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Clean Technologies Helping Northern Communities Build a Clean Energy FutureYELLOWKNIFE, July 23, 2019 /CNW/ - Canada's North has a wealth of untapped resources, which can help drive economic prosperity while protecting our environment. Michael McLeod, Member of Parliament for the Northwest Territories, on behalf of Canada's Minister of Natural Resources, the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, today announced an investment of $3.8 million for six projects that will bring clean energy technologies to the Northwest Territories and help communities build a cleaner future. These investments include:
Canada's investments in our energy future are guided by the work of the Generation Energy Council, which proposed pathways for the Government of Canada on how to move forward toward a strong, clean energy economy. The Government of Canada will continue to invest in northern communities to foster economic growth and create good, middle-class jobs for Canadian workers. Quotes "By investing in our North, we are investing in future generations of Canadians, reaffirming our commitment to a cleaner future and developing technologies that give our natural resources sector a competitive edge. This is why our government is proud to support — and will continue to champion — projects like those announced today, which will help create the prosperity we all want while protecting the places we all cherish." Michael McLeod "With the generous support of Natural Resources Canada and our project partners, we will advance technologies to capture and store the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide in mine waste. We will pilot field trials of carbon capture from diesel power generators in mine tailings at the Gahcho Kué mine in the Northwest Territory and carbon capture from air at a nickel mine prospect in British Columbia. The investment by the Government of Canada is critical to allowing us to field test these new technologies, which could result in the world's first greenhouse gas neutral mine." Greg Dipple "Shining lights will take participants on a journey through a chapter-by-chapter introduction to energy and energy use with a focus on energy conservation and energy efficiency at the household level, so that they may reduce their energy footprint in diesel consumption in the North." Shianne McKay "The Hamlet of Aklavik is grateful for the interest and funding provided by NRCan supporting the Hamlet to recognize our community needs and challenges regarding energy conservation. The biomass funding will also assist our community by providing employment to harvest local feed stock for the biomass heating system as well as reduce our need for fossil fuels and reduce our greenhouse gas footprint". Hamlet of Aklavik "The Tetlit Gwich'in people have been working toward a more sustainable future for the members of Fort McPherson. Thanks to a collaboration with Natural Resources Canada and our partners providing funding to create jobs and build infrastructure, this is becoming a reality. Our forestry and bio-energy project are on the leaing edge this far north. Our biomass district heating system replaces fossil fuels, local harvesting of biomass fuels has proven itself to be sustainable, and our local sawmill is working in symbiosis with the bio-energy branch of the project. The accomplishments of this project are proof that the Government of Canada is recognizing the value in sustainable and prosperous futures for remote Indigenous communities." Abe Wilson "This generous funding will support academic, government and industry partnerships aimed at developing clean technology solutions for the mining industry. These investments will help our researchers and partners find solutions to the pressing challenge of reducing global greenhouse gas emissions in scientifically and economically innovative and important ways." Santa J. Ono Related Information
INVESTMENTS IN CANADA'S NORTH BACKGROUNDER University of British Columbia Project
Project summary The Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) in Mine Tailings project will advance new technologies for mineralizing CO2 captured from air and flue gas within the mineral waste stream of mine operations. This will sequester CO2 as a stable and benign carbonate and achieve a net reduction in the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of mine operations. This project also will test CO2 delivery and tailings management practices that have been successful in benchtop-scale experiments at larger-scale field demonstrations at two Canadian mine sites. The field trials will be the first on-site testing of accelerated CCUS pilots in hard-rock mine tailings globally. This project will build toward mine operations with zero or net-negative GHG emissions. If successful, this project could be implemented at other sites in Canada's North. Hamlet of Aklavik Project
Project summary The objective of this project is to replace fossil fuels as the heat source for the Sittichinli Recreational Complex with a biomass-fuelled heating facility. Furthermore, the project will demonstrate the economic development benefits and cost effectiveness of biomass heating within a northern, remote community. This project will decrease greenhouse gas emissions from avoided combustion of fossil fuels (61,000 litres of diesel/year) and demonstrate the efficiency and cost effectiveness of biomass heating within a northern, remote community. This project will also increase local economic development and employment in the community and provide a renewable source of heat. Denesoline Corp Ltd. Project
Project summary The primary objective of this project is for Denesoline Corporation, in partnership with BCIT, to complete the front-end engineering and design (FEED) study for the hybrid renewable energy platform for Lutsel K'e First Nation. As Lutsel K'e is located on the eastern arm of Great Slave Lake in Northwest Territories, it is not connected to the North American electricity grid. This FEED study will result in the selection of technologies based on resource availability, site selection and initial design and costing for the demonstration project. The completed FEED study will be used to: determine required permitting; conduct an environmental impact assessment; and consult with the community, utility and other energy stakeholders that could be impacted by integrating renewable energy onto the Lutsel K'e diesel microgrid. The demonstration project will have potential for replication in the other 200 diesel powered Indigenous communities, reducing fossil fuel use resulting in lower GHG emissions, improving air quality and creating socioeconomic benefits. Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources (CIER) Project
Project summary This project focuses on building the energy literacy of indigenous women and youth from Northwest Territories' diesel-dependent communities. The project will use a train-the-trainer model whereby six Indigenous trainers co-develop a proposed workshop curriculum, then work in pairs to deliver three regional workshops to a total of 75 Indigenous women and youth. The workshops will focus on: 1. Energy literacy concepts This portion is meant to be a basic introduction to energy literacy. The focus will be on concepts of energy basics; energy sources; impact of energy production and use (including at the personal and household level); how energy is used; and energy decision-making. Linkages will be made to community energy planning so that participants can engage knowledgeably in the creation and implementation of these plans in the future. 2. Energy terms translation into local indigenous languages In this part of the workshop, women and youth participants will work with Elders and translators to identify and translate key energy terms into Indigenous languages of the region. These terms will be made into a poster for distribution to the relevant communities. Rat River Development Corporation Project
Project summary This project will allow the Rat River Development Corporation to conduct a feasibility study investigating the integration of a biomass boiler into the existing NWT Power Corp., which connects 14 community buildings. The proponent is exploring and developing opportunities for forest-based economic development including harvesting, sawmilling and bioenergy. This project will have multiple benefits to Canada and its residents:
Hamlet of Aklavik Project
Project summary The purpose of this Hamlet of Aklavik project is to implement initiatives that will help increase energy efficiency and reduce GHG emissions for municipal buildings, engage homeowners to reduce home energy use and serve as a demonstration to other off-grid communities in the North. The activities of the Hamlet of Aklavik include establishing priority energy-efficient upgrades for each community government building, completing key energy efficiency upgrades to these municipal buildings, conducting a biomass heating study for the local arena and developing a model for continued monitoring and implementation of energy-related projects. The project also includes workshops to provide the public with basic knowledge and skills to reduce their energy bills. Follow us on Twitter: @NRCan (http://twitter.com/nrcan)
SOURCE Natural Resources Canada 
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