Canadian cleantech fund adds member, launches new call

NGIF Industry Grants, part of cleantech venture fund NGIF Capital, said June 1 it had added Alberta-based gas distributor Apex Utilities as a participating member to advance cleantech development and support innovation in the natural gas industry.

Apex, based in Leduc, just south of Edmonton, has been delivering natural gas to more than 82,000 customers in more than 90 communities across the province for more than 70 years. It joins 13 other leading energy corporations – producers, utilities and midstream service providers – in NGIF Industry Grants, which helps fund early-stage startups developing solutions to environmental and other challenges facing Canada’s gaseous fuels industry.

“Innovation is critical for our company’s ability to provide clean energy solutions to the communities we serve,” Apex president Graeme Feltham said. “Apex is proud to partner with NGIF Industry Grants and the other forward-thinking energy leaders to advance natural gas cleantech and reduce emissions.”

NGIF Industry Grants also announced June 1 a new C$4.5mn funding competition to accelerate clean technology across the gas value chain.

The Natural Gas Cleantech Competition will award grants up to C$500,000 – or as much as 33% of eligible expenses – to selected projects. The call is directed to technology developers anywhere in the world advance innovation by demonstrating and developing a project in Canada in one of three strategic focus areas: natural gas greenhouse gas reductions, sustainable operations and natural gas applications.

More detail is available here, and applications must be submitted by July 8.