Month: March 2023

econext recognizes winners of Newfoundland and Labrador’s clean growth awards

Posted on by kieran

For Immediate Release
March 30, 2023

econext is celebrating the achievements of its members in balancing economy and environment today at its Industry Awards ceremony.

“Actions in the fight against climate change continue to accelerate and intensify globally,” said Kieran Hanley, econext‘s CEO. “Our members are doing some world class things here in Newfoundland and Labrador that deserve to be recognized and be part of that story.”

Hon. Bernard Davis, Newfoundland and Labrador’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change, addressing econext’s members.

The Honourable Bernard Davis, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, was on hand today to announce the winners of econext‘s industry awards:

  • Cleantech Innovation Award – C-CORE
  • Business Excellence Award – PARDY’S Waste Management and Industrial Services
  • International Business Award – Port of Argentia

Information on the awards and all of the winners is found in the backgrounder below.

“Congratulations to our deserving award winners, each of whom is helping to drive clean growth in Newfoundland and Labrador.”

econext is an association of businesses that accelerates clean growth in Newfoundland and Labrador and works on behalf of over 200 members to foster environmentally sustainable economic development. More information can be found at https://econext.ca.

— 30 —

Media Contact:
Kieran Hanley
CEO
kieran@econext.ca

Backgrounder

Cleantech Innovation Award

econext’s Cleantech Innovation Award recognizes innovation at any stage of development in business and academia – from research and development, to commercialization, to refinement – of products, services, or processes that can mitigate effects to, protect, or enhance the environment. The award is judged according to the uniqueness of the innovation, the potential for positive environmental impact, and the potential for commercial application.

The winner of this year’s Cleantech Innovation Award is C-CORE.

Hon. Bernard Davis, Minister of Environment and Climate Change presenting the Cleantech Innovation Award to C-CORE, represented by President and CEO Paul Griffin

C-CORE is an internationally recognized institution in earth observation, remote sensing, and oceans and energy innovation. C-CORE has been a key driver of and contributor to Newfoundland and Labrador’s innovation ecosystem, and that work continued this past year.

C-CORE has developed what it calls a Rapid High-capacity Test Apparatus, or RHITA, a technology that is becoming an important component of C-CORE’s research and development work. RHITA is helping to understand and mitigate the negative effects of icebergs impacting subsea ocean based assets. The saying “tip of the iceberg”, afterall, comes from the fact that we really only can see the tip of an iceberg and the much larger portion is under the water. What is subsurface is unknown, and presents risks for important infrastructure, present or future. This includes offshore platforms, pipes or pipelines, flexible flow lines, moorings, or cables on the seabed.

When icebergs make contact with such infrastructure, it can push or drag important components along the ocean floor. This is harmful not only to the function of the assets and the operations that they support, but also to the environment around it as well. To measure the effect of this interaction on the pipe or cable, C-CORE is utilizing RHITA. RHITA uses a cylindrical steel indenter representing a pipe, flexible flow line, or cable and pushes it into a large ice sample.

What happens next provides important evidence from which risk mitigation decisions can be made. C-CORE is able to provide guidance on how such interactions can be avoided, how assets can be designed or reinforced to better withstand such interactions, or even lower the risk factors associated with occurrences if the outcomes are not as damaging as expected.

Part of C-CORE’s larger Subsea Ice Interaction Barriers to Energy Development (SIIBED) project, this work is representative of the world-leading cluster of excellence that is present in Newfoundland and Labrador related to the environmental sensing, characterization, and monitoring of the environment. econext is pleased to award this year’s Cleantech Innovation Award to C-CORE.

Business Excellence Award

econext‘s Business Excellence Award recognizes a significant initiative or achievement of a business engaged in Newfoundland and Labrador’s green economy. This could include the completion of specific projects, business growth milestones, or a contribution to the community from a sustainability or corporate social responsibility perspective. The award is judged according to the initiative or achievement’s impact as it relates to economic growth and development, positive environmental effects, and public awareness of green economy and environmental challenges or opportunities.

The winner of this year’s Business Excellence Award is PARDY’S Waste Management and Industrial Services.

Hon. Bernard Davis, Minister of Environment and Climate Change presenting the Business Excellence Award to PARDY’S Waste Management and Industrial Services, represented by General Manager Steve Moores

PARDY’S have been leaders in growing the green economy in Newfoundland and Labrador for decades. Its services are broad and include industrial cleaning, vacuum services, liquid waste transport, waste oil recycling, industrial water treatment, waste disposal brokerage, and bulk liquid organic organic waste treatment and industrial composting. The company is active not just in this province, but throughout Atlantic Canada and into other parts of the country as well.

PARDY’S has completed a number of recent projects which have helped open it up to new lines of business and new customers. In Pickering Ontario the company piloted the application of technology to address non-treatable water that was being shipping out of country for disposal. The pilot proved successful and demonstrated potential cost savings to the customer of $16 million per year. In Saint John New Brunswick PARDY’S worked under emergency conditions requiring rapid response in winter climate conditions to treat 63 million litres of ammonia and MEA impacted water for a customer. Right here in Newfoundland and Labrador PARDY’S facilitated the safe collection of 13 million litres of wastewater from the offshore, marking the first time in history that this waste was received and treated within the province. Moreover, a pilot project was recently completed which validated conventional phase separation technologies as an effective primary treatment method for spent drilling mud.

These projects, all executed successfully, have opened new doors for PARDY’S to provide services that up until this point had not been available. In the process, PARDY’S has made great strides to enhance its technological capabilities this past year. The company is capturing more work in the aquaculture and mining industries, has made recent acquisitions to expand its presence in Atlantic Canada – while simultaneously working towards advancing Newfoundland and Labrador’s composting industry.

PARDY’S mission is to be a premium Newfoundland and Labrador waste management corporation that delivers responsible, efficient, and sustainable waste management solutions to customers throughout Canada. It has been doing so for 30 years and continues to strive to do more. Congratulations to PARDY’S Waste Management and Industrial Services on being recognized with the Business Excellence Award.

International Business Award

econext’s International Business Award recognizes a significant initiative or achievement of a Newfoundland and Labrador organization engaged in international business activities relating to cleantech or environmental services. Initiatives or achievements could include export success, diversification into new sectors or markets, collaborative research and development, or the establishment of international partners. The award is judged according to the relative impact of the internationalization activity for the individual business and/or the industry at-large.

The winner of this year’s International Business Award is Port of Argentia.

Hon. Bernard Davis, Minister of Environment and Climate Change presenting the International Business Award to Port of Argentia, represented by Chair Wayne Power

It has been a landmark year for Port of Argentia. Guided by global trends in the energy transition, Port of Argentia embarked on an aggressive marketing and promotional campaign to attract renewable energy companies.

Highlighting key strategic advantages of its location and promoting Argentia as a viable location for onshore wind energy development and support to Northeastern US offshore wind energy, the Port strategically placed advertisements in regional, national, and international industry publications, attended key global sector tradeshows and conferences, and reached out to new international business prospects in the renewable energy space.

The Port’s efforts yielded results, delivering two significant contracts to become North America’s first monopile marshalling yard in support of emerging US offshore wind energy. In preparation for the arrival of monopiles, the port will see a total of $10 million in infrastructure improvements, including road widening, dock facility enhancements, and creation of more than 12 acres of laydown lands adjacent to docking facilities. These site improvements will position the port well for additional future investment attraction and generate significant economic spinoff benefits for the region, province, and country.

Port of Argentia also successfully attracted a partner for the development of Argentia Renewables, a proposed multi-phase wind energy-to-green fuels production facility to be constructed on Port lands. The Port’s team worked closely with Pattern Energy, a global leader in renewable energy development and operations, to create a mutually beneficial partnership to support the development and construction of the project over the next several years. The project is slated to begin on Port lands with a 300-Megawatt wind energy facility powering a green ammonia project (including hydrogen electrolyzers) for the purpose of export to global markets. Future possible phases include expansion of additional wind capacity on neighbouring Crown Lands, and expansion of hydrogen production facilities on Port lands.

Through its targeted international business efforts, Port of Argentia has transformed and positioned itself as a leading national hub for clean energy activity that all in Newfoundland and Labrador should be proud of. Congratulations to Port of Argentia on being recognized with econext’s international business award.

Industry Champion Award

econext’s prestigious Industry Champion Award recognizes the contribution of an individual to the growth of Newfoundland and Labrador’s clean technology and environmental services sector.

Judith Bobbitt, President at Oceans Ltd., is the recipient of econext’s Industry Champion Award.

Judith was well known within the province’s cleantech and environmental services sector. Judith was an accomplished oceanographer with a B.Sc (Honours) in Physics from Sir George Williams University (now Concordia) and a M.Sc. from the Marine Science Centre of McGill University. In 1981 she founded Oceans Ltd. – a unique company with highly educated personnel to carry out ocean related scientific research to support the offshore oil and gas industry’s sustainable operations in the harsh North Atlantic ocean.

Through her company, Judith offered services in physical oceanography, marine weather forecasting, iceberg profiling, bio-effects monitoring of fish and invertebrates, establishing design criteria for offshore structures, and various types of climate and oceanography studies. Judith was a highly creative individual with an unyielding entrepreneurial spirit; with a passion for research and development, Judith often pushed the boundaries of the possible and was regarded as a champion for innovation within the province.

Judith was a strong supporter of the Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Industry Association – now econext – and could be relied upon to contribute to the organization’s success whether it was attending events or participating in SME-focused initiatives. Judith was passionate about her work and the ecosystem, and always made herself available to the association and its leadership to provide her ideas and insights.

This recognition is being awarded posthumously. econext was deeply saddened to learn that Judith passed away on July 17, 2022. She is a deserving recipient of the Industry Champion Award and her contributions to the industry will be remembered for many years.

Nunacor Development Corporation

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Nunacor is the business arm of the NunatuKavut government with the primary goal of developing and growing business opportunities to benefit NunatuKavut members.

Toqlukiti’k Wind and Hydrogen Ltd.

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ABO Energy and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) are jointly developing a large-scale wind and hydrogen project in Newfoundland and Labrador, harnessing the province’s world-class wind resources.

Located near the Isthmus of Avalon, the Toqlukuti’k Wind and Hydrogen Project aims to produce clean, green hydrogen and ammonia that can support both local energy needs and international markets.

With the potential to generate between 2.5 and 3.2 gigawatts of onshore wind power, the Project represents a significant opportunity for economic growth, local investment, and long-term benefits for communities in the region. ABO Energy and CIP are committed to working with local partners, including Indigenous communities, to shape the Project in a way that reflects community values, supports sustainability, and creates meaningful opportunities. At the same time, they will continue refining the technical design and capacity of the Project in alignment with evolving market demand.

2023 Annual General Meeting and Industry Awards Presentations

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From March 30 – April 7, 2023 econext will hold its Annual General Meeting. The event is hybrid as to allow for maximum participation from members across the province.

In-Person Event

This event will feature:

  • Remarks from the Hon. Bernard Davis, Minister of Environment and Climate Change
  • The presentation of the econext Industry Awards
  • The 2022-23 Annual Report
  • The Year Ahead: 2023-24 Preview
  • Membership Questions & Answers

Date: March 30, 2023
Time: 8:30am – 10:30am
Location: Comfort Hotel and Conference Centre, 106 Airport Road, St. John’s, NL

An event agenda can be downloaded below. This is a member-only event. Representatives from each econext member will be provided with registration information directly via email. If you do not receive your registration package, please contact econext CEO Kieran Hanley at kieran@econext.ca.

Download Event Agenda

Online Voting

Members will be provided a personalized access code (distributed on April 3) which will be used for the casting of votes through to 17h00 NST on April 7, 2023. An online forum will be provided for members to ask questions and receive answers.

Resources

If you have any questions, please contact CEO Kieran Hanley at kieran@econext.ca.

Industry Collab Networking Event

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The only thing better than one network is five!

Join us for a combined event bringing together the diverse and expansive networks of some of the largest industry associations in our province.

On Tuesday, March 28th the St. John’s Board of Trade, Energy NL, econext, techNL and NLOWE are bringing our members together so we can do what we do best; connect and collaborate!

Live music – Appetizers – Refreshments

We look forward to seeing you.

Click Here to Register

Offshore Wind Market Entry Program – March 2023

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Are you a Canadian company interested in learning more about selling to the U.S. offshore wind market?

The Trade Commissioner Service in Boston is organizing a pilot program to assist Canadian clients as they explore market entry strategies into the U.S. offshore wind industry.

Introductory Webinar: Open to all Canadian clients

March 14th
Time: 12:00-2:00 ET

On March 14th, the Trade Commissioner Service in Boston will host a webinar featuring the Xodus Group. The Xodus group is a global energy consultancy that has worked with both developers and states in the U.S. as they seek to expand their offshore wind supply chains. The webinar will include an overview of the US offshore wind market, information on the current project pipeline and a discussion of potential entry pathways, key decision points and approaches to articulating your companies value proposition for offshore wind clients.

Individual one-one-one session (6 selected clients)

*Sessions will be schedule individually between March 16 and March 31st*

Following this webinar, the Trade Commissioner Service will select 6 clients to participate in one-on-one sessions with Xodus. The benefits will include:

2-hour deep dive into the company’s specific value-add areas for the offshore wind industry including

  • Recommendations of customizing approaches by service/product area
  • Suggestions on incorporating the company’s existing expertise into the new strategy
  • Considerations for geography, scaling, workforce development, and more
  • A final write-up summarizing recommendations

Follow-up introductions to 3 local contacts (developers, partners, state agencies, etc.)

Program Eligibility:

  • Companies that have a product/service for the offshore wind market with a high potential for growth
  • Companies that are interested in refining their strategy and marketing for the U.S. offshore Wind market.
  • Companies that are interested in connecting with U.S. developers, partners, regulators, etc.

Click Here to Apply
DEADLINE: Completed applications must be received by March 16th 2023

For more information, please contact Erin Donahue, Trade Commissioner, Consulate of Canada in Boston, at erin.donahue@international.gc.ca.

Request for Expressions of Interest: Hosting a Clean Energy Entrepreneurial Work Term Student

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In partnership with the Memorial Centre for Entrepreneurship (MCE), econext is helping to facilitate the placement of entrepreneurial work term students within SMEs in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) that have clean energy interests.

The entrepreneurial work term sees students from Memorial University complete a placement which allows them to explore new business ideas and work on their own startup enterprise. This joint MCE-econext initiative will encourage students to pursue clean energy-focused ideas while embedded within a local SME that has the expertise and interest in assisting them with their ideas.

Throughout the placement, the student will be provided entrepreneurial guidance from the MCE. Students can come from faculties with established co-operative education programming (e.g., business, engineering) or from any other discipline even if there is no formal work term programming or requirements in place. The first work terms will take place between May – August.

The objective of this initiative are to (1) help build the talent pipeline in NL to succeed in the emerging clean energy industry; (2) build interest and capacity in clean energy innovation and startups; (3) provide meaningful work-integrated learning opportunities for students and their hosts.

econext is seeking the participation of five (5) of its members to help pilot this initiative. If you are interested in hosting an clean energy entrepreneurial work term student, please contact Kieran Hanley at kieran@econext.ca.

Request for Expressions of Interest: Infographic Design

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The objective of this Request for Expressions of Interest (EOI) is for econext to assess capabilities and interest from firms in the provision of graphic design services to create a series of infographics that demonstrate climate change / clean growth concepts in Newfoundland and Labrador.

These infographics will be used to educate stakeholders and inspire action towards mitigating the effects of climate change and growing the green economy.

econext is asking interested parties to consider the following factors with respect to one infographic in their response to this EOI:

  • Firms will be provided with all information required for the infographic;
  • Firms will be relied upon to provide guidance on how information should be presented in an infographic based on best practices and the target audience;
  • Infographics should be designed to be 8.5 x 11 in size (plus bleeding and crop markings) as to allow for printing;
  • Infographics should be delivered in PDF format (vector-based); and
  • Firms will provide the source design files for the infographic created.

econext will draw from the pool of designers submitting responses to this EOI for future work.

Reponses to this EOI should include the following information:

  • Cost per infographic designed and delivered;
  • Estimate of timeline associated with infographic delivery, assuming you have been provided with all required information; and
  • Examples of relevant design work.

The electronic copy of your submissions should be in a single PDF document and sent to Kieran Hanley at kieran@econext.ca. Questions from interested respondents can be sent to the same address. The deadline for EOI responses is March 22, 2023.

Atlantic Canada Caribbean Spring Trade Mission | May 15-19, 2023

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LAST CHANCE: 3 SPACES REMAINING!

econext, in partnership with the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and the Department of Industry, Energy, and Technology (IET), is continuing its work assisting firms from Atlantic Canada in the investigation and pursuit of international business opportunities in the Caribbean region, with particular focus on the Green and Blue Economies.

Registration will be closing March 24, 2023 for the Spring mission to the Caribbean region with an intent to focus travel primarily around the business week of May 15-19, 2023.

Each delegate firm/organization may select to receive support services in up to two markets.

What's Included

Participants in this trade mission will receive:

  • Matchmaking and Mission Support provided by Amber Mackereth Consulting
  • Hotel Block/Group Rate*
  • Airport Transfers In-Market
  • Networking Reception(s)*
  • Ground Transportation to Off-Site Meetings
  • In-market Debriefs/Troubleshooting Sessions*
  • Mission Follow-Up Services/After-Care
  • Travel Stipend: Delegates are responsible for their own travel costs. However, a travel subsidy from IET may be available for eligible NL participants.

*in anchor markets/markets with sufficient delegate presence

Interested in participating in the mission to do your own follow-up meetings? Consider registration as an Associate Delegate!

Contact abbie@econext.ca to register as an Associate Delegate

Eligibility

To register for the Spring mission, companies must meet the following criteria:

  • Clear financial standing with econext and its funding partners ACOA and IET
  • Completion of registration form and mission profile
  • Confirmed payment of registration fee – $600.00 + HST for Full Delegate | $200.00 + HST for Associate Delegate
  • Demonstrated export readiness/market research
  • Confirmation of flight itinerary by April 6, 2023.

It is highly recommended that firms considering this trade mission have completed preliminary market analysis/research.

FAQ

FAQ

What are the target markets for this mission?

Our missions are customizable! We believe that each delegate should select markets that make sense based on your own objectives and market research instead. Receptions, briefing sessions, etc. will take place in “anchor markets”, or markets seeing significant delegate presence.

What happens if public health guidance changes regarding non-essential travel?

Should econext decide that travel to the region is no longer advisable prior to the creation of mission meeting programs, the mission may be postponed.

If travel restrictions change after matchmaking has begun, the mission may pivot to a virtual format. It takes considerable time and effort to create and confirm tailored meeting programs, and delegates will be expected to devote similar attention and effort to the execution of a virtual program if need be.

Registration

Click Here to Register

Registration deadline for this mission is March 24, 2023, however early registration is encouraged!

*Please note that there are a limited number of spaces available for this opportunity and that meeting the minimum eligibility criteria does not guarantee registration.*



If you have any questions about the econext Spring Mission, Please Contact Abbie at abbie@econext.ca.

Interested in hosting a policy intern from Grenfell’s Master of Arts in Environmental Policy (MAEP) program?Business

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Information on Grenfell’s Master of Arts in Environmental Policy (MAEP) internship requirements.

Students enrolled in both Grenfell’s 1-year Course-Based master’s program and 2-year Thesis-Based MAEP stream are required to complete a 12-week (at full time business hours) internship.

MAEP internships allow the host organization to benefit from the considerable policy research, report writing, and critical thinking capacity of a graduate student while providing interns with invaluable experience in a real-world work environment.

Placements can be completed remotely or on-site with the host organization and usually take place over the summer (beginning in late April or early May) but in rare instances, can occur at other times during the year.

Over the past number of years Grenfell’s students have completed placements in a wide variety of areas. Many of these internships take the form of policy analysis/comparison while others involve students conducting research in new areas of inquiry of interest to their host organization. All internship placements must have an Environmental Policy-related component. In some case we can help the host organization to articulate this environmental policy connection.

Grenfell’s students have completed internships with a variety of host organizations locally, nationally, and internationally. Past host organizations include Kruger/Corner Brook Pulp and Paper, Pennecon Construction, local NGOs, and municipal, provincial, and federal government departments (including Parks Canada, DFO, CFS, and NRCAN), and many others. The foci of these internships are also quite diverse and have covered topics such as moose management, environmental impact assessment, the ISO 14K system, mineral exploration, forest planning, corporate social responsibility, land reclamation, waste management, and Aboriginal engagement policy.

Some examples of recently completed internships include a placement with the Provincial Department of Fisheries and Land Resources. In this case the intern was tasked with identifying, reviewing, and evaluating the merits of big game hunting license allocation strategies in jurisdictions across Canada (a cross jurisdictional policy scan). This scan was used by the department in their review of NL’s license allocation process as it provided information on both the process and merits of other license allocation strategies used in other areas. Another one of Grenfell’s students worked with the Shorefast Foundation of Fogo Island. In this case the student conducted a review of the Foundation’s New Ocean Ethic and identified connections with relevant federal fisheries policies and how such polices might influence the implementation of the set of initiatives set out in the Ethic. More recently, one of Grenfell’s interns helped establish a more effective recycling and composting program for a local municipality while another student evaluated opportunities for, and the efficacy of, Indigenous engagement by a department of the Federal government.

It is important to note that in most cases the internships are fully or partially funded by the host organization. A fully funded 12-week internship at the regular graduate student rate of pay costs approximately $8,000. Grenfell’s Environmental Policy Institute can sometimes contribute some funds (in the past this funding has come in at about $1,200/student) to the internship to help offset some of the cost borne by the host organization. In some cases, we find a really good fit between a student’s interests and a host’s needs where pay is less relevant for the student – in this case the internship host often provides at least partial funding or in-kind support (e.g. accommodations or office space).

The Internship evaluation consists of two components: 1. on-site performance, which will be assessed by the Internship Officer using information gathered during the internship and input from the host organization at the end of the internship (in the form of a post-placement evaluation form completed by the host) and 2. an internship report which is to be completed by the student at the end of the internship.

For More Information

If you are interested in discussing internship placement opportunities with your office, please contact:

Stephen Decker, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor and Program Chair, Environment and Sustainability
Grenfell Campus, Memorial University
20 University Drive, Corner Brook, NL
CANADA A2H 5G4

Research Associate
UBC Centre for Environmental Assessment Research \ CEAR
The University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus
Kelowna, BC

Email: sdecker@grenfell.mun.ca
Office: Forest Centre (FC) 2022
Tel: +1 709 639 6578