SUMMARY

Ekona Power and KWI Polymers win awards for the development of methane Pyrolysis tech for Suncor and Cenovus

By Maureen McCall

Canada’s Clean Resource Innovation Network (CRIN) said February 16 it had awarded C$18mn (US$14mn) to a pair of tech companies developing clean hydrogen solutions, part of its latest funding competition.

Ekona Power and KWI Polymers have been awarded $8mn and $10mn respectively for their clean H2 methane pyrolysis solutions.

CRIN selected four projects for funding through its $80mn oil and gas technology competitions aimed at accelerating solutions that can contribute significantly to achieving Canada’s 2050 climate targets.

Ekona has been working with Cenovus Energy and electricity power generator Transalta to pilot its pulse methane pyrolyser solution, while KWI is partnering with Suncor to develop clean H2 via natural gas pyrolysis.

“CRIN is extremely pleased to support these projects that will deliver real results toward environmental targets including greenhouse gas emission reductions to help achieve Canada’s net-zero targets,” said Ginny Flood, CRIN chair. We applaud the collaborative partnerships and investments that allow knowledge to be shared across the oil and gas innovation ecosystem to deliver a sustainable energy future for Canadians.”

CRIN’s two-stage Low Emission Fuels and Products Technology Competition included a field of over 35 eligible applicants in the expressions of interest phase, with 10 finalists invited to the full project proposal phase. The other recipients were Enerkem, which is developing advanced carbon recycling technologies, and FuelCell Energy, which is developing a molten carbonate fuel cell demonstration pilot.