Funding for energy assessments, audits and training plus energy saving technologies 

Canada’s Green Industrial Facilities and Manufacturing Program (GIFMP) Track 2 Industrial program advertises 50% grant funding up to $10 million for Canadian manufacturers and processors to  implement energy efficiency and energy management solutions within their facilities up to 2027. Funding Is offered for:

1. Energy Management Training. Eligible instruction includes energy management planning, energy metering and monitoring systems, identifying low-cost and no-cost energy-savings opportunities, developing a business case for energy efficiency, and becoming a qualified energy practitioner. Maximum funding is $50,000.
2. Energy Assessments and Audits. Support is provided for identifying energy and GHG emissions reduction opportunities. Studies must take a holistic approach to reviewing energy use, and can include process integration and computational fluid dynamics studies. Specific operating system or equipment assessments are not eligible. Maximum funding is $50,000.
3. Hiring or Engaging Energy Managers. To identify energy saving opportunities, build an energy-savings culture, and implement energy management systems. Maximum funding is $100,000.
4. Implementing Energy Management Systems. For developing a framework to systematically manage energy, set priorities and adopt energy efficient practices that are proven to continuously improve energy performance. Maximum funding is $50,000 for applicants with baseline consumption of less than 400,000 GJ and $250,000 for applicants with baseline consumption of 400,000 or more GJ.
5. Investments Energy Efficiency-Focused Capital Retrofits in Existing Facilities. Support is offered for modifications or upgrading of a facility’s energy-consuming systems and equipment (stationary and mobile), processes, or infrastructure. They include (but are not limited to) boiler plant, compressed air, domestic and process hot water, fan and pump, HVAC, refrigeration, waste heat recovery, automation, lighting, and control (instrumentation and software) systems, plus steam and condensate systems, as well as process furnaces, dryers, kilns, and metering equipment. Applicants must have an energy management system in place, in the process of being established, or proposed for implementation as part of this application. Maximum funding is $10 million and is based on achieving a minimum 5% reduction in energy and GHG emissions. reductions compared to the Baseline Scenario. Maximum program support is $3/GJ saved and $62/tonne of GHG reduced by 2030.

All activities must be undertaken by personnel by a licenced Professional Engineer (P.Eng.), Certified Energy Manager certification, or Certified Engineering Technologist certification with experience in management systems (e.g., ISO 9001, ISO 14001), energy audits, benchmarking, and retrofits. An optional asset is having the participation a 50001Certified Practitioner in Energy Management Systems as part of activity personnel.  Deadline for applications is July 31, 2023. 

Support for Website Optimization, Social Media Advertising and ERP Software

Ontario’s Digitalization Competence Centre provides funding to assist Ontario SMEs in better understanding, transforming, modernizing, optimizing and/or selecting digital technology. The Centre’s Digital Modernization and Adoption Plan program offers 50% grant funding up to $50,000 for hiring a Digital Adoption Consultant to assist in developing a strategy and Digital Technology Adoption Plan. Recommendations from this Plan can then be used to request funding of 50% up to $150,000 from the Centre’s DCC Technology Demonstration Program (DCC Demo) program. Eligible recommended Plan expenses include:

• website search optimization (cannot be the only eligible expense)
• social media advertising (cannot be the only eligible expense)
• installation of a technology platform (including subscription fees/costs)
• back-office solutions to support a technology strategy.
• creation of customer databases
• development of new technology
• upgrading existing technology site for added functionality (i.e., new plugins, or features); please note, re-design of an existing site is not eligible.
• Software (e.g., to track and manage product inventory and/or fulfill and ship orders • product databases • to track sales, market to customers, offer discounts, maintain a loyalty program • to simplify marketing • cyber security software of certifications • hardware and accompanying software up to 20% of total grant amount).
• salaries of technical staff essential for the Plans implementation

Only expenses incurred after funding approval will be supported. Being approved for the Digital Modernization and Adoption Plan does guarantee DCC Technology Demonstration Program participation in funding. Additionally, requests for DCC Demo funding must include agreed participation by the Vendor supplying the technology in reporting outcomes .

To be eligible companies must be incorporated, operating in Ontario and have 1-499 employees. It is also desirable to have at least $500,000 in revenues plus 3 years of financials. Support is limited. Apply early.

Application Intake Closes in 2 Weeks!

The Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) Research, Development and Demonstration (RD&D) program offers grants of up to $5 million for the advancement of CCUS technologies that significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The program supports projects related to:

1. CO₂ capture process/technology development (including novel cryogenic and hybrid processes)
2. Materials development and CO₂ capture chemistry (e.g. advances solvents, adsorbents)
3. Membrane-based separation technologies
4. CO₂ purification and treatment (including compression)
5. Artificial Intelligence, machine learning, or other computational methods for CO₂ capture
6. Design improvements to enhance input flexibility and system operability (e.g. quicker start-ups)

Eligible expenses include:

• Employee training, salaries and benefits;
• Contracted professional, scientific and technical services;
• Travel, meals and accommodations;
• Capital expenditures (e.g., purchase, installation, testing and commissioning of equipment)
• Data collection (e.g., processing, analysis and management);
• Facility rentals, license and permit fees;
• Diagnostic/testing tools, materials and supplies
• Project-related overhead (up to 15% of eligible expenditures)

Funding supports the research, development and demonstration of early-stage or pre-commercial technologies at Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 2-7. New technologies must have the potential to improve system performance, reduce costs, as well as facilitate technology transfer, scale-up and commercialization.

R&D projects may receive up to 75% funding to a maximum of $2.5 million; applicants must request at least $500,000. Eligible R&D activities include:

• Development, assessment, testing and integration of new/innovative equipment, software and methods, such as:
  • Proof of concept of new technologies (e.g., pilot plants, prototypes)
  • Analytical tools and modelling software
• Field trials to identify R&D needs before pre-commercial technology demonstration
• Capacity building and training
• Assessments or characterization studies (e.g., data compilations and syntheses)

Demonstration projects may receive up to 50% funding to a maximum of $5 million; applicants must request a minimum of $1 million from the program. Demonstration activities include:

• Installation and demonstration of a pre-commercial technology in its operational environment
• Modifications to accommodate an innovative technology or process
• Installation of equipment and infrastructure to support technology demonstration
• Testing and analysis of pre-commercial technology to assess operational performance
• Engineering and designs for technology demonstrations

Eligible applicants are Canadian incorporated businesses, not-for-profit organizations, Indigenous and community groups, academic institutions, provincial/territorial/regional/municipal governments and agencies. The deadline to apply is October 3, 2022.