for agricultural and commercial drying applications worldwide. Conserval's solar absorber technology is 40 percent more efficient and 25 percent cheaper than other solar heating technologies, allowing the technology to compete with traditional fossil-fuel energy sources. Testing at sites in Panama, China and India have begun; negotiations for additional locations continue.

The initial test sites are expected to reduce CO₂ emissions by 1,000 tonnes per year.

Project proponent: Conserval Engineering, Toronto, Ontario
Total budget: $1,583,000
TEAM/CCAF contribution: $582,750
NRCan contribution: $175,000
Conserval and industry partners contribution: up to $825,500

Zenon Environmental Inc.: Drinking Water and Wastewater Treatment

Project objective: Zenon Environmental Inc. is working to develop and demonstrate a water purification technology for public drinking water and wastewater treatment. The company's membrane technology is a more energy-efficient means of improving water quality than conventional systems and could decrease energy costs for water treatment significantly. Demonstration of the technology could encourage its adoption by Canadian water filtration plants. A demonstration plant has been built in Collingwood, Ontario, and additional plants will follow.

The project is estimated to reduce CO₂ emissions by approximately 66,000 tonnes per year/220,000 tonnes per year within ten years.

Project proponent: Zenon Environmental Inc., Oakville, Ontario
Total budget: $4,075,000
TEAM/CCAF contribution: $1,575,000
NRCan contribution: $500,000
Zenon and industry partners contribution: $2,000,000

SCP Group: Small Hydro in Nepal

Project objective: SCP Group is implementing 3.4 megawatts of small hydropower at a demonstration site on the Khudi River in Nepal. The National Electricity Utility will distribute the electricity to remote towns and villages, where more than 85 percent of the population have no access to electricity and depend on fuel, wood and residues as their primary source of energy. Excess energy generated could be distributed to other towns and villages.

The project is estimated to reduce CO₂ emissions by 20,000 tonnes per year.

Project proponent: SCP Group, Sherbrooke, Quebec
Total budget: $7,530,000
TEAM/CCAF contribution: $680,000
NRCan contribution: $100,000
SCP and industry partners contribution: $6,750,000