Canada is favoring 19 green energy projects with 146 million Canadian dollars ($141.6 million) off its 1 billion Canadian dollar Clean Energy Fund.

The funding will support the development and demonstration of integrated community energy solutions, smart grid technology and renewable applications with solar, wind, tidal and geothermal energy.

The grants will range from 2.5 million Canadian dollars to 20 million Canadian dollars for each project. However, until a written contribution agreement is signed by both parties, the government will not be obligated to make a financial contribution to these projects.

Consequently, the government now invites the project proponents to begin negotiations for formal contribution agreements. These will set the conditions under which the funding will be given.

“Investments in clean energy technologies are a key part of our approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving the environment,” Lisa Raitt, natural resources minister, said.

Nine projects are expected to receive between 2.5 million Canadian dollars to 5 million Canadian dollars. These are SSQ, Société immobilière Inc. for biomass-based urban central heating demonstration; CEATI International Inc. for utility-scale electricity storage demonstration using new and re-purposed lithium ion automotive batteries; Power Measurement Limited for energy management business intelligence platform development and demonstration; and Cowessess First Nation for wind and storage demonstration in a First Nations community lead proponent.

The rest of the awardees for that bracket are Manitoba Hydro for bioenergy optimization program demonstration; SyncWave Systems Inc. for offshore wave energy demonstration; Great Northern Power Corporation for demonstration of waste-heat recovery at compressor stations; Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. for residential implementation of solar-thermal heating systems; and Harvest Power Canada Limited for food and yard waste anaerobic digestion to electricity demonstration.

Four projects were chosen for the 5 million Canadian dollar to 10 million Canadian dollar range of grants. These are Nexterra Systems Corporation’s demonstration of heat and power from biomass gasification; BC Hydro’s energy storage and demand response for near-capacity substation; Hydro-Québec – Institut de recherche’s interactive smart zone demonstration in Québec; and Nova Scotia Power’s biomass and coal co-firing demonstration in coal plants.

The largest funding range, for 10 million Canadian dollars to 20 million Canadian dollars, will benefit six projects. These are Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy’s tidal energy project in the bay of Fundy; the city of Yellowknife’s northern application of a geothermal district heating system; and New Brunswick Power Corporation’s electricity load control demonstration.

Other grantees are Wind Energy Institute of Canada’s 9-megawatt wind technology research and development park; Eco Joule Inc.’s demonstration of fish-friendly and VLH turbines in existing low-head water-control Dams; and Borealis GeoPower Inc. and Aco Dene Koe First Nation’s community-based geothermal demonstration in a remote First Nations community.

“Projects such as our global first hybrid fuel cell project would not have been possible without this kind of support,” said Janet Holder, president of Enbridge, one of the grantees.

The Clean Energy Fund, which is based on the country’s 2009 budget, will make the technological investments over five years. These investments for large and small demonstration projects are benefiting Canada’s economy by leveraging nearly $3.5 billion in additional investments.

-  Jen Balboa