The Canadian Gas Association (CGA) has announced its intention to create the Natural Gas Innovation Fund (NGIF) in order to support research, demonstration and deployment of innovation in the natural gas value chain, including natural gas in transportation.
“Canada’s natural gas distributors have taken a leadership role in announcing this fund. It is extremely positive that one of the areas of interest is related to advancing engine and refueling technology to support the use of natural gas as a clean and affordable alternative transportation fuel,” says Bruce Winchester, executive director of the Canadian Natural Gas Vehicle Alliance.
As reported, the Natural Gas Innovation Fund will bring together utilities, government, academia, incubators, accelerators and technology developers in the natural gas value chain to support natural gas innovation and reduce emissions, drive energy efficiency, and ensure the availability of affordable energy for customers.
According to the CGA, a key priority for the fund will be to find ways to access monies collected from natural gas ratepayers from cap and trade, carbon tax, or other emission reduction mechanisms instituted by governments and then direct those monies to finance innovation in gas usage. In this way, ratepayers will have the levies they pay directed back to them – ensuring the continued availability of clean and affordable energy for their needs.
The NGIF will consider support for a range of investment opportunities, including technologies to support natural gas as an alternative transportation fuel, such as high-horsepower engines for on- and off-road transportation and home refueling compressed natural gas kits.
“Natural gas and renewable natural gas are vital to decarbonization of the Canadian economy, particularly in the areas of trucking and off-road transportation. This new innovation fund will enable some of the necessary research to ensure these environmental benefits are fully realized,” comments Ingrid Thompson, CEO of Pollution Probe.
Timothy M. Egan, president and CEO of the Canadian Gas Association, concludes, “CGA has made innovation a key focus for the last six years, with initiatives and investments around the use of our fuel and our infrastructure. Natural gas is an affordable, clean, safe and reliable energy choice for Canadian consumers, and investments made through this fund will build on the value proposition of that choice.”
