Alberta Innovates has received $10 million from the Regional Innovation Ecosystems (RIE) program administered by Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan). The funding will allow Alberta Innovates to establish a specialized production and testing facility to commercialize technologies that convert Alberta-sourced bitumen into carbon fibre.
Alberta Innovates will work with Harper International who will engineer and build the equipment for the new carbon fibre testing facility. InnoTech Alberta will house the facility at the Edmonton Research Park location and operate it day-to-day. Participants in Phase III of the Carbon Fibre Grand Challenge (CFGC) will be among the first to use this new equipment as they test and validate their own processes and begin to scale-up the amounts of carbon fibre required for commercial applications. The new carbon fibre testing facility will have open-access and it is expected to be operational by early 2025.
“As part of our Framework to Build a Green Prairie Economy, our government is working collaboratively with businesses, industry, Indigenous communities, and all levels of government to build on Alberta’s proven strengths in clean energy innovation. This investment in Alberta Innovates will enable the commercialization of new technologies that support Canada’s commitment to a net-zero economy and sustainable jobs for Albertans.”
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“We congratulate Alberta Innovates on the success in the Regional Innovation Ecosystems program competition. The award will create markets and opportunities for Alberta that haven’t previously existed. We look forward to the results of the Carbon Fibre Grand Challenge, which has the potential to create jobs in a new industry, and to attract investment.”
“This funding will accelerate the development and commercialization of carbon fibre technologies in Alberta. Carbon fibre can be a key pathway to a net-zero emissions future – dramatically reduce emissions and enable a new Canadian competitive advantage in a low-carbon economy. The facility will allow carbon fibre producers and manufacturers to meet the needs of climate sensitive markets and get a step closer new advanced materials industry.”
The Carbon Fibre Grand Challenge is a unique three-phase competition, administered by Alberta Innovates and co-funded with partners Emissions Reduction Alberta and the Clean Resource Innovation Network, seeking to accelerate the development of large-scale production pathways for carbon fibre from Alberta-sourced bitumen feedstocks, at a significantly lower cost than traditional carbon fibre manufacturing processes, with the ultimate goal of promoting its use in manufactured products.
PrairiesCan’s Regional Innovation Ecosystems program helps create, grow, and nurture inclusive regional ecosystems that support business needs to facilitate innovation. Through the RIE program, targeted investments in not-for-profit organizations support businesses in priority sectors to innovate, grow and compete globally. The RIE program also promotes inclusive growth by helping underrepresented groups more fully participate in the innovation economy.
SOURCE: GlobeNewswire