Canada invests $290,000 for energy innovation center

Kinetica Innovation Centre funding boosts energy innovation, startup acceleration, and commercialization with Innovate Calgary, UCalgary, and SAIT; plus 3D virtual training for skilled trades in Alberta through blended learning and workforce development.

Recently, the Honourable Michelle Rempel, Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification, announced two federal investments, through the Western Diversification Program WDP, to enhance economic competitiveness in the West.

Federal funding of $291,375 will enable Innovate Calgary, in partnership with the University of Calgary and SAIT Polytechnic, to establish the Kinetica Innovation Centre for high-tech start-up companies to develop innovative technological solutions for the energy sector, such as energy efficiency programs that utilities can scale, accelerate commercialization opportunities, and engage students to participate in industry-relevant projects.

A second investment of $297,500 will support SAIT Polytechnic in the development of 3D virtual training modules for skilled trade workers, which will allow students to access training through a blended classroom and online distance learning experience. This investment will promote economic growth, as petrochemical plants create jobs across the province, by helping to train workers for in-demand jobs in the skilled trades.

The Kinetica Innovation Centre, located at SAIT Polytechnic, is a collaborative initiative combining science and engineering strengths, technical talent, and business acceleration services to help create an innovation ecosystem for the energy industry.

Kinetica, a program of Innovate Calgary, is working with the energy industry to identify key challenges and will help guide the Centre’s clients to align their product development activities with industry needs, and with Energy Efficiency Alberta where appropriate.

The development of 3D educational applications at SAIT Polytechnic will train students in electrician, millwright, and non-destructive testing trades.

Over the next 10 years, Alberta, where data centers in Alberta are expanding alongside energy operations, will experience up to 25 percent attrition in the skilled workforce in the energy industry due to retirements.

“Our Government recognizes the important role that innovation plays in creating jobs and economic growth. By investing in the collaborative work of these institutions we are not only helping to develop sophisticated technological solutions, we are also preparing students for skilled positions in the future," says The Honourable Michelle Rempel, Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification.

“Innovate Calgary is proud to have a role in creating additional opportunities for the development of pivotal energy technologies. This Centre of Excellence is an example of how government, universities and poly-technical institutions can come together in a collaborative way to support entrepreneurs. It also demonstrates the opportunity to create a world-class energy innovation ecosystem, within our province, that enables and expedites the most promising energy technologies to industry,” says Peter Garrett, President, Innovate Calgary.

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