Month: July 2024

econext supports provincial government decision to undertake carbon offsets research

Posted on by kieran

For Immediate Release
July 10, 2024

econext is pleased with the provincial government in its decision to acquire a better understanding of carbon offsets opportunities within the province.

“In the work that we have done, barring the invention of a variety of new technologies, we know that Newfoundland and Labrador cannot reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to absolute zero,” said Kieran Hanley, econext‘s CEO. “If we are to achieve net zero by the year 2050, finding negative emissions opportunities is necessary.”

Hanley said that ideally negative emissions initiatives would be homegrown within the province, which is why the study being undertaken by the Department of Environment and Climate change is so important. On Tuesday, the provincial government issued a request for proposals for a “Potential Carbon Offset Study and Projects Study“.

Negative emissions projects can range from nature-based solutions such as improved forest management processes to highly technological solutions like the direct air capture of GHGs using a combination of clean energy, suction, and carbon storage innovations.

Hanley said that econext believes if GHGs are created in NL that they should be offset here as well. “We want to make sure that the economic benefits from negative emissions projects – from the jobs associated with their development to the revenues from their operations – are accrued within our province.” Carbon offset projects present economic opportunities, but Hanley cautions that it is wise for innovators to get a more clear picture of what policies will look like before advancing their ideas too far.

“Carbon offsets programs are highly complex with rigorous requirements,” said Hanley, “as they should be, because we must have great confidence in the way in which GHGs are being managed.” Hanley noted that uncertainty remains in how offset programs nationally and/or provincially will work, “but in our work we saw that a clear first step is to understand what types of negative emissions projects in NL have the most potential in terms of both scale and economics.”

“The research being pursued by our provincial government will provide invaluable insight as to what the best opportunities are and where we should focus our future efforts from the perspectives of public policy, research and development, and investment.”

econext is a not-for-profit association with a mission to accelerate clean growth in NL. econext has been working for over 30 years on behalf of its members across many sectors to support environmentally sustainable economic development. econext is a driver for clean growth innovation in the province, a coordinator of green workforce development, and a catalyst for net zero by 2050 planning within NL’s communities and industries. More information can be found at https://econext.ca.

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Media Contact
Kieran Hanley
kieran@econext.ca

RFP: Online Training Course Module Development

Posted on by kieran

econext is seeking the services of a qualified vendor to build interactive and engaging online course modules with the following features: videos, case studies, presentations, and evaluation that would be used to educate small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) on important aspects of the green economy in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL).

The deadline for submissions is August 14, 2024. Questions and answers pertaining to the RFP will be posted on this page leading up to the deadline. The deadline for questions is August 9, 2024.

Download RFP

econext Member Survey: Environmental Assessment Processes in Newfoundland and Labrador

Posted on by kieran

econext is seeking input from its membership and practitioners in NL on their environmental assessment (EA) experiences.

If you have recently been involved in EA processes in the province we are hoping you will be willing to fill out a short survey.

Click Here to Take Survey

Responses from this survey will help inform econext‘s engagement with decision-makers on this important subject.

If you would like to discuss your feedback in greater detail, please contact Kieran Hanley at kieran@econext.ca.

Atlantic XL

Posted on by Colin Heffernan

Atlantic XL has been a dedicated provider of communication and navigation systems for the local offshore market for over 20 years. With a deep passion for problem-solving and sustainability, we leverage our subsidiary, iEAS XL, to deliver cutting-edge electrical engineering, automation, and control systems across various industries both locally and throughout Canada. Our commitment to innovation and environmental stewardship has led to the launch of our newest division, Additive XL, which brings advanced engineering and additive manufacturing capabilities to the province.

Panoramic Pictures

Posted on by Colin Heffernan

St. John’s-based production company in NL’s film and television industry.

JAC

Posted on by Colin Heffernan

JAC is a cutting-edge digital marketing agency that leverages advanced AI technology to revolutionize its clients’ marketing strategies. As a full-service powerhouse, JAC excels in marketing and advertising strategies, brand development, website creation, digital and print design, 2D/3D animation, social media management, media production, and AI integrations. With over 50 international awards under its belt, JAC’s dynamic CEO has been named a top CEO in Atlantic Canada five times and is in the hall of fame. Supported by a talented team of 26, JAC operates from offices in NL, NS, and ON, driving innovation and excellence in the marketing world.

Accelerating Value from Waste Innovation in Newfoundland and Labrador

Posted on by kieran

Newfoundland and Labrador has a small population spread across vast areas of land. Its communities and industries are often found in rural and sometimes even remote areas. These circumstances make the provision of waste management services challenging. Processes and technologies that are proven elsewhere often are uneconomic in the NL context due to smaller scales of activity and volumes of waste.

Organics represent roughly a third of the province’s waste. While much of this material is sent to landfills, in many cases that organic waste has value. This project ran from 2022-24 and focused on exploring new uses for industrial organic waste streams, with objectives to: improve environmental outcomes via reduced landfilling; increase productivity for businesses by reducing their wastes; and create new business opportunities in NL where new value from waste can be achieved.

The project aimed to accelerate value from waste innovation in NL through strategic research, firm-level interventions, and sector-level initiatives.

Organics Waste to Value Forum

Efforts to develop effective waste-to-value initiatives and enterprises for organics in NL have struggled to gain traction or become sustainable. Given the growing interest among multiple groups in pursuing these opportunities, econext partnered with The Harris Centre to engage in a cross-sectoral dialogue on the opportunities, challenges, strategies and policy implications for advancing the development of organic “waste-to-value” approaches and enterprises in the province. The forum was held on April 22, 2022 and informed in part by the research identified above. Other event partners included the NL Forestry Industry Association (NLFIA), the NL Aquaculture Industry Association (NAIA), the NL Federation of Agriculture (NLFA), the Canadian Centre for Fisheries Innovation (CCFI), and the Association of Seafood Producers.

Firm-Level Interventions

Informed by the strategic research and forum, through the life of the project econext worked directly with over 20 SMEs and organizations in NL to help them identify value from waste opportunities, refine ideas and concepts, and develop project proposals to attract partners and funding. Some of the projects which econext helped to shape have advanced from concept to implementation, resulting in real waste management challenges being solved through local innovation.

Strategic Research

Research was undertaken to identify industrial organic waste research, development, and innovation opportunities in forestry, aquaculture, fisheries, and agriculture on an Atlantic Canadian basis.

Pilot Initiatives

Through the life of the project, econext experimented with different approaches to support and stimulate value from waste initiatives in NL. These included:

Discussion Paper – Biomass Energy Potential in Newfoundland and Labrador

Posted on by kieran

Forthcoming.

Clean Energy Innovation Industry Advisory Committee

Posted on by kieran

In 2023 econext formed Newfoundland and Labrador’s Clean Energy Innovation Industry Advisory Committee (IAC). The IAC is made up of representatives from utilities, clean energy developers, industry associations, and research institutions.

The purpose of the IAC is to identify and prioritize innovation opportunities based on real world challenges and opportunities facing the province’s clean energy industry.

The results of this work feed into all of econext‘s efforts to advance clean growth research, development, and innovation in NL – from engaging students in the organization of ideathons to matching needs with local research capabilities.

Where there is mutual interest in the pursuit of innovation, econext facilitates partnerships through the development of collaborative projects and initiatives.

Startup Interventions

Posted on by kieran

econext plays an important role in defining opportunities for green innovation within Newfoundland and Labrador’s industries and communicating that to innovators – or those that are willing to work to develop new solutions.

One important group of innovators in this regard is the startup community.

What environmental challenges are industries facing that require the development of a new technology, process, or service? What new opportunities are emerging that startups can supplement and help drive success for?

Through its close industry relationships, econext helps define challenges and opportunities that – if addressed – can help accelerate clean growth in Newfoundland and Labrador. In turn, it takes this intel and partners with incubators, accelerators, etc. to seed these ideas and make innovators aware of the potential startup applications.

Past Initiatives

While econext accomplishes the above mostly through direct engagement with stakeholders, it has helped to seed ideas through public forums and open events.