Grants and Contributions

SmartD Technologies (SmartD) specialises in next-generation motor control products based on the development of new electrical topologies and the use of wide-band transistors. The physical properties of these transistors, combined with SmartD's unique topologies developed in conjunction with researchers at the École de Technologie Supérieure (ETS), result in smaller, more efficient variable frequency drives that generate a better quality electrical signal.

Solaires is building the next generation of photovoltaic (PV) technologies to power the world of indoor electronics. PVs have been part of the indoor PV market for decades, though in limited use. As an example, handheld calculators have been powered by silicon PVs since the late 1970s, but in general silicon PVs are not optimised for harnessing artificial lights. Traditional silicon PVs optimally absorb and generate electricity from sunlight. This is a chemical and physical phenomenon inherent to crystalline silicon. Meanwhile, the LED and fluorescent lighting that illuminate our homes and offices are “colder” than sunlight, where the average wavelength of light is shifted towards the bluer end of the light spectrum, which crystalline silicon is poorly aligned with. This is where perovskite technologies shine brightest. The chemical formulation of perovskites is variable, and with that variability comes a wide range of optimal wavelengths of light that perovskites can absorb. In fact, of all photovoltaic materials, perovskites are the only class of material that can be tuned to optimally absorb any light in the visible spectrum.

This project with SDTC encompasses the development our PVModules, external qualification from independent organizations and pilot partners, commercialization of PVModules, and the early stages of building our future line of PVFilms, a grid-scale perovskite solar solution.

Enabling high-performance wireless connectivity at ultra low power for the next generation of mobile devices, AR/VR systems, gaming and audio, and IoT applications

Swirltex builds custom wastewater treatment systems, with a novel membrane treatment technology that achieves ultra-filtered quality water. The mobile units have the capability to produce up to 2,500m3/day of clean water. The solution enables wastewater recycling, reducing fresh water consumption and disposal volumes.
Swirltex’s first produced water commercialization project will occur in Northern B.C., treating water produced from the Montney formation. This project will serve as a proof of concept for the treatment solution in terms of quality and capacity, as well as a validation of the re-use business model.

Thetis Environmental has developed a novel 3D spatial membrane that provides superior productivity, improved membrane strength and durability, and reduced energy consumption in the high strength, high suspended solids water treatment market. The 3D membrane will be implemented in Thetis’ patented PermaFlux™ technology for this market. The new PermaFlux™ XL module (with 3D membranes) increases membrane active surface area and further decreases cost and system complexity. PermaFlux™ is able to filter difficult to treat industrial wastewater and provides clean effluent with very low environmental impact.

Universal Matter is commercializing a new patent-pending process to produce the best and the most affordable graphene using simple carbon ingredients such as petcoke, biomass and recycled plastics, creating stronger, lighter, and more resilient products while dramatically reducing emissions and leading the transition towards the crucial circular economy.Universal Matter is commercializing a new patent-pending process to become the world’s leading supplier of high quality and the most economical turbostratic graphene, using a broad range of carbon-based feedstock materials including recycled plastic and rubber, to dramatically reduce GHG emissions in a number of large volume and global target market sectors.

VueReal is one of few semiconductor companies in Canada and the only display company in North America, is planning to expand its custom display productions in Canada. Due to change in market dynamic and strategic value of displays and semiconductor in supply chain, VueReal is getting significant interest from its partners through receiving purchase orders for its displays. This project will enable us to address the early market and prepare us for expansion and scale up for higher production.

Canada’s space strategy states that “fewer than 10% of Canadian farms currently use satellite imagery, and that increasing that to just 25% by 2027 could lead to cost savings of $650M to 1.3B.” This proposal describes AgSat, a nanosatellite that will provide “hyperspectral” images of farms, enabling the optimization of water and fertilizer which in turn reduces GHG emissions and saves Canadian farmers hundreds of millions of dollars per year. AgSat will address the lack of affordable, available, and high-resolution hyperspectral imagery. Some firms using Hyperspectral imagery have shown $20/acre savings in water and fertilizer use (Euroconsult market report, 2019). However, the technique is underutilized due to its high cost. By providing hyperspectral imagery from satellite, the price farmers pay will be reduced by over 100x compared to drones and airplanes and the imagery can be made available daily enabling farmers to use precision agriculture easily and regularly.

Greenhouse agriculture is essential to Canadians, helping to meet the year-round demand for fresh, quality produce. However, greenhouses need artificial lighting to complement natural light, particularly during the winter months. It has been proven that the quality of light has a direct impact on plant growth and quality. Sollum's intelligent luminaires produce high-quality light and spectrum that reproduce the sun's complete cycle, offering energy savings of up to 30% and increased productivity of up to 40%.
The aim of this SDTC project is to develop an intelligent horticultural lighting solution optimized for growth and energy savings. The solution uses luminaires that compensate for natural light by producing high-quality artificial light that dynamically adjusts to light conditions in greenhouses. Sollum plans to deploy 9375 luminaires across 2.5 hectares of greenhouses. The environmental benefits over the next 5 years represent a reduction in electrical installation of 39.5 MW, and a reduction in electricity consumption of 110.5 GWh per year, as well as a saving of 2.4 to 14.0kg of mercury due to the non-deployment of HPS lamps.

Demand for building solutions that meet the resiliency challenges of a changing climate that produce regularly occurring extreme weather events is accelerating. These events are driving demand for cement-based building envelopes and materials that are difficult to compete with in terms of resiliency, but at odds with Climate goals for decarbonization. Without a North American source of a low carbon footprint cement, to replace the reliance on traditional cement or Asian originating alternative cement products, generating meaningful reductions in GHG emissions will be unachievable. Furthermore, security of supply chains and the Canadian advantage of pumped brines available will be left untapped.
ZS2’s project, “Carbon capture and utilization plant for Direct-air-capture to magnesium cement from brine water
” will demonstrate a pilot scale, continuous manufacturing process, using patent pending technology and biomass feedstock, to produce electrode-grade Activated Carbon in Canada. The production process uses renewable biomass feedstock (lignin), a waste material from the domestic pulp and paper industry, to create a high value product that:
provides superior structural capabilities compared to competitors, promotes a sustainable, circular economy, provides a secure domestic supply chain, and eliminates overseas sourcing, reducing fuel usage and lowering GHGs.