NGIF to help fund fuel cell CHP development

NGIF Industry Grants, part of NGIF Capital Corporation, said October 27 it would provide a C$160,000 grant to Apogee Ceramics to assist in the development of a micro combined heat and power (mCHP) system powered by a solid oxide fuel cell.

The fuel cell, powered by natural gas, would deliver emission-free electricity without fuel combustion and hot water for water and space heating in residential applications.

Apogee Ceramics is the first company in Canada to develop a prototype of a mCHP system powered by solid oxide fuel cells. The system’s electrical conversion rate of 74% allows it to use 50% less fuel than conventional power generation technologies, leading to reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

“The environmental and economic benefits of Apogee Ceramics’ cleantech solution will include major reductions in GHG emissions and an increase in skilled job creation, which will impact the local economy,” NGIF Capital president John Adams said. “NGIF Industry Grants and its focus on de-risking startups and their clean technologies through field trials and pilots are part of NGIF’s integrated model of industry validation, customer creation, and market commercialisation.”

NGIF Industry Grants and NGIF Capital are part of the Natural Gas Innovation Fund, established by the Canadian Gas Association to further natural gas cleantech innovation.