Targeted Call for Clean Energy Innovation Program – Canada

The Targeted Call for Clean Energy Innovation supports the development and deployment of B.C.-based innovative clean energy technology solutions that will use clean energy more efficiently and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Themes

• Clean Energy Optimization and Management: Utilization and management of clean energy (e.g., clean electricity) more efficiently in end-use applications (i.e., not utility-scale energy generation, transmission, and distribution).
  • Project Examples:
    • Energy management, storage and electricity/grid gas integration, including smart grid and artificial intelligence applications.
    • Improving the efficiency and utilization of clean electricity for end-use residential, commercial, and institutional customers behind-the-meter.
    • Projects that improve electricity use resilience and energy savings, including demand side management (DSM).
    • Projects with technologies that optimize use of different energy types within a system in realtime for parameters such as cost and GHG emission intensity (e.g., shifting between electricity and gas use).
    • Projects that reduce GHG emissions in off-grid or end-of-line grid electricity customer applications (and aren’t eligible or a fit for existing funding programs).
    • Electric vehicle-to-grid (V2G) integration (e.g., bi-directional charging).
    • Advanced load, distributed energy resource and renewable energy integration.
    • Non-utility scale renewable energy or electricity generation technologies with near-term adoption and scalability.
• Buildings Innovation: Energy-consuming devices, equipment and management technologies used within, or connected to buildings.
  • Project Examples:
    • Electricity supply and load management equipment.
    • Distributed energy generation and energy storage systems.
    • Technologies that lower the capital, installation or operating costs of electrification, electrical equipment and service within or attached to buildings.
    • Heat Pumps:
      • Electric heat pumps (air/water/ground) for space heating/cooling or water heating;
      • Technology solutions that address emergent and under-represented market segments (e.g., smaller heat pumps for multi-unit residential building units);
      • Highly energy efficient dual-fuel heat pumps; and,
      • Technology solutions that significantly reduce the cost for commercial applications.

Funding Information

• ICE Funding Available per Application: 
  • Anticipated to be between $500,000 and $1,000,000 per application.
• Total Government Funding: 
  • At the time of application and through the term of the project, government funding must not exceed 75% of Eligible Project Costs.
• Minimum Applicant and/or Consortium Partner Funding: 
  • Minimum of 25% of Eligible Project Costs.
• Total Funding Available for Call: 
  • Total funding amount allocated for this Targeted Call is $12.3 million over 3 years. Each fiscal year there is anticipated to be a call for approximately 1/3 of total Targeted Call funds available.
• Other Funding Terms: 
  • Funding is limited. The ICE Fund reserves the right to not fund a project or offer less funding than requested.
  • Projects need to demonstrate the need for funds for the project to move forward.
  • Projects with additional and committed funding sources are preferred.

Project Expectations

• Successful projects under this Targeted Call are expected to have:
  • Near-Term Deployment and Impact:
    • Projects will demonstrate a clear pathway to near-term commercial deployment in B.C. that optimizes the use of clean energy and reduces GHG emissions.
    • Projects will demonstrate realistic GHG reduction estimates resulting from project deployment and technology adoption in B.C. to 2030 and 2040.
    • Projects that improve affordability for households and businesses, or improve energy system resilience will be prioritized.
  • Strong Connection to B.C.:
    • Projects are required to take place in B.C.
    • Applicants with stronger and long-term commitment to the Province are preferred including but not limited to technology development, company presence, intellectual property, economic development, and employment.
  • Strong and Sustainable Innovation Advantage:
    • Projects that are more innovative and are step-change improvements are preferred over incremental improvements to existing equipment, services, or processes.
    • Projects with a strong and durable B.C.-focused intellectual property strategy are preferred.

Ineligible Projects

• Research-only focused projects. Projects that do not have a near-term pathway to commercialization and market deployment in B.C.
• Feasibility-only focused studies. Projects that are pre-feasibility, feasibility, engineering studies, business cases or other similar studies.
• Commercial technology projects that are not truly “First-Of-Kind” in B.C. (i.e., never deployed in B.C or project deployment will be in a novel, impactful and scalable application). Commercial “First-Of-Kind” projects will need very strong, compelling, and evidence-based applications to be successful.
• The ICE Fund reserves the right to exclude any application, at any point in the application process.

Technology Development/Commercialization Eligibility

• Projects that are either:
  • Pre-Commercial Technology Development: progress a novel clean energy technology towards commercial deployment and adoption in B.C.; or,
  • Commercial Technology First-Of-Kind: Deployment of commercialized, clean energy technology in a novel sector, application, or configuration.

Eligibility Criteria

• Project types listed in the following themes are preferred but the call is open and strong applications that clearly meet the criteria are encouraged to apply. Additional eligibility criteria:
  • Applicant: Any Canadian legal entity is eligible to be an applicant and submit an application for funding of Projects under this fund.
  • Project Location: The Project must take place within British Columbia.
  • Previously Funded Projects: Projects or portions thereof that have previously received funding from the ICE Fund are not eligible to receive further funding for that project under this Call.
  • Project Term: Projects should be completed within two (2) years of contract execution.

For more information, visit Government of British Columbia.