In a national partnership, econext is seeking small to mid-sized communities interested in accelerating projects and plans to save energy and emissions to participate in a 3-year Net-Zero Communities Accelerator Program.
Eligible applicants include local governments (Indigenous, municipal, regional or a group of small communities and/or Indigenous communities), or organizations applying on behalf of a local government or a group of local governments (e.g. a local energy distributor, Indigenous group, or not-for-profit organization). Applications are being accepted from across Canada.
For more information, download the project backgrounder here.
Please contact econext Executive Director Kieran Hanley at kieran@econext.ca with your interest and any questions.
The Provincial Government is inviting input from stakeholders and the public on the development of a renewable energy plan to provide a sustainable long-term vision for Newfoundland and Labrador to maximize its renewable energy future.
econext is encouraging its members to participate in the stakeholder engagement. “Newfoundland and Labrador has an abundance of clean energy resources that, if developed, would do much to grow and diversify this province’s economy,” says Kieran Hanley, econext‘s Executive Director. “Now is the time to develop our priorities and make the necessary changes that are required to unlock this province’s potential.”
Hanley says that econext members should ‘think big’ with their ideas and feedback. “The resulting renewable energy plan will only be as good as the input provided to decision-makers during the stakeholder engagement,” noted Hanley, “and so it is very important that the private sector put its best food forward over the course of the next 10 days.”
Hanley said that members should consider how government can help enable private sector led renewable energy projects (e.g. supporting policies, removal of regulatory barriers, etc.) – with the understanding that domestic electricity needs are already largely met through clean energy sources. “Let’s think big, but let’s also focus on the clear and present opportunities.”
The stakeholder engagement continues until Thursday, November 4, 2021. Feedback can be provided via engageNL.ca, which includes an online questionnaire and the option of providing a written submission.
Hanley notes that econext will be submitting a series of recommendations to government on behalf of its membership, and asks that members participating in the stakeholder engagement also send their feedback to kieran@econext.ca.
“The emerging importance of clean fuels like hydrogen in the global fight against climate change, and increasing regional electricity demands and cooperation, are opening new doors for the development of renewable energy resources,” says Hanley. “Newfoundland and Labrador is in an excellent position to give the world what it needs – it’s time to take concrete action to seize these opportunities.”
econext is an association of businesses that accelerates clean growth in Newfoundland and Labrador. econext works on behalf of over 200 members to foster environmentally sustainable economic development. More information can be found at https://econext.ca.
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Media Contact
Kieran Hanley, Executive Director, econext kieran@econext.ca
In collaboration with Marine Renewables Canada (MRC), econext will be hosting a virtual roundtable on Thursday, October 28th to collect input on the development of Newfoundland & Labrador’s Renewable Energy Plan from the perspective of marine renewables.
The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador has launched a consultation process on the development of its Renewable Energy Plan and we are aiming to provide a submission that includes the province’s opportunities in marine renewable energy and recommendations for supporting the sector.
The roundtable will consist of a presentations from Elisa Obermann, Executive Director of MRC and Kieran Hanley, Executive Director of econext on potential marine renewable energy opportunities in NL and some additional background on the NL context including the consultation process. Attendees will then be invited to provide input via a roundtable discussion.
RSVP: Please RSVP to Amanda White at amanda@marinerenewables.ca to confirm your attendance. Once you’ve confirmed, an email with Zoom meeting details will be sent to you.
It is important to view procurement as a tool in fostering sustainable economic growth and development. The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is a significant purchaser, among the largest – if not the largest – in the province. Through the increased valuation of environmental sustainability, and by integrating environmental considerations in its procurement process, the provincial government can improve its own environmental performance and influence the demand for environmentally preferable goods and services in the process.
econext is appreciative of the opportunity to contribute to the development of new environmental procurement processes, a policy which it has been advocating for since 2016. The inclusion of environmental sustainability criteria within government procurement will lead to better environmental outcomes for the province and open the door for clean growth innovation.
econext has issued a series of requests for proposals (RFPs) and expressions of interest (EOIs) to assist in its efforts to support international business development for firms in Atlantic Canada. Responses to these requests are due by October 28, 2021.
More Information
RFP: Supporting the Internationalization of Atlantic Canada’s Expertise in Environmental Characterization and Monitoring Click here to download more information (PDF).
RFP: Mapping International Partnerships for Atlantic Canada’s Blue/Green Economies Click here to download more information (PDF).
Request for EOI: Firm-Level International Business Development Supports Click here to download more information (PDF).
Request for EOI: Organization and Facilitation of Webinars Click here to download more information (PDF).
Request for EOI: Digital Artwork Click here to download more information (PDF).
Request for EOI: Translation Services Click here to download more information (PDF).
econext is offering another iteration of the Caribbean Customized Consulting and Advisory Services for a limited number of companies. The services will be delivered between January and April 2023. Companies who are new to the Caribbean marketplace and are considering applying for econext’s Spring Trade Mission (May 2023) may find it beneficial to utilize this program for market research, strategy development and pre-mission virtual engagement.
Each participant firm/organization will benefit from the following services:
50 consulting hours per firm to address the unique needs of project participants. Participants will be able to select from a variety of services to generate a customized work plan of consulting service support. This support could range from mentorship and strategy development, to support with development of Expressions of Interest (EOIs) and project proposals. (See attached application form below).
During the course of the consulting services cycle, the consultants will monitor relevant procurement portals regularly to identify and disseminate relevant Caribbean procurement opportunities to participating organizations in a timely fashion.
Admission criteria include:
Clear articulation of interests and objectives in the application form
Demonstrated completion of follow-up activities including exit surveys (for past participants in the econext/NEIA Caribbean Program)
Export readiness
Substantiated rationale for interest in the Caribbean region
Commitment to necessary level of effort to execute workplan
Company participation:
This program has a limited number of spaces and requires a fair amount of commitment from companies, particularly at the outset. As such, please note the following expectations/requirements.
Companies who cannot commit to the timeline indicated below should not apply to this program.
Selected companies will be expected to:
Complete an introductory interview and provide the consultant with a clear and concise (one-page) description of your company’s product and service offerings to enable accurate procurement opportunity identification by January 13, 2023
Work with the consultant to develop and finalize a work plan by January 25, 2023
Maintain regular communication during the project period
Adhere to the workplan and schedule as agreed upon with the consultant
Complete a detailed exit survey upon conclusion of consulting engagement to report on activities completed, outcomes and results achieved
Companies failing to meet minimum communication criteria will forfeit their remaining consulting hours
Notes:
This is not an “on-call” consultant advisory service. Selected companies will agree (in writing) with the consultant on a clearly defined workplan for this engagement
Bios are available below for the team that will be delivering this consulting service. If you are interested in applying for this program but would like to have a preliminary call with the lead consultant, Amber Mackereth, to discuss your objectives prior to application, please do not hesitate to reach out.
There is a cost of $600+HST per firm/organization, which will be invoiced upon successful admission to the program
Applicants must be in good standing with project partners (econext, IET, ACOA)
Completed applications must be sent to abbie@econext.ca by COB on Wednesday, December 21, 2022
Please fill out the application below
Consulting Team
Amber Mackereth has worked closely with econext and its members on international business development initiatives in the past and has a wealth of experience and well-established networks throughout the Caribbean. She provides guidance to firms across Atlantic Canada on the subject of international business development, conducts international market research, and provides business matchmaking services for international trade missions. In addition to work experience in most of the English-speaking Caribbean, Amber has also lived in the Spanish-speaking markets of Cuba and Costa Rica. She is fluent in English, French, and Spanish. Amber has led, or played an integral role in, the successful execution of more than 20 international trade missions, including fifteen trade missions to the Caribbean region. She has worked with more than 30 of econext’s members to develop customized market entry strategies for the Caribbean region (including English, French and Spanish-speaking markets) and has prepared research reports for NEIA focused on Caribbean Blue & Green Economy initiatives (2020); opportunities and market entry tactics for Spanish-speaking Caribbean markets (2020); and Caribbean Climate Finance.
Marlene Power, International Program Officer at MI International, Marine Institute, and MI International’s lead on engagement in the Caribbean, has worked in the business, education, development, and humanitarian sectors in multiple regions of the world for over 20 years. She has secured and managed numerous international initiatives in the Caribbean, Latin America, Asia, and Africa ranging from short consultancies to multi-year projects, working with a variety of clients and funders. Her experience in the Caribbean region includes projects and initiatives within the Blue and Green economy in Barbados, Grenada, Anguilla, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, and Suriname across multiple sectors. In 2020, Marlene was a member of a team retained by NEIA to conduct research on Blue and Green Economy opportunities in the Caribbean Basin. Marlene has been both a participant of Trade Missions to the Caribbean as well as an organizer of various independent business development missions into the region. She is thus intimately familiar with their challenges and success factors of and brings unique perspective to the team.
Hugh Wilkinson, principal of Coral Hill LLC, is an expert in business development in emerging markets. With a focus on ‘IFI Procurement’ and the strategic pursuit of business funded by the World Bank and other IFIs, he provides end-to-end consulting in international business planning, strategic engagement, partnering, and bidding to win. His clients have included the major IFIs, foreign governments, consulting, law and technology firms, NGOs, and Canadian federal and provincial government agencies. He has been a trusted advisor and business consultant to companies like Microsoft, HP, GE, Hachette Livre, Gowlings, Dillon Consulting, and dozens of Canadian SMEs. With 30+ years’ work experience in global development, Hugh is also a specialist in the design, management, and evaluation of development projects. He has undertaken numerous market assessments throughout the English and Spanish-speaking Caribbean, led multiple project assignments in Guyana, the Bahamas, Trinidad & Tobago, and Belize, and maintains a broad network of contacts throughout the region. Most recently he was contracted by NEIA to conduct an in-depth analysis of markets in ten Spanish-speaking countries in the Caribbean and to provide related support to five NL CleanTech/OceanTech firms in developing and implementing strategic market plans in the region. He resides in St. John’s, Newfoundland & Labrador.
The Smart Grid Innovation Network Canada Inc. (SGIN) is carrying out a project to identify supply chain participants in the Smart Energy Sector in Atlantic Canada. With federal funding support, they plan to use this information to create a publicly available on-line directory of the businesses and organizations associated with this evolving and rising part of the drive for a lower carbon future.
They will classify and summarize participant roles and activities and provide publicly available contact information. They will use this information to promote the organizations for trade and sector development purposes. As part of this project, they are also developing a program that would be specific to the sector’s needs for exporting their products, technologies, services, and knowledge.
The link to the survey includes a discussion of what is considered part of the Smart Energy Sector supply chain including all those who provide technologies and services (including consulting on an ongoing or a project basis). If you believe you may be part of the sector that supports the building of a smarter, lower carbon energy system for the future, please click here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NMXVS9L
Join us online for an important announcement on the development of clean hydrogen in Atlantic Canada. Tune into the live-streamed event featuring representatives from across Atlantic Canada to announce the formation of an alliance that will work to bolster momentum for the production of clean hydrogen to support our climate change reduction goals.
WHERE: Livestream will be available for viewing at www.atlantichydrogen.ca DATE: Friday, October 15, 2021 TIME: 11:00am
Low-carbon hydrogen will be an essential part of the region’s energy mix to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. Clean hydrogen will complement advances in electrification and support difficult to decarbonize sectors like industrial processes, heavy transportation, the marine sector and some power generation.
The event will feature remarks from the Hon. Mike Savage, Mayor of Halifax, Capt. Allan Gray, Halifax Port Authority, Colleen d’Entremont, Atlantica Centre for Energy and Alisdair MacLean, OERA. Mark your calendar and please share this exciting announcement with anyone you think will be interested in tuning in!
To inform the development of Newfoundland and Labrador’s renewable energy plan, econext will be hosting a renewable energy strategy roundtable at its 2021 conference on October 22.
“Newfoundland and Labrador has a rich cache of undeveloped renewable energy resources,” said Kieran Hanley, econext’s Executive Director. “Unlocking that potential opens the door to enormous economic growth opportunity for our province.”
Hanley said that industry’s expertise will be vital in informing the provincial plan. “Our members can draw on their knowledge and experiences working on renewable energy projects across the world – insight that Newfoundland and Labrador decision-makers need to use for inspiration and guidance.”
The roundtable, a special component of the econext 2021 conference, will be a facilitated discussion open to industry representatives only. The discussion will serve to inform econext‘s formal submission to the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador for consideration in the development of its renewable energy plan.
Industry representatives interested in participating in the roundtable can contact Kieran Hanley at kieran@econext.ca. More details on the econext 2021 conference can be found by clicking here.
econext is an association of businesses that accelerates clean growth in Newfoundland and Labrador. econext works on behalf of over 200 members to foster environmentally sustainable economic development. More information can be found at https://econext.ca.
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Media Contact
Kieran Hanley, Executive Director, econext kieran@econext.ca
Background
The Minister of Industry, Energy, and Technology has indicated that the provincial government will be moving forward with the development of a renewable energy plan:
“Our province has an abundance of developed and undeveloped renewable energy resources, as well as experience and expertise in our technology and energy sectors. Newfoundland and Labrador is well positioned to advance our status as a Clean Energy Centre of Excellence, leading in the global energy transition. In order to leverage this opportunity, create employment opportunities for our residents, and ensure that our Province’s clean energy resources are developed in a responsible, sustainable fashion, we need a plan guided by industry expertise and the unique perspective of stakeholders.”
A virtual consultation process will take place between October 15 to November 4, 2021. More information on this upcoming engagement can be found here.
econext is hosting its annual conference on October 22 at The Sheraton in St. John’s, NL on Friday, October 22.
“The econext conference is the best opportunity for businesses, governments, and academia to get together to network and explore clean growth opportunities in Newfoundland and Labrador,” said Kieran Hanley, econext‘s Executive Director.
“And those opportunities are vast,” said Hanley. “From clean fuels like hydrogen, to renewable energy, to the pursuit of net zero and extracting value from our waste streams – there is a new excitement in Newfoundland and Labrador around the clean growth potential that exists here.”
More details on the conference can be found by clicking here.
econext is an association of businesses that accelerates clean growth in Newfoundland and Labrador. econext works on behalf of over 200 members to foster environmentally sustainable economic development. More information can be found at https://econext.ca.
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Media Contact
Kieran Hanley, Executive Director, econext kieran@econext.ca
