Two leaders in B.C.'s ocean innovation sector are forging new pathways for the development and commercialization of marine renewable energy and decarbonization technologies in the province.
The newly formed BC Marine Energy and Decarbonization Hub leverages existing infrastructure and capacity to allow ocean sector companies to test and demonstrate technologies in coastal and marine test sites.
An initiative of Victoria's Centre for Ocean Applied Sustainable Technology (COAST), which promotes B.C.'s sustainable blue economy, in partnership with the University of Victoria, the hub aims to solve an integral problem facing ocean innovators.
"Ocean innovators with potential solutions can face tremendous barriers to testing and demonstration of their technologies in marine environments, including high costs, lack of partner networks, or lack of supportive infrastructure," said Jason Goldsworthy, the executive director of COAST, in a news release.
Marine decarbonization, the process of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the global maritime sector, requires integrated systems of renewable energy, alternative fuels, and process innovations, he explained.
“No single source of renewable energy or diesel alternative can catapult us to net-zero."
By combining their resources, COAST and the University of Victoria will help companies that work in several sectors. That includes those that work around marine renewable energy capture; energy integration and management, including energy storage and grid integration technologies; and innovative distribution or uses of energy, including production, storage and transmission of clean fuels.
Starting in late 2025, the hub will promote innovation and engagement through innovation challenges in partnership with key regional stakeholders. Companies will respond to these calls for innovation and propose their technology as a potential solution.
Funding for the hub will come from Pacific Economic Development Canada, the B.C. Ministry of Energy and Climate Solutions, and the RBC Foundation to support the hub's establishment and operation for four years.
"The BC Marine Energy and Decarbonization Hub builds on 30 years of community-centred clean energy research and innovation conducted at the University of Victoria. Our partnership with COAST will transform the marine renewable energy sector in the province and help meet the increasingly urgent need for future-ready, resilient clean energy solutions around the world," said Lisa Kalynchuk, vice-president of research and innovation at UVic, in the release.
