(ST. JOHN’S, NL) – The Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Industry Association (NEIA) is encouraged by the strong language used in the Premier’s Economic Recovery Team (PERT) report related to the transition towards a green economy.
“While there is much for us to review in detail in this substantive report, we are very pleased to see such strong emphasis placed on the opportunities for Newfoundland and Labrador associated with clean growth,” said Kieran Hanley, NEIA’s Executive Director.
“NEIA strongly believes that a deliberate and strategic approach to the energy transition can yield enormous gains for the province – helping to grow and diversify its economy in a transformative way.”
Hanley points to the report’s references to hydrogen production, renewable energy development, and lowering emissions within the offshore oil and gas industry as being aligned with NEIA’s vision for Newfoundland and Labrador’s economic recovery.
“PERT says it believes that Newfoundland and Labrador has the assets to be a leader in the green revolution, and NEIA could not agree more,” said Hanley.
“Rising to the challenge before us must include realizing the potential of each of these opportunities,” said Hanley. “To do so will require a great deal of proactivity in the development of strategy, attraction of investment, and the cultivation of specific projects.”
“NEIA and its partners have the insight and the ambition to help the province realize these opportunities,” said Hanley, “and it is our hope that we can work with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to action some of these recommendations in the very short term.”
“Lastly, on behalf of the association, I want to thank Dame Moya Greene and the entire Premier’s Economic Recovery Team. It is evident that a substantial amount of research and analysis went into these recommendations. We are appreciative of the time, effort, and passion that you have committed to envisioning the future of Newfoundland and Labrador.”
NEIA is a not-for-profit association of businesses that promotes the development of clean technology and the growth of the green economy in Newfoundland and Labrador. NEIA has over 200 members. More information can be found at https://neia.org.
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Media Contact
Kieran Hanley, Executive Director NEIA
kieran@neia.org
(ST. JOHN’S, NL) – The Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Industry Association (NEIA) congratulates recipients of the Emissions Reduction Fund – Research, Development, and Deployment component.
Sixteen projects are receiving a total of $24.4 million from Natural Resources Canada, managed by Petroleum Research Newfoundland and Labrador (PRNL), to investigate how to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from Canada’s offshore oil and gas operations.
“We believe that the pursuit of net zero within the offshore oil and gas industry will help drive innovation and economic growth for Newfoundland and Labrador,” said Kieran Hanley, NEIA’s Executive Director. “We were happy to see that NEIA members were included in the announcement and congratulate all of the recipients on their efforts to improve the environmental performance of this important industry.”
Hanley said that NEIA was particularly pleased to see projects funded that build on the research it completed in a collaboration with Noia this past Fall. “NEIA and its partners worked hard to help decision-makers better understand opportunities around electrification and offshore wind related to the oil and gas industry,” he said, “and seeing major investments that are further investigations of these ideas validates the work that industry associations were able to do in this regard.”
NEIA, in partnership with Noia and the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP), is hosting an event next week that will continue the exploration of low-carbon offshore oil and gas. “We are going to learn about international trends in this space and do a deeper dive on some of the projects announced this week by PRNL,” said Hanley. More information on this event can be found at: https://neia.org/low-carbon.
In the meantime, Hanley said that a discussion is required on what happens next. “The Emissions Reduction Fund represents one of the largest clean technology investments our province has ever seen – we need to build on the momentum that it has helped create to shape Newfoundland and Labrador’s clean growth future.”
NEIA is a not-for-profit association of businesses that promotes the development of clean technology and the growth of the green economy in Newfoundland and Labrador. NEIA has over 200 members. More information can be found at https://neia.org.
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Media Contact
Kieran Hanley, Executive Director NEIA kieran@neia.org
ST. JOHN’S, NL – The Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Industry Association (NEIA) held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) during the week of April 26-30, 2021. The AGM featured the election of its Board of Directors.
Newly elected members of the Board of Directors include:
Don Drew (Newo Metals & Auto Recycling – Treasurer)
Kris Costello (Oil and Gas Corporation of Newfoundland and Labrador)
Justin So (Wood)
NEIA is a not-for-profit association of businesses that promotes the development of clean technology and the growth of the green economy in Newfoundland and Labrador. NEIA has over 200 members. More information can be found at www.neia.org.
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Media Contact
Kieran Hanley
kieran@neia.org
709.979.0403
ST. JOHN’S (NL) – The Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Industry Association (NEIA) is celebrating the achievements of four members who are the winners of the province’s Environmental Industry Awards.
“What these companies and individuals have been able to do in the midst of a global pandemic is remarkable,” said Kieran Hanley, NEIA’s Executive Director. “From Nunatsiavut to the Bahamas, our award winners have made a difference – bettering both the environment and our economy in the process.”
Watch the NEIA Industry Awards Ceremony
“Leaders like those that we have highlighted today are going to help lead Newfoundland and Labrador out of the fog and into the bright future that we know is within our grasp,” said Hanley.
“Congratulations to our award winners, and thank you for your work accelerating the clean growth economy in Newfoundland and Labrador.”
NEIA’s Industry Awards program features winners in four categories:
The Environmental Industry Business Excellence Award recognizes a significant initiative, project, or achievement of a business engaged in Newfoundland and Labrador’s green economy. 2020’s Environmental Industry Business Excellence Award has been presented to Heave Away Waste Management.
“Heave Away Waste Management has experienced substantial growth in the short time that it has been in business,” said Hanley. “This, in combination with the company’s focus on reducing the environmental impacts of commercial waste – and its commitment to increasing its competitiveness through the adoption of new technologies – make Heave Away Waste Management a deserving recipient of NEIA’s Business Excellence Award.”
The Cleantech Innovation Award recognizes achievement in research and development, commercialization, and/or refinement of products, services, or processes that can mitigate effects to, protect, or enhance the environment. 2020’s Cleantech Innovation Award has been presented to SmartICE.
“Not only has SmartICE created a new technological solution to an environmental challenge, it has done so via an innovative business model,” said Hanley. “The social enterprise is committed to expanding opportunities for economic and social development within the Indigenous communities that they operate in, and we are very pleased to recognize SmartICE’s excellent work with our Cleantech Innovation Award.”
The Cleantech International Business Award recognizes a significant initiative or achievement of Newfoundland and Labrador business engaged in international business activities relating to cleantech or environmental services. 2020’s Cleantech International Business Award has been presented to BEHI Engineering and Environmental.
“BEHI has secured contracts throughout the Caribbean – from Barbados to Jamaica – and has continued to succeed despite the challenges posed to international business by the pandemic,” said Hanley. “Dr. Eid is always willing to share the information, intelligence, and contacts he creates abroad, and many other NEIA members have benefitted as a result.”
The Environmental Industry Champion Award recognizes the contribution of an individual to the growth of Newfoundland and Labrador’s environmental industry. 2020’s Environmental Industry Champion Award has been presented to Edmundo Fausto.
“Edmundo has fostered a spirit of collaboration among his colleagues and within his practice, with a dogged determination to achieve progress of improve the City’s environmental performance,” said Hanley. “The City of St. John’s has taken enormous strides this past year in the fight against climate change; this is a team effort, but Edmundo’s peers have recognized him for being a major driving force in these accomplishments.”
More information on the award winners can be found in the attached backgrounder. NEIA is a not-for-profit association of businesses that promotes the development of clean technology and the growth of the green economy in Newfoundland and Labrador. NEIA has over 200 members. More information can be found at https://neia.org.
Heave Away Waste Management was created in 2019. It is a locally owned and operated company that provides professional waste management solutions to residential, commercial, and construction clients in the greater St. John’s area. Its services include: front load dumpster rental and general waste removal; roll-off bin rental and construction waste removal; cardboard, paper, and plastic recycling; composting; and special waste such as international waste and asbestos removal.
In just over a year in business, Heave Away is servicing hundreds of customers with plans for continued growth. In line with the company’s core values of reliable, sustainable, and local solutions, the company is focusing efforts on creating waste diversion programs for its clients to help businesses improve their management of waste and reduce their carbon footprint. Its first step in this regard will be through conducting waste audits for its customers. These waste audits will identify areas of improvement for businesses to turn their waste streams into more environmentally sustainable processes with a focus on food and organic waste – one of the province’s greatest waste management challenges.
While the reduction of waste might seem to be a counter intuitive objective for a waste management company, Heave Away believes that the movement towards a more circular economy is the right thing to do – and that the waste hauler is ideally positioned to have a positive impact. The waste management, audit, and diversion model that Heave Away Waste Management offers affords business the opportunity to view waste through a different lens and improve their environmental performance.
Meanwhile the company has set a goal to adopt new technologies for the digitalization of traditional processes and plans to leverage technology to adapt to the current industry environment and protect the core functions of the business from future disruptions. Heave Away believes that the increased productivity stemming from embracing new technologies will set the company apart from its competitors. Their fun, energetic, and professional team of experts focus on keeping informed, communicating, having fun, educating one another, and researching innovative ways to keep evolving the waste sector.
The growth that Heave Away Waste Management has seen this past year, in combination with its ambitious plans to have a positive impact on Newfoundland and Labrador’s waste streams – and its commitment to increasing its competitiveness through the adoption of new technologies – make the company a deserving recipient of NEIA’s Business Excellence Award.
SmartICE is an award-winning technological innovation for the North. As the world’s first climate change adaptation tool to integrate traditional knowledge of sea ice with advanced data acquisition and remote monitoring technology, the system combines these approaches to provide invaluable, data-driven insights into sea-ice thickness and local ice conditions, in near real-time.
The technology is a tool in the tool box combined with traditional knowledge that can improve planning for safe on-ice travel; it directly benefits public safety, food security, and the health and wellbeing of northern communities that rely on these methods of transportation. In addition, SmartICE enables and supports economic activities for communities and industries alike – for example ice-based fisheries and tourism, and environmental monitoring and emergency response (search and rescue) are typically carried out in the landfast ice zone where SmartICE units are deployed. SmartICE services therefore reduce risk and improve performance especially during highly dynamic freeze-up and break-up periods.
The business model is as important and unique as the technology itself. SmartICE is a not for profit social enterprise, aiming to expand opportunities for economic and social development in northern communities while preserving local cultures and lifestyles. SmartICE works with Indigenous youth to locally manufacture and deliver SmartICE’s advanced sea-ice environmental monitoring systems through the Employment Readiness and Technology Production Program at the Northern Production Centre in Nain.
SmartICE has successfully deployed over 20 units throughout the Artic and has operations in Nain, Pond Inlet, and Nunavut. SmartICE will expand to 30 communities across Inuit Nunangat by 2022, with potential opportunities beyond the Canadian Arctic.
In three short years, the organization has grown to 25 people (including interns) with 50% of staff identifying as indigenous. In Nunatsiavut the company has trained 15 local youth in Nain, 85 skills certificates earned and have surpassed 8500 employment hours. In Nunavut last year, SmartICE surpassed 5600 employment hours, trained 46 operators, employed 33 youth, and engaged with 50+ Elders in the communities.
The success that SmartICE has seen this past year has gained the company international accolades and attention, while it maintains that its greatest achievements are those where they are affecting the communities they work in and those of the individuals they work with. Through the deployment of its innovative technology via an innovative business model, SmartICE is a worthy recipient of the 2020 Cleantech Innovation Award.
BEHI was founded in 2005, with an initial focus on business in China and South East Asia market. Since 2014, BEHI Engineering & Environmental swiftly established itself as a successful exporter of highly specialized engineering and environmental services in North America and the Caribbean Region. With a key focus on the Caribbean market, BEHI has developed a reputation as being a reliable and esteemed source of expertise amongst an enviable network of clients and partners in the region that spans dominant engineering and environmental firms and key IFI’s such as the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), as well as regional organizations such as OECS, CCCCC (5’C’s), CTO, etc.
Since 2015, the company has been an active participant in NEIA’s Caribbean programming and has provided valuable coaching to newer participants as the program evolved. The company continues to leverage trade missions and match-making services to expand and diversify its network of in-market partners and to establish strategic partnerships with other NEIA members.
On a number of occasions the company’s owner, Dr. Bassem Eid, has identified and shared leads and information with fellow delegates and is always quick to promote his home province’s capabilities and offerings to his in-market network. This has resulted in new partnerships between Newfoundland and Labrador companies, and generated leads for other businesses in the province. BEHI’s early engagements in Guyana, for example, provided valuable intelligence that has since helped shape Newfoundland and Labrador’s involvement in the country and its burgeoning economy.
BEHI secured most of its initial contracts in the Eastern Caribbean (Barbados, Montserrat, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominica and Saint Lucia) but has since expanded its client base to include clients in the Western Caribbean (Jamaica), Southern Caribbean (Guyana) and the Northern Caribbean (the Bahamas).
While BEHI’s offerings align exceptionally well to the needs of the Caribbean region, BEHI’s export success can also arguably be attributed to its sustained and targeted focus on the region and its firm commitment to establishing meaningful client relationships and in-market partnerships.
While the global pandemic has challenged international trade across the world, BEHI was still able to advance its interests in 2020. NEIA is pleased to present its International Business Award to BEHI, and its President Dr. Bassem Eid.
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Industry Champion Award
Edmundo Fausto Sustainability Officer – City of St. John’s
Edmundo Fausto was hired by the City of St. John’s as its first Sustainability Officer in 2019, bringing with him extensive experience as a Climate Change Consultant and Project Manager within the private and public sectors. Edmundo has been instrumental to the City’s team, helping to usher in a new era of proactivity for the City of St. John’s on issues and opportunities related to climate change adaptation and mitigation, environmental sustainability, energy efficiency, and clean growth.
Edmundo’s focus and energy has played a key role in the City’s invigorated action on climate change. Since 2019, the City has declared a climate change emergency, affirming that climate change mitigation and adaptation would take their place among its strategic priorities; undertaken an assessment of climate risks and vulnerabilities, and identified actions to increase local adaptation and resilience; developed a corporate and community energy and greenhouse gas inventory; instituted an environmental and sustainability experts panel to provide the City with strategic advice and engagement; developed reporting systems for energy utilization, greenhouse gas emissions, and weather impacts to inform policy and budgeting choices; and drafted a community climate change plan that is now going through a public engagement processes, to be finalized and released in the months ahead – identifying a 30-year strategy to reduce GHGs across the community.
These are enormous accomplishments for a municipality within a very short period of time.
The commendable achievements and undertakings of the City of St. John’s are reflective of the collective efforts and priorities of its elected officials, professional public service, and input of its citizens. This has been a team effort, but Edmundo’s peers have recognized him for being one of the driving forces. He has made meaningful contributions, in both leading and supporting roles, which have propelled the City of St. John’s to the forefront in the fight against climate change.
Edmundo has fostered a spirit of collaboration among his colleagues and within his practice, with a dogged determination to achieve progress of improve the City’s environmental performance. Through his and the City’s efforts, Edmundo has demonstrated leadership in Newfoundland and Labrador’s clean growth ecosystem, creating new partnerships for the City of St. John’s and in the process attracting new investments that have contributed to the City’s climate change advancements.
Congratulations to Edmundo Fausto on being this year’s recipient of the Environmental Industry Champion Award.
(ST. JOHN’S, NL) – The Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Industry Association (NEIA) is encouraged by the focus the provincial government’s Speech from the Throne placed on clean growth.
“The Speech from the Throne was rich with references to addressing climate change, seizing opportunities around renewable energy, and positioning our traditional industries for success through the lens of sustainability,” says Kieran Hanley, NEIA’s Executive Director. “We hope that this is an indication that these areas will be at, or near the top of, the provincial government’s priorities.”
Hanley says that NEIA shares the sense of hope and optimism for the future of Newfoundland and Labrador which was expressed in the Speech. “We are seeing enormous opportunities for short and long-term economic growth and diversification for our province through the energy transition,” says Hanley. “A coordinated and strategic pursuit of net zero can create a wealth of new jobs and attract new investment into Newfoundland and Labrador.”
NEIA points to low-emissions offshore oil and gas, economy-wide electrification, renewable energy growth, and the development of a new hydrogen industry as being opportunities of transformative potential for the province.
“But bigger, bolder steps are going to be required if we are to exploit these opportunities, and at an accelerated pace because they are time-limited,” says Hanley.
Hanley adds that NEIA has a great deal of expertise, insight, and energy that it can bring to the table to help Newfoundland and Labrador meet its clean growth potential. “If given the opportunity, NEIA is ready and able to make a strong contribution to the clean growth future of Newfoundland and Labrador.”
NEIA is a not-for-profit association of businesses that promotes the development of clean technology and the growth of the green economy in Newfoundland and Labrador. NEIA has over 200 members. More information can be found at https://neia.org.
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Media Contact
Kieran Hanley
Executive Director NEIA
kieran@neia.org
The Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Industry Association (NEIA) is developing a series of recommendations to inform Canada’s Blue Economy Strategy, and is looking to hear from its members and partners to understand key provincial priorities that should be reflected in its submission.
Context
In the 2020 Speech from the Throne, the Government of Canada articulated its plan for economic transformation post-COVID-19: addressing socio-economic gaps, building a stronger workforce, fighting climate change, and remaining committed to sustainable economic growthFootnote1. These broad objectives form a resiliency agenda to “build back better.” The development of a blue economy strategy is a key component of this plan as it aims to steer Canada’s ocean-based economy towards a more sustainable future and to “build back bluer.” Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) is leading in the development of the strategy, and has begun public engagement.
Click here for more information on DFO’s approach and timelines.
Contact NEIA’s Executive Director Kieran Hanley with your suggestions at kieran@neia.org.
(ST. JOHN’S, NL) – The Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Industry Association (NEIA) has released a discussion paper on the opportunities for the province related to the supply and demand of hydrogen.
“Hydrogen is a fuel that emits no greenhouse gas emissions when used, and can be produced via processes that result in zero emissions” said Kieran Hanley, NEIA’s Executive Director. “For these reasons, it is anticipated that hydrogen will play a very important role in the energy transition and the pursuit of net zero by the year 2050.”
Hanley said that nations and major corporations worldwide have been developing strategies and making investments in anticipation of major growth in the hydrogen economy, with activity intensifying since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Canada released its own hydrogen strategy in December.
“With its abundance of energy resources we believe that Newfoundland and Labrador has great potential to be a significant player in the growing hydrogen industry,” said Hanley. “This may represent an important opportunity for the growth and diversification of our province’s economy – and further investigation is warranted.”
Hanley said the intent of the discussion paper is to create a broader awareness within the province on what the possibilities may be for the production and/or consumption of hydrogen – and what further explorations are required to narrow in on and define the real opportunities.
“These are just the first steps in the development of a hydrogen strategy for Newfoundland and Labrador,” said Hanley, noting that business and individuals with an interest in the subject should contact the association. “We hope to engage stakeholders in a discussion on the opportunities outlined in this document in the weeks and months to come – and would value any insight that you can provide.”
NEIA is a not-for-profit association of businesses that promotes the development of clean technology and the growth of the green economy in Newfoundland and Labrador. NEIA has over 200 members. More information can be found at https://neia.org.
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Media Contact
Kieran Hanley, Executive Director NEIA
kieran@neia.org
St. John’s, NL – The Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Industry Association (NEIA), Noia, and the Oil and Gas Corporation of Newfoundland and Labrador are working together to accelerate awareness and the pursuit of clean technology opportunities in Canada’s offshore oil and gas industry. The organizations formed a joint committee in 2019 to work collaboratively and identify priorities to advance clean technology in the offshore oil and gas industry.
In 2020, the organizations received support from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), the Department of Industry, Energy, and Technology, and the Oil and Gas Corporation of Newfoundland and Labrador to engage in a series of important studies related to clean technology in the offshore.
Two key studies were recently completed: the feasibility of powering future offshore oil and gas operations with clean electricity from shore; and powering existing and future operations with offshore wind energy. The initial results from this research were made public during Noia’s Virtual Fall Seminar held November 18, 2020 and were favourably received by attendees. The reports by Aker Solutions and Intecsea, the companies which undertook the studies, are now available for viewing here.
Additional studies are also ongoing and focused on: defining the region’s clean tech research and development strengths relevant to the oil and gas industry; emerging environmental performance measurements and expectations to ensure the local supply chain maintains its competitiveness internationally; and recommendations on regulatory and innovation support frameworks that will drive and enable clean growth within the industry.
Information obtained from these studies will help lay the foundation for the industry to develop its approach to helping the province and country achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
QUOTES
“Newfoundland and Labrador is set to become a clean tech capital of Canada, building on the success of fintech companies like Verafin, working in our Offshore to lower emissions, and driving global competitiveness.” The Honourable Seamus O’Regan, Minister of Natural Resources and Member of Parliament for St. John’s South-Mount Pearl, on behalf of the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages and Minister responsible for ACOA
“Effective collaboration between our offshore energy and environmental sectors positions our province to be a global leader in the development of clean technology. This commitment to advancing clean tech is critical for the province to achieve our 2050 objectives. It also creates good, well-paying jobs, ensuring Newfoundlanders and Labradorians benefit from the transition to a lower carbon global economy” The Honourable Andrew Parsons, Minister of Industry, Energy, and Technology, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador
“As global environmental carbon emission targets tighten, Newfoundland and Labrador is presenting a more competitive barrel of oil to the world energy market. It’s important we continue to innovate in this area to ensure our prospective assets contribute to the supply of lower emission crude resources globally while providing attractive investment returns to the people of this province.” Jim Keating, Acting CEO, Oil and Gas Corporation of Newfoundland and Labrador
“A collaborative approach of working with NEIA and Oil and Gas Corporation of Newfoundland and Labrador demonstrates the commitment of the offshore oil and gas industry to contribute the innovation required to further lower emissions of our already low carbon product. The preliminary results of these studies are exciting and we look forward to using the ingenuity, knowledge, and skills built through decades of working in the offshore to make our industry a global leader in providing a world-class energy product with a low carbon impact.” Charlene Johnson, CEO, Noia
“Our offshore oil and gas industry has an important role to play in Canada’s energy transition. There are enormous opportunities within it for the development and application of clean technologies. Newfoundland and Labrador could become a global leader in this space, and this work is intended to help establish next steps in that pursuit.” Kieran Hanley, Executive Director, NEIA
BACKGROUND
The following five studies are the current focus of the committee:
Evaluating the Technical Feasibility of the Electrification of FPSO Vessels Offshore Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
A preliminary FEED level of analysis identifying challenges that will arise from electrifying a greenfield FPSO for two potential developments. The two greenfield “power from shore” development scenarios are a development in the West Orphan Basin with a point of interconnection (POI) at the Soldier’s Pond Station, and a potential development in the Labrador Sea with a POI at the Muskrat Falls generating station.
Evaluating the Technical Feasibility of Wind Energy to Electrify Oil and Gas Production Facilities Offshore Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
A scoping study of electrifying offshore oil and gas production facilities via the development and installation of offshore wind farms and the technical challenges this will encompass. This research includes recommendations for specific equipment and design criteria that should be implemented in four different contexts: one brownfield scenario, and three greenfield scenarios.
Understanding current activity and capacity in clean technology research, development, and innovation in Canada’s Offshore Oil and Gas Industry
Research that will compile and thematically represent the research, development, and innovation capacity of Canada’s offshore oil and gas industry as it relates to clean technology. This will include an identification of areas of strength or emerging strength in the Atlantic region (e.g. by specific subject matter and/or collective capabilities) that can be leveraged to drive clean growth within the industry.
Delineating emerging environmental requirements and expectations in the offshore oil and gas supply chain
Understanding the related emerging requirements and expectations for supply chain participants will help ensure the competitiveness of firms in Atlantic Canada – or help local firms gain a competitive advantage. This is important from both the perspective of firms maintaining their market share in domestic oil and gas supply chains, and for firms engaging internationally.
Identifying regulatory and support ecosystem initiatives from leading jurisdictions supporting clean technology innovation in the offshore oil and gas industry
This work will help stakeholders gain an understanding of what deliberate interventions related to clean tech were made (by leading global jurisdictions) to foster innovation, attract investment, diversify the supply chain, and enhance long-term environmental performance within the industry. This will be compared to the regulatory and innovation support ecosystem in Atlantic Canada, and a series of recommendations will be made to drive and/or enable clean growth within the local industry.
Media contacts:
Eric Humber
Industry, Energy and Technology
709-729-2691
erichumber@gov.nl.ca
Kieran Hanley
NEIA
709.979.0403
kieran@neia.org
Corinne MacLellan
Oil and Gas Corporation
902.209.3234
cmaclellan@m5.ca
Ken Morrissey, Senior Advisor Communications, Research and Policy
Mobile: 709-725-5172 | kmorrissey@noia.ca | @NoiaNL
Solar panels being installed in Bauline this past Fall
For Immediate Release December 22, 2020
(ST. JOHN’S, NL) – The Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Industry Association (NEIA), through funding from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) and partnership with Fundamental Inc., has helped Baie Verte, Bauline, Channel-Port aux Basques, Paradise, Stephenville, and Torbay pursue clean growth projects in pursuit of a greener future.
The program brought the participating municipalities through a three-step process, with the guidance of Fundamental Inc. First municipalities measured their contribution to climate change by quantifying the greenhouse gas emissions resulting from their operations. Second, the municipalities developed an action plan to mitigate their contribution to climate change. Finally, projects were undertaken in each municipality to kick off their climate action plans:
In Baie Verte a 12.32kW solar PV array was installed at the Town’s Fire Hall in October utilizing the province’s net metering program;
In Bauline a 15.4kW solar PV array was installed at the Town’s Community Centre and Town Hall in October utilizing the province’s net metering program;
In Channel-Port Aux Basques a roof retrofit for the Town’s Public Works building will take place to increase energy efficiency, and soil testing is being undertaken at a potential brownfield re-development to understand the feasibility of using innovative bioremediation techniques;
In Paradise solar street lamps will be installed for the recreation area and parking lot adjacent to the Paradise Double Ice Complex which also serves as the Town’s emergency warming station;
In Stephenville a community-scale industrial composter has been purchased to facilitate composting within the Town; and
In Torbay a 13.86kW solar PV array was installed at the Town Hall in October utilizing the province’s net metering program.
As participants in the program, the six municipalities have undertaken commitments to emissions reductions through peer learning, strategic planning and operational implementation, while leveraging lessons learned from communities across Canada facing similar challenges.
Each project installation also allowed for interested residents to learn about the clean technology projects underway in their town as they were underway
NEIA is one of thirteen organizations across Canada that was selected to help build a network of communities and support them as they develop long-term plans and projects contributing to a low carbon transition by 2050 in alignment with the target date as set out by the Paris Agreement. NEIA is a not-for-profit association of businesses that promotes the development of clean technology and the growth of the green economy in Newfoundland and Labrador. NEIA has over 200 members. More information can be found at https://neia.org.
The initiative was offered through the Municipalities for Climate Innovation Program, which is delivered by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and funded by the Government of Canada. This initiative has contributed to the FCM-ICLEI Partners for Climate Protection (PCP) program to help municipalities reduce greenhouse gas emissions and take action on climate change. PCP is a partnership between FCM and ICLEI—Local Governments for Sustainability.
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Media Contact Kieran Hanley, Executive Director NEIA kieran@neia.org
QUOTES
“NEIA was pleased to have been able to attract $500,000 worth of investment for six municipalities in Newfoundland and Labrador. Each of these projects increased the resiliency of municipal operations, decreased their contribution to climate change, and are indicative of the economic growth opportunities associated with the energy transition in our province.” – Kieran Hanley, Executive Director | NEIA
“Municipalities influence half of Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions, making local action critical to reaching national targets. I’m proud to see local leaders across Canada continue to work together to build capacity and take action on climate.”
– Garth Frizzell, President | Federation of Canadian Municipalities
“Participating in this program has allowed the Town of Baie Verte to take a small step towards a greener future. The installation of solar panels at our Fire Hall will allow us to lower our energy consumption and see savings in energy costs. This program has opened our eyes to how even the smallest of changes can have a big impact on climate change and we are committed to making changes that will hopefully contribute to a low carbon transition by 2050. I would highly recommend that other municipalities take advantage of similar initiatives if given the opportunity.” – Amanda Humby, Chief Administrative Officer | Town of Baie Verte
“We are extremely fortunate to have funding assistance from the FCM, and technical and philosophical support from the Province’s Environmental Industry Association, in putting together Bauline’s Green Energy Strategy and participating in this collective energy project with towns across the province. Our long-term plan not only sees the Town generating its own electrical energy needs over the next few years, but it incorporates a viable Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Plan about which we are very proud. For the smallest town on the north-east Avalon to be able to embark on these kinds of initiatives is a testament to the community, its residents and the organisation’s offering support. In particular, we are indebted to our advisers, Fundamental Inc of Harbour Main, who have kept us on a straight, but purposeful path to energy self-reliance. Our grateful thanks also to the FCM, NEIA and partnering towns.” – Craig Drover, Town Manager | Bauline
“The Town wishes to thank NEIA and FCM for the opportunity to participate in the T2050 project. The funding received to date will provide major upgrades to our facility and reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. The long-term planning that has been developed will guide us in accomplishing our carbon emission reduction targets. It is through the hard work of everyone involved that our efforts on Climate Change initiatives are made possible.” – Leon MacIsaac, Town Manager | Town of Channel – Port Aux Basques
“The Town of Paradise was pleased to be selected for this initiative and it’s great to see a green project completed in our Town. Environmental Stewardship is a guiding pillar in our strategic plan and we are committed to working towards a carbon neutral footprint. This project will help us achieve this goal. We thank NEIA and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities for implementing this initiative, and for their guidance and support to municipalities as we work together to address climate change.” – Mayor Dan Bobbett | Town of Paradise
“Through the Partnership for Climate Protection initiative The Town of Stephenville has been able to achieve a much clearer understanding of our true impact on climate change. Through networking with all participants and partners in this initiative we have been able to determine the value of approaching our future with a strong appreciation for the need for change. As a result of this, we have identified several key projects which will help us reach our goals to decrease our impact on the environment. The forefront of these will be to develop a community composting program which we hope will decrease our solid waste generation significantly. We wish to thank everyone involved for the opportunity to participate and look forward to future co-operations.” – Ted Gracie, Director of Municipal Services | Town of Stephenville
“The Town of Torbay is so pleased to be working with Fundamental Inc. and have the support of FCM and NEIA in our efforts to become more energy efficient while working to mitigate and adapt to climate change. As a result of these partnerships we have installed solar panels to assist with the energy needs of Town Hall, have created a greenhouse gas inventory, and have a workable plan to become carbon neutral by 2050!” – Mayor Craig Scott | Town of Torbay
“Working with the partner municipalities to develop transition pathways to a climate positive future has been a very rewarding experience. The commitment of each community and their combined desire to take action on climate change is commendable and energizing. Fundamental Inc is honoured to have been involved in developing for each Town a carbon emissions inventory, setting emissions reduction targets, developing a local climate action plan, and most excitingly, facilitating the implementation of each Town’s first climate action project.” – Ashley Smith, Owner and Managing Director | Fundamental Inc.
Today, techNL (formerly NATI) is announcing first steps towards the creation of an Innovation Centre for the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, bringing together the talent and opportunities found across our economy, including technology, oil and gas, ocean, clean energy, and other sectors.
The Innovation Centre initiative is led by techNL, the province’s technology and innovation industry association, in partnership with: Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Industry Association (NEIA); Canada’s Ocean Supercluster; Newfoundland and Labrador Aquaculture Industry Association (NAIA); Petroleum Resources Newfoundland and Labrador (PRNL); Newfoundland and Labrador Oil & Gas Industries Association (Noia); and others. Funding has been earmarked from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and the provincial Department of Industry, Energy and Technology to support two Request for Proposals (RFPs), to be issued by techNL in the coming weeks. The first RFP will help finalize the key activities, programs, and a governance model for the Innovation Centre operations. The second RFP will seek proposals for the physical space where the Innovation Centre will be located.
Establishing an Innovation Centre will bring together industry, academia, and supporting organizations, to raise our collective capacity to drive innovation, commercialization, and competition. Through knowledge transfer and sharing of ideas, new opportunities emerge, and natural collisions occur. In an era where being agile and pivoting quickly is critical, the Innovation Centre will not only identify new commercial opportunities, but will provide efficiencies, learning opportunities, and will act as a focal point to attract investment and international delegations.
The Innovation Centre will showcase Newfoundland and Labrador as an epicentre of innovation and technology, and provide space for local, national, and international innovation events to occur. This presence will help build our province’s reputation and demonstrate that innovation is happening here and supporting the attraction of investment and talent.
At this initial stage of the process, the Government of Canada, through ACOA, is investing $91,000 and the provincial government, through the Department of Industry, Energy and Technology, is contributing $26,000 to this initiative.
Quotes
“The digital economy means that an investment in the tech sector is an investment in all sectors. The establishment of an Innovation Centre will help sustain and build upon the extraordinary momentum we have seen in the sector and will translate into a significant impact on the overall NL economy.” – Paul Preston, CEO, techNL
“Today’s announcement is evidence of what can be achieved when partners can come together around a common objective and vision. This Innovation Centre will be a home for that collaborative spirit, and will drive economic growth for Newfoundland and Labrador for many years to come. NEIA is excited about what the future holds for this province.” – Kieran Hanley, Executive Director, Newfoundland & Labrador Environmental Industry Association
“Newfoundland and Labrador tech companies are competing on the world stage and creating high paying jobs here at home. The Innovation Centre initiative will help techNL and its partners drive industry-leading innovation and business growth in our province.” – Ken McDonald, Member of Parliament for Avalon, on behalf of the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages and Minister responsible for ACOA
“This unprecedented collaboration highlights the importance of building and strengthening our province’s emerging tech sector. By aligning talent and opportunities found in a variety of industries, we are enhancing our collective capacity to drive current R&D, and help kick-start tomorrow’s tech leaders. This vision of establishing an Innovation Centre in Newfoundland and Labrador only validates that world-class innovation is happening right here at home.” – The Honourable Andrew Furey, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador
“The importance of supporting and developing talent in the tech sector is vital to the growth of the industry in our province. There’s an innovative energy building in Newfoundland and Labrador, and together with industry, academia, and supporting organizations, this vision of an Innovation Centre will further strengthen our innovative R&D capabilities, and be a catalyst in our province’s economic growth in the future.” – The Honourable Andrew Parsons, Minister of Industry, Energy and Technology
“Innovation hubs across Canada help drive collaborative, outcomes-focused activity to increase commercialization and accelerate global leadership. We have seen a number of new hubs established around the world in the last 12 months. This is an important step in Newfoundland and Labrador’s journey to realize significant opportunities in the digital ocean and in the digital economy more broadly and we are excited to see this process move forward.” – Kendra MacDonald, CEO, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster
“Innovation is a driver of our industries, including the offshore oil and gas industry, and bringing together the leading sectors of Newfoundland and Labrador via an Innovation Centre will have an extremely positive impact upon our people, our province, and our economy.” – Charlene Johnson, CEO Noia
“A centre like this, bringing together different companies and people and ideas, can spark all kinds of new innovation. We’re excited to see where it can go.” – Dave Finn, CEO, Petroleum Research Newfoundland and Labrador (PRNL)
“Aquaculture is the fastest-growing and most environmentally friendly form of animal protein production in the world. As farmers of the sea we are continually investing in innovative technologies through every aspect of the value chain – from egg to plate. Being physically located with other industry associations in a collaborative environment will further enable the development of cross sectoral solutions and facilitate product development” – Mark Lane, Executive Director, Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association.
