In June 2019, the Province of BC announced that $1.19 million in ARC Program funding was awarded to five approved projects.
A sample of ARC-funded projects are highlighted below:
Eagle Graphite will receive $290,000 to produce silicon/graphite battery anodes, using its quarry in Passmore (approximately 37 km northwest of Nelson, BC). The company’s application includes the University of British Columbia Okanagan and E-One Moli Energy Limited, a local battery supplier, as partners.1 This project has the potential to establish BC as a global leader in anode production, as well as bring new jobs to the Kootenays. “We’re excited to have our advanced lithium-ion graphite development selected for support under the Advanced Research and Commercialization Program,” said Jamie Deith, president and CEO of Eagle Graphite. “Although transition to a sustainable energy economy is still in its infancy, this will be the change that defines our time. Investments made today will determine who prospers in the new economy and who will fall victim to obsolescence. Hats off to the Government of British Columbia for recognizing that for the sake of ourselves and future generations, we must take a leadership role in developing and commercializing cleaner energy technologies.”2
Burnaby’s AVL Fuel Cell Canada will receive $147,000 to develop an advanced fuel cell model for research and series development applications in the automotive sector. “The performance, durability and cost of fuel cells are linked, and improving any one of them will impact the other two,” said Jose Rubio, managing director, AVL Fuel Cell Canada. “That’s why it is so important to develop a comprehensive fuel cell model capable of simultaneously providing accurate measures of performance, degradation and cost. The financial support of the ARC program will help realize our ambitious fuel cell project.”3
Richmond-based IRDI Systems will receive $55,000 to develop a hydrogen fuelling nozzle, using clean tech made in BC to make fuel-cell vehicles more user-friendly. The nozzle will enable clean commercial fuel-cell vehicles to fuel more quickly, making them more appealing and accessible to fleets around the world. “For over nine years, our small team has shipped cutting-edge technology all around the world, helping countries build hydrogen fuelling infrastructure,” said Edward Li, general manager, IRDI Systems. “The hydrogen fuelling industry is evolving rapidly, and the Advanced Research and Commercialization Program grant will help us develop equipment for buses as public transit authorities start to adopt hydrogen technology more widely.”4
For more information on these companies and how they will benefit from the funding, please see the following news releases:
The ARC Program is a grant program funded by the BC Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, to fund the commercialization of BC-based zero emission vehicle technologies and to attract international investment to BC. The program was designed in response to recommendations made in MNP’s 2016 study on Economic Opportunities in the Clean Energy Vehicle sector. The intention of ARC Program funding is to provide reliable and targeted support to build on existing strengths or eliminate barriers for companies in the sector, and to invest in product development and commercialization activities through to long-term demonstration projects.
2 https://archive.news.gov.bc.ca/releases/news_releases_2017-2021/2019EMPR0021-001214.htm
3 https://archive.news.gov.bc.ca/releases/news_releases_2017-2021/2019EMPR0022-001221.htm
4 https://archive.news.gov.bc.ca/releases/news_releases_2017-2021/2019EMPR0023-001222.htm