Environmental Technologies

Advancing Environmental Technologies in the West

What are Environmental Technologies?

Environmental technologies prevent, limit and correct any environmental damage to water, air, soil and problems related to waste, noise, and ecosystems.  They also include clean or resource efficient technologies that decrease pollution, reduce energy consumption, recover valuable by-products, reduce emissions and minimize water disposal problems.

In recent years, the environmental technologies sector have experienced a transformation and now include traditional segments like remediation and water treatment, as well as emerging segments like alternative fuels, new energy sources (solar, hydro and geothermal), energy efficiency, green buildings and water technologies including eco-system management.  By developing solutions to environmental challenges, businesses in Western Canada have been responding to growing opportunities to sell environmental goods and services into domestic and export markets.

What's the WD Connection?

Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) recognizes that research, innovation and commercialization of new environmental technologies are vital for future economic growth and prosperity in Western Canada.

There is also a strong relationship between the natural resources sector and the environmental technologies sector in Western Canada, as producers seek environmentally sustainable and economically efficient production processes. 

As part of its approved Strategic Panning Framework, WD is working to support the development of a diversified Western Canadian economy that has strong, competitive and innovative businesses and communities.  Within this framework it has identified environmental technologies as a priority sector for the West.  This priority aligns with Canada’s 2007 Science and Technology Strategy, Mobilizing Science and Technology to Canada’s Advantage, which also includes environmental sciences and technologies as one of four sectors where Canadian research strength can be leveraged to achieve competitive advantage.

What’s Been Accomplished

Investing in a Sustainable West

In 2008/09, WD committed over $20M to 15 projects that develop, commercialize, adopt and/or adapt environmental technologies and processes. These projects leveraged over $75M in additional funding through additional partners including federal and provincial government departments, research institutions and industry. 

In addition, WD committed almost $4M to 11 projects that support the environmental sector for capacity building and market development. These projects leveraged nearly $14M in funding from various partners.
Some examples of recent initiatives include:

• Saskatchewan-based Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute (PAMI), which will establish an operating liquid anaerobic biodigester equipped to test feedstock recipes in relation to biogas (methane gas) production. Besides the standard feedstock of manure, many other feedstocks such as animal carcasses and wastes from intensive livestock and grain operations, municipal wastes (sewage and garbage), and food processing wastes can be used. The simplistic design of the facility allows it to be scaled to offer minimum management impact to a primary producer and allows for energy capture from biomass (manure or crop residues) generated on farm without facing the transportation costs associated with moving biomass to a biorefinery.

• The Greater Vancouver Sewerage and Drainage District (GVSDD) has purchased, installed and adopted a routine operation leading edge technology at its Lulu Island wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). Called the BC Bioenergy from Biogas Project, innovative technologies will allow the plant to more efficiently convert its wastewater sludge by-product into biogas, which will then be converted into electricity and heat for use by the plant. In addition to reducing the plant's operating costs, emissions and waste disposal, this demonstration project is expected to be a model for increasing the productivity of other WWTPs and enhancing public infrastructure in BC and Canada.

• The Alberta Water & Environmental Sciences Building (AWESB) at the University of Lethbridge will conduct scientific and applied research leading to the commercialization of new water-related technologies. Funding provided by WD will enable the new state-of-the-art facility to implement new applied research activity in areas such as watersheds, water ecology, water quality and public health, environmental monitoring, hydrologic forecasting and water resource management. The facility will support Canadian businesses, local and international researchers to access high quality water research programs and discover new technologies to improve water safety, quality and supply.

• Manitoba’s Red River College established a center for Aerospace Technology and Training (CATT). CATT will research new, environmentally friendly ways to remove aerospace coatings. In aerospace manufacturing, the removal of coatings is one of the most environmentally unfriendly operations, particularly for hot section coatings. Coating removal can be hazardous to the operator and produce toxic wastes. New processes and automation can be an environmentally responsible way to create green manufacturing techniques
  

What's on the Horizon?

WD will continue to invest in technology commercialization and support partnerships with industry, research institutions and other stakeholders in the environmental technologies sector. Looking ahead, there are many opportunities for Western Canada to utilize its knowledge and capacity to act as both environmental stewards and entrepreneurs. These include:

• Clean water technology
• Smart energy and conservation technologies
• Fuel cell and hydrogen technologies
• Solid waste management
• Environmental monitoring and systems
• Remediation
• Consulting services
• Noise/vibration abatement