ecoENERGY Technology Initiative

What is the ecoENERGY Technology Initiative?

The ecoENERGY Technology Initiative is a $230-million investment in clean energy science and technology by Canada´s New Government.

The Initiative will fund research, development and demonstration (RD&D) to support the development of next- generation energy technologies needed to break through to emissions-free fossil fuel production, as well as for producing energy from other clean sources, such as renewables and bio-energy. It will also advance the development and use of new clean energy technologies in end‑use sectors such as buildings and community systems.

The ecoENERGY Technology Initiative

• responds to the government´s priorities in clean air and greenhouse gas emission reductions
• focuses on eight technology areas
• is based on extensive consultation with stakeholder groups
• provides a single window to research and development, and technology demonstration
• promotes public-private collaboration

Responding to Government Priorities

The ecoENERGY Technology Initiative is part of the government´s action plan to improve Canada´s environment. It will help in the search for long-term solutions to reducing and eliminating air pollutants from energy production and use.

Eight priority areas will concentrate RD&D efforts and accelerate outcomes:

• Clean fossil fuels – focusing on the environmental aspects of oil sands development
• Clean coal and carbon capture and storage
• Distributed electricity generation from renewable energy and other clean energy sources, including grid management
• Next-generation nuclear energy technologies
• Bio-based energy systems
• Low-emission industrial systems
• Clean transportation systems
• Built environment, focusing on the integration of renewable energy technologies into buildings and community systems.

Responding to Stakeholders

Natural Resources Canada has chosen these priorities by consulting stakeholders, including the National Advisory Panel on Sustainable Energy Science and Technology, the Energy Technology Working Group of the Council of Energy Ministers, the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy, and the Canadian Academy of Engineering.

A Single Window to a Single Program

The ecoENERGY Technology Initiative will provide a "single window" to federal energy S&T – from basic research to near-commercialization of technologies – through a single, seamless program.

Demonstration of technologies will now be consolidated with the research element. This will ensure that promising technologies are moved systematically towards commercialization and do not get stranded in the innovation chain. It will also ensure that new knowledge is passed to other S&T performers and to policy-makers.

Working in Collaboration

The ecoENERGY Technology Initiative will focus heavily on private-public collaborative arrangements involving all players in the national energy innovation system – federal, provincial and territorial governments, universities, and the private sector.

Becoming Involved

The ecoENERGY Technology Initiative will be delivered through:

• public‑private co‑funding arrangements involving the federal government, provincial/territorial governments, industry, and universities working together in areas of common interest
  
  
• responses to calls from Natural Resources Canada for theme-based project proposals, on a competitive basis, to the national energy S&T community
  
  
• federal laboratories conducting S&T to support the "public good", including regulatory support and longer‑term, higher‑risk research and development that the private sector is not undertaking

NRCan's "single window" for technology ideas and conceptual projects

Companies and researchers with ideas on possible projects may want to bring these to NRCan's attention. We will carefully assess such ideas and provide initial feedback promptly.

We will consider ideas and conceptual projects that address the broad goals of the ecoENERGY Technology Initiative and that involve an eligible activity within one of the eight Technology Priority areas.

Companies and researchers are invited to send a brief summary of their ideas by means of the Contact Form for our initial assessment. 

If we wish to proceed, we will provide guidance on developing a more detailed proposal that meets our financial, due diligence and accountability requirements.

Please refer to "Submitting a proposal for a conceptual project" for an explanation of our review process.

If we are unable to support the proposal from the ecoENERGY Technology Initiative we will suggest alternative partnership opportunities or funding sources.

To Contact Us

Please use the ecoETI Contact Form or contact us directly by email to ecoeti-iet@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca

Frequently Asked Questions