Capturing Sustainable Solutions Within Canada’s Natural Gas Sector

Announcement
October 16, 2023

FortisBC Selects Winner of the Compact Carbon Capture Challenge

This spring, carbonNEXT and FortisBC launched the Compact Carbon Capture Challenge, seeking solutions that could remove small amounts of CO2 from areas all across Canada while contributing to Foresight Canada and FortisBC’s ultimate goal — moving the needle to a more sustainable future. 

After a rigorous review of many impressive applications, FortisBC has selected CarbonQuest and Cielo Carbon Solutions for their single, common technology platform that meets the diverse needs of both the combustion and biogas components outlined in the Challenge. This innovative solution offers 1-43 tonnes of carbon capture capacity per day (the equivalent of removing up to 3,000 cars from the road per year), helping Fortis make massive strides towards their climate targets. 

As winners of the Compact Carbon Capture Challenge, CarbonQuest and Cielo Carbon Solutions will have the chance to work with FortisBC on initiatives which may include joint funding applications, pilot projects, and introductions to new customers. 

The Solution

The CarbonQuest distributed carbon capture solution is applicable to both natural gas combustion and biogas applications. The technology footprint has been designed to accommodate a range of standard sizes that can deliver 1 to 43 tons of capture capacity per day from a wide range of CO2 concentrations (3-65%). 

The modularity and scalability of the solution enables the technology to be deployed across a variety of project applications. The technology is designed to use standard shipping practices so it can be deployed and operational within days. 

The solution uses highly advanced technology and solid adsorbents that are inherently low maintenance. The embedded software autonomously controls the system allowing for unattended operations in remote environments. Leveraging a common technology across the utility portfolio will lower overall operations and maintenance costs for the remote distributed locations.

The Compact Carbon Capture Challenge is presented as a part of the carbonNEXT program, a partnership between Foresight and Carbon Management Canada, powered by Scotiabank and Prairies Economic Development Canada.

Quotes

At FortisBC, we are committed to finding new, innovative technologies that will push us towards our climate goals while meeting the energy needs of the homes and businesses we serve. This Innovation Challenge allowed us to do just that — we were able to identify a key barrier within our sustainability efforts, and have found a powerful solution that could be a game changer in helping us achieve a low-carbon future.

Mark Warren Director of Business Innovation, FortisBC Energy Inc.

Canada has proven time and time again to be a leader in carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) technologies. I’m thrilled to see industry leaders like FortisBC continuing their support and investment into powerful, made-in-Canada CCUS solutions that will help drive them towards their sustainability goals. I look forward to seeing the impact of this impressive innovation!

Jeanette Jackson CEO of Foresight Canada

When the Cielo team partnered with CarbonQuest in early 2023, we knew the scale and importance of decarbonizing the use of Natural Gas within Canada. Winning the Foresight challenge gives us an exceptional opportunity to showcase this leading carbon capture technology in BC, combat climate change, and support our green manufacturing and construction industries within Canada. We look forward to exploring the deployment of a test facility within the Fortis and BC Natural Gas infrastructure, showcasing our commitment to make green the use of Natural Gas, and providing a pathway to Canada wide Point Source Carbon Capture of Natural Gas Emissions.

Johnathon Sipos President of Cielo Carbon Solutions

We applaud Foresight and FortisBC for leading a challenge in the distributed carbon capture space, and are honored to have been selected as a winner for the Compact Carbon Capture Challenge. We look forward to working together to bring our distributed carbon capture solution to British Columbia, and helping decarbonize its infrastructure and facilities. Our carbon capture technology will not only help to reduce emissions in the province, but will help British Columbia properties meet their carbon tax requirements — all while supporting a circular carbon economy.

Shane Johnson CEO of CarbonQuest

About Foresight Canada

Foresight is Canada’s cleantech accelerator. Foresight supports the identification and validation of cleantech opportunities and the successful commercialization of solutions. We bring together industry, government, academia, investors, and innovators to address today’s most urgent climate issues and support a global transition to a green economy. Find out more at www.foresightcac.com. Follow on Twitter @ForesightCAC.

About Carbon Management Canada

CMC is a national, not-for-profit organization working to develop and deploy emissions reduction solutions and support the Canadian industry. We assist innovators in developing methane monitoring, carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS), and subsurface monitoring technologies, and provide techno-economic analysis to companies, investors, and governments to direct research, development, investment, and policymaking. CMC aims to move solutions more quickly from research to market, thereby growing the Canadian economy, increasing Canada’s competitiveness in world markets, and supporting practical, feasible, and economically viable industrial emissions reductions.