Jan. 20, 2022
$2.14M investment announced to support energy collaboration between UĢý ecosystem and energy industry
UĢý President Ed McCauley.
The University of Ģý ecosystem is poised to lead the energy transition with an investment announced this week from the Government of Canada. Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan) is investing $2,140,205 to support the Energy Transition Centre (ETC) in downtown Ģý.
The ETC is a collaboration between the University of Ģý, Innovate Ģý, Avatar Innovations, and the energy industry. This financial support from the federal government will help UĢý, Innovate Ģý, and Avatar Innovations deliver programming at the ETC specific to the investment, acceleration, and commercialization of startup companies working on energy transition.
“We couldn’t be more excited to be partners in the Energy Transition Centre,” said University of Ģý President Ed McCauley while speaking at the announcement.
“We’re big believers in partnerships at the University of Ģý. We’re no strangers to incubating new technologies or new businesses. The Energy Transition Centre will help ensure workers have skills they need to seize those opportunities.”
Nurturing clean energy innovation
Gathering space at the Energy Transition Centre.
Avatar Innovations
The minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada, Daniel Vandal, made the announcement virtually on Jan. 19 alongside McCauley and Ģý Mayor Jyoti Gondek. UĢý Chancellor Deborah Yedlin, Avatar Innovations CEO Kevin Krausert and Cenovus CEO Alex Pourbaix were also present.
The Energy Transition Centre is expected to support innovative clean energy development and generate economic activity through new business opportunities and research and development, while also assisting the commercialization of technologies for industry. Over the next three years, the initiative expects to create 25 new small- and medium-sized firms while assisting an additional 25 existing firms in accelerating their technologies for the clean technology sector.
These efforts will help accelerate the transition from carbon-emitting energy systems by promoting carbon-free energy alternatives while also enhancing workplace skill sets within the oil and gas sector. The collaboration at the Energy Transition Centre will directly support Canada’s net zero commitments and will also drive Ģý’s downtown revitalization.
“Today represents a major win for Ģý, Canada, the energy industry and its tens of thousands of workers,” said Avatar CEO Kevin Krauser at the event. “The Energy Transition Centre will become Canada’s energy innovation district where emerging leaders, entrepreneurs and researchers will collaborate, commercialize and scale their solutions.”
A unique approach
It is expected that programming at the ETC will engage highly qualified personnel from both the academic and industry sectors through career development, as well as technology development in areas of emerging technologies crucial for the energy transition. This includes engaging and supporting diverse industry employees as well as those involved in university research.
The ETC is designed to encourage energy transition solutions by providing programming that focuses on a mass upskilling of energy workers. This will be achieved through a training curriculum that cultivates cross-learning between energy professionals and university postdocs. Programs will also nurture transformative technologies through curriculum that entwines both business and technology de-risking components and provides access to technical experts and capital markets for commercialization.
Work space at the Energy Transition Centre.
Avatar Innovations
The project at a glance
The Energy Transition Centre is a three-year project with a budget of $4.2 million. Primary physical space for ETC programs is planned at the Ampersand building in downtown Ģý, with an extension site within the University Innovation Quarter at UĢý. Key programs at the ETC include:
- Ignite: Facilitates large-scale engagement of industry professionals for generating energy transition ideas and solutions.
- Accelerator: Brings promising ideas from the Ignite Program to teams capable of transforming those ideas into viable technologies and investible business propositions.
- Technology Development Platform: Assesses needs and provides access to specialized lab equipment and University of Ģý faculty- and research group-led technical support.
- Ventures: Prepares the pre-startup accelerator teams for business refinement and investment pitching.
- Expert Advisers Platform: Provides tech and business advice to teams inducted in the accelerator program.
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