NGIF announces semi-finalists for Stage 1 of funding competition

The Natural Gas Innovation Fund has announced a semi-finalist shortlist for its Round 4, Stage 1 funding competition for clean technologies both in the production and end-use distribution of natural gas.

In 2018, NGIF launched a $1 million funding call targeting clean technologies as well as new innovative approaches for more efficient use of natural gas in residential and small commercial applications. Also in 2018, NGIF announced a $3 million funding call targeting clean technologies that will drive environmental performance and GHG reduction in the development and production of natural gas. After undergoing NGIF’s Stage 1 industry peer review process, 18 semi-finalists in total have been invited to submit investment proposals in Round 4 Stage 2 where we will pursue a deeper evaluation and due diligence on each applicant and project.

NGIF, together with Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA), Alberta Innovates (AI), and the Province of British Columbia Innovative Clean Energy ICE Fund (ICE Fund) will collaborate on the producer funding call under trusted partner relationships. To demonstrate their support for the engagement of producers in the fund, NRCan, ERA, AI and ICE Fund will consider co-funding successful NGIF applicants that have projects which deliver significant GHG emission reductions and are located in Canada, Alberta, and British Columbia, respectively.

Birchcliff Energy Ltd., Canadian Natural Resources Limited, Chevron Canada Limited, Perpetual Energy Inc., PETRONAS Energy Canada Ltd., Shell Canada Energy, and Tourmaline Oil Corp. will be investing from the upstream natural gas sector, and ATCO Gas Ltd., Enbridge Gas Inc., FortisBC Energy Inc., Pacific Northern Gas Ltd., and SaskEnergy will be investing from the downstream sector.

“I am excited to see the semi-finalists of the Natural Gas Innovation Fund committed to driving cleantech innovation in natural gas production and end use distribution, and I look forward to welcoming their investment proposals for stage 2 evaluation and due diligence,” said John Adams, managing director of the NGIF.