econext is pleased with the provincial government in its decision to acquire a better understanding of carbon offsets opportunities within the province.
“In the work that we have done, barring the invention of a variety of new technologies, we know that Newfoundland and Labrador cannot reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to absolute zero,” said Kieran Hanley, econext‘s CEO. “If we are to achieve net zero by the year 2050, finding negative emissions opportunities is necessary.”
Hanley said that ideally negative emissions initiatives would be homegrown within the province, which is why the study being undertaken by the Department of Environment and Climate change is so important. On Tuesday, the provincial government issued a request for proposals for a “Potential Carbon Offset Study and Projects Study“.
Negative emissions projects can range from nature-based solutions such as improved forest management processes to highly technological solutions like the direct air capture of GHGs using a combination of clean energy, suction, and carbon storage innovations.
Hanley said that econext believes if GHGs are created in NL that they should be offset here as well. “We want to make sure that the economic benefits from negative emissions projects – from the jobs associated with their development to the revenues from their operations – are accrued within our province.” Carbon offset projects present economic opportunities, but Hanley cautions that it is wise for innovators to get a more clear picture of what policies will look like before advancing their ideas too far.
“Carbon offsets programs are highly complex with rigorous requirements,” said Hanley, “as they should be, because we must have great confidence in the way in which GHGs are being managed.” Hanley noted that uncertainty remains in how offset programs nationally and/or provincially will work, “but in our work we saw that a clear first step is to understand what types of negative emissions projects in NL have the most potential in terms of both scale and economics.”
“The research being pursued by our provincial government will provide invaluable insight as to what the best opportunities are and where we should focus our future efforts from the perspectives of public policy, research and development, and investment.”
econext is a not-for-profit association with a mission to accelerate clean growth in NL. econext has been working for over 30 years on behalf of its members across many sectors to support environmentally sustainable economic development. econext is a driver for clean growth innovation in the province, a coordinator of green workforce development, and a catalyst for net zero by 2050 planning within NL’s communities and industries. More information can be found at https://econext.ca.
econext has partnered with the Ocean Startup Project to present a series of innovation spotlights to help inspire entrepreneurs competing in The Ocean Idea Challenge.
The Ocean Idea Challenge invites aspiring entrepreneurs to begin their customer discovery journey, aimed at turning innovative ideas into viable solutions for sustainable ocean industries.
“The development of ocean technology is one of our great innovative strengths in Newfoundland and Labrador,” said Kieran Hanley, econext‘s CEO. “We want to double down on that and do what we can to help create a wave of new startups focused on environmental sustainability in our oceans.”
Hanley said that one way econext can contribute is by providing entrepreneurs with real world environmental challenges that industry is facing. “Not every entrepreneurially-minded person comes to table with an idea in hand, and so we are helping by seeding a few ideas worth exploring.”
“Collaboration between industry and startups is crucial in bringing fresh and innovative perspectives to expert-identified ocean challenges,” said Paula Mendonça, Executive Director at the Ocean Startup Project. “By working together, we not only lend credibility and validation to these emerging companies but also give them a significant advantage in their customer discovery journey. It’s through this synergy that we can drive meaningful change and propel our industries forward, creating a future where innovation and expertise go hand in hand.”
More information on the Ocean Idea Challenge can be found here.
Winners of the challenge receive:
Funding: Secure up to $7,000 to support your early stages of customer discovery and help bring your ideas to fruition.
Resources and Support: Access local technology innovation hubs, receive expert guidance, and utilize extensive resources to refine your project.
Network Building: Engage with potential teammates, partners, and industry leaders who are equally committed to the health of our oceans.
Innovation Spotlights
econext submitted the following industry challenges for entrepreneurs to consider:
Offshore Energy
Canada’s oceans present a new challenge for offshore wind developments: icebergs. To realize the region’s full economic potential, new technologies and procedures are needed to mitigate the risks that icebergs may present to offshore wind farms. Challenge: Develop a solution to predict the flow and/or mitigate the risks of icebergs on offshore wind farms and infrastructure.
Fuel switching for marine transportation
Ships and boats are long-term investments; while future vessels may incorporate renewable technologies in their designs, fossil fuels dependent vessels will still be on our waters for many years. Given the size of Canada’s ocean sectors and the important role that marine transportation plays, economical approaches to fuel switching for marine transportation are required if Canada is to meet its net zero by 2050 commitments. Challenge: Develop economical and scalable solutions for retrofitting existing marine vessels to utilize alternative, low-emission fuels such as hydrogen, ammonia, or biofuels, ensuring compatibility with current infrastructure and operational demands.
Storm surge modeling
Climate change is causing more intense storm activity more often in Canada. Storm surges have proven to have the capacity to inflict a great deal of damage to our communities, and this is true in many places of the world. Better storm surge modeling may prove to have important benefits from the perspective of infrastructure planning, emergency preparedness, etc. Challenge: Develop advanced modeling tools that can predict the impact of storm surges with greater accuracy and provide real-time data integration. These tools should be designed to assist in urban planning, emergency response strategies, and the development of infrastructure capable of withstanding severe weather events.
Wastewater
Regions across Canada have a significant wastewater problem. The discharge of sewage to the ocean environment in the form of treated or untreated wastewater can have serious impacts on life. The investment, installation, monitoring, and maintenance related to most technologies is a burden that most small communities find extremely difficult to bear. New approaches and solutions are required to help Canada to discontinue this environmentally unsustainable practice. Challenge: Develop cost-effective, low-maintenance wastewater treatment solutions tailored for small communities in Canada. These solutions should minimize environmental impact, be easy to implement and maintain, and effectively reduce or eliminate the discharge of harmful contaminants into the marine environment.
Registration
Registration for the Ocean Idea Challenge is open from Tuesday, April 30 until Sunday, June 9, 2024 at 11:59pm PT. Click here for more information.
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.
The Ocean Startup Project propels Canada as the top destination for ocean entrepreneurs, driving innovation across the ocean economy. Our mission is to transform Canada into a global hub where ocean startups can thrive, from inception to global market presence. Leveraging a network that includes Canada’s Ocean Supercluster, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, and partners from across the country – Genesis, Springboard Atlantic, PEI BioAlliance, New Brunswick Innovation Foundation (NBIF), Technopole Maritime du Québec (TMQ), Invest Nova Scotia, and the Centre for Ocean Applied Sustainable Technologies (COAST) – we bolster Canada’s innovation ecosystem for ocean-focused startups. Our efforts have catapulted us to the forefront, being recognized in the top 5 accelerators/incubators in North America and top 10 globally in the Blue Economy sector according to Startup Genome’s Report. Launched in 2020, we’ve quickly become a global contender, not only speeding up market access for Canadian startups but also attracting international ventures. Join us in navigating the future of the ocean economy, where together, we can unlock the ocean’s full potential. Learn more about The Ocean Startup Project at https://oceanstartupproject.ca/.
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.
— 30 —
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.
