Today the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador released its hydrogen development action plan which lays out the government’s priorities to further position the province as a Clean Energy Centre of Excellence.
Delegates from Newfoundland and Labrador at the World Hydrogen Summit in Rotterdam
“Newfoundland and Labrador has everything it takes to be a global leader in hydrogen production,” said Kieran Hanley, econext‘s CEO. “This plan is an important signal to stakeholders that the province is serious about these opportunities and is doing what it can to help grow this industry in a methodical and strategic way.”
Hanley says that the production of clean fuels like hydrogen will not only have an important impact on the province’s economy, but also make a meaningful contribution in the global fight against climate change.
“In our travels to places like Germany and the Netherlands, it continues to be clear that Europe needs clean fuels from jurisdictions like Newfoundland and Labrador to both decarbonize and increase their energy security.”
“Newfoundland and Labrador is on the frontier of a new global industry,” said Hanley, “and this plan outlines what needs to be done so that we can seize the opportunity.”
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.
econext held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) during the week of April 26-30, 2024. The AGM featured the election of its Board of Directors.
Newly elected members of the Board of Directors include:
Jennifer Crane (Corner Brook Port)
Krista Langthorne (Newfoundland Power)
Ashley Pike (Growler Energy)
Alex Templeton (McInnes Cooper)
These Directors join:
Laurie Coady (North Atlantic)
Kris Costello (OilCo)
Don Drew (Newco Metals & Auto Recycling – Treasurer)
Heather Murphy (SEM)
David Pinsent (World Energy GH2)
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.
econext and TD are recognizing the achievements of Newfoundland and Labrador’s cleantech and environmental services Industry Awards winners.
“In the fight against climate change, businesses and individuals are doing some exciting things right here in Newfoundland and Labrador,” said Kieran Hanley, econext‘s CEO. “As a small province we are punching well above our weight in this regard and our industry awards help celebrate that success.”
The following awards were presented at econext‘s Annual General Meeting and Industry Awards Event on April 26, 2024:
Cleantech Innovation Award – BioLabMate
Business Excellence Award – ASL Energy
International Business Award – Academy Canada
Industry Champion – Dave Pinsent
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.
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Media Contact: Colin Heffernan
Manager of Industry and Community Engagement
heffernan@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 BioLabMate.
Stephen Curnew (TD Bank), Sanjay Dubey (BioLabMate), and Audrey Parnell (econext)
BioLabMate is an award winning start up focused on reshaping the future of plastic in our province. Started in 2021 with the recognition that there is a significant amount of waste generated from single use plastic items in scientific laboratories, BioLabMate is pioneering a technology that will result in a transition from petro-plastic to bio-plastic. Even when recycled, plastic still generates microplastic pollution in our oceans. As the history of Newfoundland and Labrador is deeply tied to the sea, having a safe and sustainably derived product is crucial for the future health of our marine way of life. The implications for bioplastic are beyond the university setting and can be implemented by the Health Services as well as private and industrial research labs.
The product developed by BioLabMate is truly circular. Utilizing their expertise in biochemistry and process engineering BioLabMate has invented a material derived from seaweed. They have engaged with rural communities to investigate economic development in seaweed farming in the province. This is currently an untapped potential market and provides and opportunity for growth. There will be the need for local processing facilities that have the potential to scale as adoption occurs. Additionally, the choice of seaweed as a material has far reaching climate implications. Seaweed is a powerful carbon sink, absorbing more CO2 than trees. Through its cultivation, this will allow Newfoundland and Labrador to work towards our Net Zero 2050 targets.
Through their work BioLabMate have also demonstrated that community engagement brings the best ideas forward. BioLabMate has worked with many mentors, businesses, and communities as they have grown as a company. As new Canadians with graduate degrees from MUN, they show the value that new talent and outside the petri dish thinking can bring to the province. Additionally, they have worked with students both at MUN and CNA to mentor the future scientists who can build upon their achievements. As they have progressed their fantastic vision from concept to pilot, they have been awarded the winner of Ocean Communities Climate Challenge (Ocean Startup) as well as IRAP funding.
econext is very pleased to award the Cleantech Innovation Award to BioLabMate.
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.
This year’s winner of the Business Excellence Award has demonstrated a commitment to ecological stewardship and operational excellence – ASL Energy.
Stephen Curnew (TD Bank), Dr. Ashley Gabriel (ASL Energy), Thomas Green (ASL Energy), and Colin Heffernan (econext).
In 2023 ASL Energy worked with many different partners including Equinor, North Atlantic Refining, ARUP, SLB, Springdale Forestry Resources the Provincial film and TV Industry, and even entertainment venues as diverse as Rogers Centre in Toronto, and Gilette Stadium in Foxborough Massachusetts.
Their most notable achievement in 2023 comes from their work with the aquaculture industry. Answering a mission based challenge to address the mounting aquaculture plastic waste, ASL Energy developed a recycling process for granular high-density polyethylene (or HDPE) plastics. They established partnerships with key producers to give their discarded plastic a second life. Through purchasing a shredder and designing a system where it can be deployed to the specific locations of the waste, ASL Energy can efficiently and effectively convert a landfill nuisance into a manufacturing feedstock. A notable product that ASL develops with the recycled plastic are mats which allow for environmentally safe practices in the offshore as well as in rural and remote communities.
Tackling the issue of plastic waste in the aquaculture sector reflects a proactive approach to environmental responsibility, setting a positive example and contributing to a culture of corporate responsibility and environmental stewardship.
Through this initiative, the award winner is mitigating plastic pollution, promoting resource efficiency, and supporting a more sustainable approach to aquaculture production. Proudly female Indigenous-owned, our recipient of the Business Excellence award values diversity, inclusion, and strong ties with Indigenous partners and local communities, fostering economic growth and supporting local economies.
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 Academy Canada.
Stephen Curnew (TD Bank), Lisa Lovelady (Academy Canada), Abbie Hodder (econext), and Beverly Moore (Academy Canada)
Academy Canada is proud to be the largest independent career college in NL and one of the most diverse in the entire country. The college has helped more than 35,000 students build their careers by delivering hands-on and relevant diploma programs in the top 35 employment fields since it was established in 1985.
Less than five years ago, Academy Canada set its sights on qualifying and pursuing opportunities for growth and collaboration in the Caribbean market. During this short time, the organization has prioritized a handful of individual markets within the region on which to focus its business development efforts and throughout this period, the institution has remained focused and committed to establishing and nurturing meaningful strategic partnerships.
Despite the difficulties brought on by the COVID 19 pandemic which thwarted travel into the region, Academy Canada maintained and strengthened relationships in the market throughout the pandemic. And as travel to the region resumed, the institution’s success has been marked in the form of official partnership agreements signed in three distinct markets: Barbados, Saint Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago. Academy Canada’s success in the Caribbean can in large part be attributed to its commitment and sustained focus on relationship building – an essential success factor for doing business in the region. But the institution’s approach to business development has also been discernibly unique.
Recognizing the need to develop trust, to demonstrate its value to prospective clients and partners and to differentiate itself from competitors, Academy Canada has been actively building the capacity of in-market partners and stakeholders by sharing Academy Canada’s own experiences and best practices through workshops and information sessions on topics such as supporting students with disabilities.
Academy Canada’s collaborative approach to international business development is also manifesting itself in the form of local partnerships here at home. One example is a tripartite collaboration between Academy Canada, the Marine Institute and the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College in Saint Lucia. The collaborative initiative is aimed at creating diverse experiential learning opportunities for Canadian youth in areas of study that include coastal resource management, marine conservation, marine engineering, and welding. Academy Canada has not only established itself as a valuable training partner and provider to organizations across the Caribbean, but in doing so, it is also raised the profile of Newfoundland and Labrador in the Caribbean region, and all it has to offer.
Congratulations to Academy Canada 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.
Reducing our contribution to climate change really comes down to two fundamental acts: making existing aspects of our economy less greenhouse gas intensive, and introducing the new technologies, processes, and industries that will be the foundation of our economy in the long term.
Kris Drodge (Marine Institute) and Dave Pinsent (World Energy GH2).
This sums up what people mean when they use the term ‘energy transition’. The individual that we are recognizing this afternoon has played a prominent role on both sides of the energy transition coin – from oil and gas to hydrogen.
The Net Zero Project was initiated in 2021 with the objective to define what actions were necessary to ensure success for Newfoundland and Labrador’s offshore oil and gas industry within the context of the world’s pursuit of net zero by the year 2050. As the Policy Lead for this important project, our award winner helped identify key actions that needed to be explored for our industry to reach this objective. From the development of offshore wind farms to electrify offshore assets, to the adoption of carbon capture and storage technologies, to the creation of negative emissions carbon offset projects – our Industry Champion was vital in helping us understand what crucial steps needed to be taken from a policy and regulatory perspective to allow our province to realize and adopt these opportunities.
Having helped to address these matters, our award winner next set his sights on helping to build an entirely new clean energy industry. As the Environment and Sustainability Manager of World Energy GH2 our Industry Champion helped industry navigate the environmental assessment for a project which had no precedent on a global scale. To put this achievement into context, Newfoundland and Labrador had a moratorium on wind energy up until 2 years ago. Our award winner led the advancement of an EA in a dynamic environment where processes, guidelines, and regulations were being constructed in real time. The recent release of World Energy GH2’s project from environmental assessment is a testament to the effectiveness of his work.
In both of these cases – whether it be outlining net zero pathways for our province’s key industry, or being the trailblazer in establishing the norms for a brand new one – econext’s Industry Champion has had a significant and lasting effect on clean growth and the green economy in Newfoundland and Labrador.
econext is privileged to present the Industry Champion Award to Dave Pinsent.
econext COO Abbie Hodder, Green Transition Fund Rep Bradley Throne, TakeChargeNL’s Peter Upshall, and econext Manager of Circular Economy Audrey Parnell in conversation.
For Immediate Release
April 18, 2024
On Friday April 12th, econext supported the first ever workshop for the film and television industry that outlined opportunities, skills and knowledge for a greener sector in Newfoundland and Labrador
“The local film and television production industry is growing in our province”, said Manager of Industry and Community Engagement Colin Heffernan. “econext is eager to support its continued greening because environmental performance is going to be key to market competitiveness for these local companies.”
The workshop was organized by PictureNL, the provincial film commission, and held at the College of the North Atlantic Film and Television Campus in St. John’s. econext staff moderated and participated in a panel that examined funding opportunities for green initiatives in the film and TV sector, along with partners at TakechargeNL and the Green Transition Fund.
CEO of Picture NL Laura Churchill states “At PictureNL, we envision a future where sustainability and decarbonization in the film and television industry in this province thrives. The Bottom Line Impact – Financial Assistance for Greening Business and Sectors panel provided local production companies the information and connections they need to empower our industry and embrace greener practices.”
Panelists joined by (L – R) PictureNL CEO Laura Churchill, Greenspark Group’s Zena Harris, and presenters Mark Rabin and Alex Onwudiwe
The remainder of the workshop, curated by the Sustainable Entertainment Society, a green motion picture production consultancy, included hands-on skills development for production crew featuring new tech that replaces fuel-burning generators, and business development sessions focused on the downstream savings from switching to cleaner tech.
Laura with PictureNL sums it up, saying “It is evident that econext is an essential partner that can build relationships across industries to help achieve decarbonization and clean energy goals in our industry.”
PictureNL (formerly Newfoundland & Labrador Film Development Corporation – NLFDC) was established in 1997 as a Crown corporation of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. PictureNL was created to grow the local screen industries of the province, both through the creation of local film and television productions for national and international markets, and as a destination for service productions to shoot in Newfoundland and Labrador locations.
econext is an association 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.
This afternoon the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador released World Energy GH2’s Project Nujio’qonik from environmental assessment.
“This is a landmark moment for Newfoundland and Labrador’s clean energy industry,” said Kieran Hanley, econext‘s CEO. “This project puts our province on the frontier of green hydrogen production internationally, and we congratulate World Energy GH2 and their partners in this extraordinary achievement.”
Project Nujio’qonik will be Canada’s first commercial green hydrogen/ammonia producer created from 3+ GW of renewable electricity through wind projects in one of the world’s best wind resource regions.
Hanley said econext expects the milestone to be one among many in the years ahead for Newfoundland and Labrador. “There are several projects being explored within the province that would be internationally significant in terms of their impact in the fight against climate change,” he said. “These types of projects not only allow for Newfoundland and Labrador to make an important contribution to the world’s pursuit of net zero GHGs, but also create good jobs, business opportunities, and community investment here at home.”
“We would also like to reflect on the hard work of our colleagues in the provincial government,” said Hanley, noting that the global energy transition is happening quickly and until recent years a wind-to-hydrogen project in Newfoundland and Labrador would have been inconceivable. “Our government had to build regulations and processes from the ground up to respond to the world’s increasing demand for clean energy; this has been no small feat but it has helped position the province for success while maintaining the highest of environmental standards.”
econext is an association 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.
econext will recognize and celebrate the winners of its 2024 Industry Awards on April 26 at an event at the Delta St. John’s.
“Internationally there is a growing focus on the environmental performance of economies, industries, and communities,” said Kieran Hanley, econext‘s CEO. “Organizations and individuals are doing some world class things here in Newfoundland and Labrador that deserve to be recognized and be part of that story.”
Awards will be distributed in the following categories:
Cleantech Innovation
Business Excellence
International Business
Industry Champion
econext‘s Industry Awards are being presented this year in partnership with TD. TD provides a wide range of banking services and access to instruments for lending, equipment and asset financing, and integrated, customized solutions for their clients. “TD has been a supporter of econext and its work to grow Newfoundland and Labrador’s green economy, and we are happy to have them be part of our awards ceremony this year.”
Hanley noted that nominations are still being accepted for the awards until April 9. Nominations can be made here.
Tickets for the awards ceremony are available here.
econext is an association 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.
Between March 1-3, 2024, the second econext clean growth Ideathon took place in partnership with Navigate Entrepreneurship Centre and Memorial University’s Centre for Social Enterprise.
Taking place in Corner Brook, the event saw 36 post-secondary students from Memorial University’s Grenfell Campus and the College of the North Atlantic compete to come up with solutions for reducing and/or repurposing waste material in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL).
The students, from many different disciplines, formed 8 teams. Each team worked together to develop their ideas which they pitched to a panel of expert judges. The students received mentorship and participated in workshops and networking throughout the weekend to help build their ideas. The top three teams walked away with prizes totalling $6,000. A Social Impact Award of $1,000, sponsored by the Centre for Social Enterprise, was also awarded to one team.
First-Place Winners
The first-place prize, sponsored by Hatch, was awarded to Team Waste Watchers (Dan Langdon, Riley Lockyer, and Ryan Whalen) who pitched a coordinated collection and processing of organic matter , and the sale of resulting fertilizing compost soil to suit agricultural demands.
Second-Place Winners
The second-place prize went to Team Green Revive (Andy Guilhem Awongue Nkada, Jemy Sara Joy, Soham Savant, Madison Organ, and Muhammad Zeeshan Siddiqui) who presented “Salt-ernative” – a de-icer alternative made from forestry and fisheries waste to reduce salt and its harmful effects. Green Revive were also the winners of the Social Impact Award.
Third-Place Winners
The third-place prize, sponsored by TD Bank, was presented to Team Eco Souls (Bhashitha Konara, Marie Lopez Cruz, Poornima Wijerathna) who introduced “Eco-Rewards” – a gamified approach to recycling with tangible rewards for participants.
In addition to the prize sponsors, econext would like to thank its opening ceremonies sponsor, NL Workforce Innovation Centre; event sponsor, Fuel 4 the Future; and meal sponsors, Electronic Products Recycling Association and Memorial University’s Cenovus Centre of Excellence in Sales and Supply Chain Management.
The econext Ideathon was made possible through partnership with the Business + Higher Education Roundtable, and with support from the Government of Canada.
More events will be taking place in 2024-25. If you are interested in partnering on a future event, please contact Chelsea Linfield at chelsea@econext.ca or Alex Rumbolt at alex@econext.ca.
econext is an association 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.
Navigate is a champion of entrepreneurship in western Newfoundland, providing business coaching and support to the local entrepreneurial community and to students, faculty, staff, and alumni of MUN Grenfell Campus and CNA Corner Brook Campus. Learn more at https://navigatesmallbusiness.ca.
Since its official launch in 2017, the Centre for Social Enterprise has established itself as a hub of social enterprise expertise and activity with a wide network of collaborators and partners both within the province and beyond. Learn more at https://www.mun.ca/social-enterprise.
The Business + Higher Education Roundtable (BHER) is a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization bringing together some of Canada’s largest companies and leading post-secondary institutions. Since 2015, BHER has worked to harness the strengths of Canada’s business and post-secondary education sectors to build opportunities for young Canadians, boost innovation and drive collaboration. Learn more at www.bher.ca. Visit our WIL Hub for ways to explore, invest in and create quality WIL opportunities.
econext is congratulating the Multi Materials Stewardship Board (MMSB) on the re-launch of its Solid Waste Management Innovation Fund (SWMIF).
“Newfoundland and Labrador’s geography and demographics creates challenges for the management of waste,” said Kieran Hanley, CEO of econext. “Innovation is required to find new ways to address these challenges in effective and economical ways.”
The SWMIF offers financial support to innovators who are advancing sustainable waste management in Newfoundland and Labrador.
This year the program was increased from $15,000 to $50,000 in non-repayable funding for successful applicants. “This adjustment to the program will help to inspire and support bigger ideas,” said Hanley, noting that the innovative solutions developed in NL can be exportable to other jurisdictions facing similar challenges.
“It is important to look at these challenges as being green economy growth opportunities for our province,” said Hanley. “What’s good for the environment can also be good for business.”
econext is currently surveying commercial and industrial operators across to the province to understand how it can help them pursue innovative circular economy opportunities. “We are encouraging businesses in NL to tell us about their waste streams so that we can do better to help,” said Hanley. Business can fill out the short survey at https://econext.ca/econext-asking-nl-businesses-to-reach-out-about-their-solid-waste-streams/.
econext is an association 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.
econext is highlighting a recent agreement between World Energy GH2 and the Government of Canada as an important step in the growth of Newfoundland and Labrador’s clean energy industry.
“World Energy GH2’s Project Nujio’qonik aims to be Canada’s first commercial-scale green hydrogen facility,” said Kieran Hanley, CEO of econext. “This agreement helps to cement confidence in the extraordinary opportunity this province has around clean energy.”
Last week Export Development Canada (EDC), on behalf of the Government of Canada, and World Energy GH2 signed definitive agreements in connection with a CA$128M credit facility to support the development of of the project through to its financial close of its long-term financing.
“We applaud EDC for using the tools that it has at its disposal to support clean energy development in Newfoundland and Labrador,” said Hanley. “With supports like these, our province will solidify Canada’s position as a leading supplier of clean energy and technology to the world.”
The Government of Canada’s news release can be found here. World Energy GH2’s news release can be found here.
econext is an association 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.
econext is congratulating Braya Renewable Fuels on a significant milestone achieved this month – first commercial production of its renewable diesel product.
“This is a major milestone for Newfoundland and Labrador which is positioning itself to be a global energy transition and clean fuels leader,” said Kieran Hanley, CEO of econext.
Braya Renewable Fuels operates the Come By Chance Refinery which has been retrofitted to produce renewable diesel – a product that can directly displace traditional diesel with much lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This fuel will support the energy transition by decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors such as heavy-duty transport, aviation, and heavy industry.
Image courtesy of Braya Renewable Fuels
Hanley said econext expects the milestone to be one among many in the years ahead. “There are several projects being explored within the province that would be internationally significant in terms of their contribution in the fight against climate change,” he said, referring to a series of wind-to-hydrogen projects that are in various stages of development.
“These types of projects not only allow for Newfoundland and Labrador to make an important contribution to the world’s pursuit of net zero GHGs, but also create good jobs, business opportunities, and community investment here at home.” Hanley said it is notable that many of the proposed projects are located in rural areas of the province and present great opportunity for rural revitalization in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Hanley said that the province has a number of competitive advantages from untapped renewable resources, geography and port infrastructure, available land and water, and more which position it for success in a world that is quickly moving to address GHGs.
“Braya’s project is the first to achieve commercial production in Newfoundland and Labrador; we congratulate those with the vision to develop and invest in this project.”
econext is an association 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.
