InnoTech Alberta, an applied research subsidiary of Alberta Innovates announced the official opening of the Alberta Carbon Conversion Technology Centre (ACCTC) on May 25.
InnoTech Alberta is the owner and operator of this pioneering clean technology centre. Users of the ACCTC will test and advance carbon dioxide (CO2) capture and conversion technologies that assist in greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions. These technologies are designed to convert CO2 into commercially viable, value-added products.
“The Alberta Carbon Conversion Technology Centre is about finding and advancing innovative solutions that help our province achieve a lower-carbon future,” says Alberta Innovates CEO, Laura Kilcrease. “By coming together to collaborate and test creative ideas, the impacts and outcomes we generate at this centre will also make Alberta a leader in the emerging sustainability-driven economy.”
The centre, located adjacent to the Shepard Energy Centre in Calgary, provides innovators with the ability to test and refine their technologies using flue gas emissions from the natural gas-fired power plant. The Shepard Energy Centre, jointly owned by ENMAX Corporation and Capital Power Corporation, is Alberta’s largest natural gas-fuelled power facility. It generates as much as 860 megawatts of electricity—enough to meet almost half of Calgary’s current needs.
The first tenants of the ACCTC will be five finalist teams from the US$20 million NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE competition. The competition incents teams from around the world to develop innovative approaches to convert CO2 emissions from fossil fuels into valuable products. This includes a broad suite of solutions, such as alternative building materials, bioplastics and enhanced carbon derivatives.
Following completion of the NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE in early 2020, the ACCTC will continue as a test centre for new technology development in this area. With its unique capabilities, it is expected to become a global hub for innovators.
