On June 21, 2023 the Department of Industry, Energy, and Technology announced the launch of the Green Transition Fund. Program information and guidelines can be found here.
Text from econext CEO Kieran Hanley’s remarks at the launch event:
Thank you for the opportunity to be here today to speak to this wonderful announcement.
econext is an organization that works day in and day out to drive and support clean growth in Newfoundland and Labrador.
That means helping our key industries become more competitive in a world that is increasingly concerned about greenhouse gas emissions and environmental impacts.
That means doing what we can to support new industries that help not just Newfoundland and Labrador, but the world fight climate change.
And that means working with communities to understand their role in all of this, and to maximize adjacent economic development opportunities.
In this work, econext finds itself in the middle between industry, governments, communities, and research institutions sharing ideas, experiences, challenges, and opportunities.
And through this work, we can see now that this province is on the verge of big things. Why? Simply put, we have what the world needs.
From our green electricity grid, to our world class undeveloped renewable energy resources, to our emerging clean fuels and energy storage hubs, to our rich cache of critical minerals… Newfoundland and Labrador has a clean energy advantage that positions us extraordinarily well internationally.
Let’s be clear. We have the resources here to fuel the world’s energy transition.
Newfoundland and Labrador has the ability to make a globally significant contribution in the fight against climate change. It is time to be bold and to seize these opportunities.
To succeed, we need more investment into research, development, and innovative green economic activity.
The Green Transition Fund announced today is a big step forward in that regard and will help ensure that Newfoundland and Labrador reaches its economic growth potential while advancing its pursuit of net zero.
Congratulations to Minister Parsons and to the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador on this announcement.
To econext members: this is a funding program that you have been asking for for a long long time. It’s going to be competitive. Get busy developing your project ideas. Make them innovative, and make them collaborative.
Let’s get to work.
From L to R: Kieran Hanley – CEO, econext; Dr. Michael Long – Dean of Applied Research and Innovation, CNA; Charlene Johnson – CEO, Energy NL; Hon. Andrew Parsons; Bruce Billard – Manager, Green Transition, IET; Kirk Youden – Director, Sector Diversification, IET.
With the acquisition of the Zen Ecosystems assets, Mysa Smart Thermostats expanded its business and commercial focused offering. In order to further develop this business line, econext is helping Mysa find local businesses to partner with and deliver significant energy savings.
The Opportunity
Receive Zen Smart Thermostats + Zen HQ Energy management platform at a 50% discount. More info about Zen HQ can be found on the Zen HQ website or this video.
Receive support from the Mysa team on installation, setup, and management to deliver energy savings for your business. Existing Zen HQ customers are seeing over 20% savings on their energy bills.
Eligibility Criteria
Business must be located within the St. John’s Metropolitan area
Business must have more than 10 low voltage (24v) thermostats across their operations, in one location or multiple locations combined
Zen smart thermostats are compatible with most 24V HVAC systems but you can verify compatibility by reaching out to hq-support@getmysa.com
Business must have Wifi available so the thermostats can get connected to the internet and to the Zen HQ platform
econext is looking for businesses and organizations to host clean energy work terms students during the Fall 2023 semester.
“We have identified a series of challenges and opportunities for students to work on that we believe are important for Newfoundland and Labrador’s clean energy future,” said Kieran Hanley, econext‘s CEO. “By hosting a student who works in one of these areas, you will be helping to contribute to our province’s collective understanding of its emerging clean energy industry.”
Hanley said that students will be encouraged to view challenges and opportunities through an entrepreneurial lens. “We know these things are technically feasible – what we want to better understand is if there are reasonable business cases to be made for them, and the work term students will be armed with supplemental training to allow them to start that assessment.” During their work term students will benefit from training delivered by the Memorial Centre for Entrepreneurship (MCE).
Projects can focus on the technical or economic/business aspects of clean energy opportunities (not necessarily one of those listed), and thus work term students can come from engineering, business, and other faculties. “Our objective with this initiative is to get both the workforce and companies thinking about clean energy in Newfoundland and Labrador in an innovative way.”
Hanley said that there are various programs currently available which can help subsidize the cost of hiring a work term student. “Reach out to us and we can let you know which programs you are eligible for.”
If your business is interested in hosting a clean energy-focused work term in Fall 2023, contact Alex Rumbolt – econext’s Special Projects Coordinator, Marketing and Green Jobs – at alex@econext.ca.
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.
Clean Energy Challenges / Opportunities
Clean Energy Transportation Alternatives
Transportation accounts for approximately 34% of Newfoundland and Labrador’s GHGs. The transport of goods, services, and people via cars, busses, transport trucks, ferries, aviation, etc. has a significant environmental impact. A technical, environmental, and economic analysis could be undertaken to explore GHG reduction opportunities for NL through the adoption of zero emissions technologies for its heavy transport, bussing, and/or marine sectors. A plan for adoption that aligns with NL’s net zero by 2050 commitments could be developed.
Underground Hydrogen Storage
Large quantities of hydrogen can be stored in caverns for many years. The storage of large quantities of hydrogen underground in solution-mined caverns within salt domes, aquifers, excavated rock caverns, or mines can function as energy storage. When surplus electricity is available (from the grid or from hydrogen production operations) hydrogen can be produced and stored. This provides reserve product that can be utilized when intermittent electricity access reduces production at other times. It also provides access to energy that can be utilized to meet electricity needs during times when demand may exceed supply. Conduct a technical, environmental, and economic analysis to better understand potential role of underground storage opportunities for NL.
Underground Compressed Air Storage
Large quantities of compressed gas can be stored in caverns for many years. Compressed air storage can function as energy storage – and a method by which the supply and demand of energy can be balanced in a number of important ways. When surplus electricity is available (from the grid or from clean fuels production operations) air can be compressed and stored. When electricity is required, the compressed air can be released through turbine generators to create energy. Underground compressed air storage can help balance the supply and demand of electricity. Conduct a technical, environmental, and economic analysis to better understand potential role of underground storage opportunities for NL. Conduct a technical and economic analysis to better understand potential role of pumped storage opportunities for NL.
Domestic Decarbonization via Clean Fuels
Clean fuels are playing an important role in decarbonization internationally. With domestic production of clean fuels within the province it is logical to explore how they can contribute to the decarbonization of the NL economy. The use of locally produced clean fuels can help contribute to the long-term resilience and success of the industry and present R&D opportunities. A plan for decarbonization via clean fuels (e.g., hydrogen, clean diesel, SAF, etc) for NL could be developed.
Energy Pathways Modeling
Hydrogen production processes require access to renewable energy sources. While NL’s electricity grid is predominantly ‘clean’, there is limited capacity available to supply industrial projects. Yet there are abundant renewable energy resources that can be developed or optimized to increase the grid’s capability to support clean fuels projects. Moreover, there are a number of energy storage and energy efficiency options that exist which can accomplish the same. Not all options would be implemented simultaneously, but a combination of some of them could help balance supply and demand for electricity in NL and maximize its clean energy output. Modeling is required to understand what the best combination of activities would be to most efficiently maximize growth opportunities.
Direct Air Capture
Direct air capture (DAC) technologies extract CO2 directly from the atmosphere (i.e. large turbines). The CO2 can be permanently stored in deep geological formations in saline aquifers or can be utilized in processes such as food processing or synthetic fuel generation. The prospect of new wind energy developments in NL may present interesting DAC opportunities. When winds are high and electricity is in low demand, DAC systems could be powered by this excess clean electricity. DAC is most effectively used in areas that are windy (increasing the natural airflow through the fans), which makes their use in NL attractive. Such a process could create much-needed carbon offset opportunities for NL and its industries. Conduct a technical, environmental, and economic analysis to better understand potential role DAC opportunities for NL.
Carbon Offsets
To achieve net zero, NL will require negative GHG emissions activities to balance GHGs which are unfeasible to eliminate completely. Work is required to identify which carbon offset opportunities are best for the province (e.g., have the greatest GHG reduction potential at the lowest cost). The following are some options:
Forest Management
Forests sequester carbon in biomass through photosynthesis and are a natural carbon sink. Proactive steps can be taken that maintain or increase the effectiveness with which forests capture carbon. With a significant amount of forested lands, NL may present significant opportunities for such activity. Conduct a technical, environmental, and economic analysis to better understand potential role forest management opportunities for NL.
Peatland Restoration
Peatlands are terrestrial wetland ecosystems in which waterlogged conditions prevent plant material from fully decomposing. Restoring peatlands can increase carbon storage. The number of harvested peatlands in the province that can be restored is currently unknown. Conduct a technical, environmental, and economic analysis to better understand potential role peatland restoration may have for NL.
Seaweed
Seaweed sucks in carbon from the air as it grows. With its vast array of coastlines, NL may present significant opportunities for such activity. Moreover, there may be a number of potential uses for the biomass produced. Conduct a technical, environmental, and economic analysis to better understand potential role seaweed farming may have for NL.
Eeelgrass
One opportunity to achieve this is through the restoration or growth of eelgrass. Eelgrass sucks in carbon from the air as it grows. With its vast array of coastlines, NL may present significant opportunities for such activity. Moreover, there may be a number of potential uses for the biomass produced. Conduct a technical, environmental, and economic analysis to better understand potential role eelgrass may have for NL.
econext is seeking feedback from its members and our wider network to guide its delivery of training and professional development programming. Your participation in this survey will be a great help – it should only take you a couple of minutes to complete.
The deadline for participating is Friday June 2nd, 2023 @ 4:30 PM. For more information on this survey, please contact Colin Heffernan, Manager of Industry and Community Engagement, by e-mail at heffernan@econext.ca.
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.
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.
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.
Building on discussions held at the Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) Workshop in September, this white paper explores technical, economic, and policy considerations related to advancing the technology and its application in the Newfoundland and Labrador context.
This white paper is a product of The Net Zero Project. The Net Zero Project was formed by Energy NL, econext, and OilCo in early 2022 with a primary objective to ensure the long-term sustainable future of the Newfoundland and Labrador’s offshore oil and gas industry by embracing and analyzing lower-emission pathways in line with broader provincial and national objectives of achieving net zero by 2050.
In April econext will elect its Board of Directors for 2023/24.
econext‘s Board of Directors provide direction and support to the organization’s staff in their work to accelerate clean growth in Newfoundland and Labrador. There are a total of five (5) positions to be filled.
Interested individuals can contact econext’s CEO, Kieran Hanley, at kieran@econext.ca for more information about the nomination process. Nominees will be asked to provide (1) a photo, (2) a biography – 500 words or less, and (3) a statement as to their objectives for serving as a member of econext‘s Board of Directors – 250 words of less.
econext Directors must represent a voting member of the organization’s membership in good standing.
The deadline for nominations is March 28, 2023. Voting for director positions shall take place online March 31 – April 7, 2023.
We are at a special moment in Newfoundland and Labrador’s history. This province has before it the resources, expertise, and opportunities to make a global impact in the global fight against climate change.
We are at a special moment in Newfoundland and Labrador’s history. This province has before it the resources, expertise, and opportunities to make a global impact in the fight against climate change.
econext – an association of businesses working together to drive clean growth in Newfoundland and Labrador – has a number of exciting projects and initiatives on the horizon to help the province take steps to realize those opportunities.
And we need your help!
From clean energy to clean technology, our work is going to require skills in project management, events coordination, community engagement, marketing and communications, and more. Our team needs to grow to meet the task at hand.
We are advertising for a number of open positions (see below), and anticipate more to come!
econext offers a hybrid working model to help its staff achieve the right work/life balance. When its staff are in the office, econext works out of a dynamic new co-working space in downtown St. John’s called NoPicnik. Here you’ll have the opportunity to work alongside not just the econext team, but a host of other businesses and organizations too!
Want to help build something special?
econext presents you with a unique opportunity to grow Newfoundland and Labrador’s green economy and make a lasting difference for our province.
Get on our radar by applying for one of the positions above!
