CANADIAN ENERGY INNOVATION Unique Emissions Testing Centre Helping Move the Needle on Methane
I n a lab surrounded by modified kitchen appliances along with conventional equipment, Ian Gates leads a team at the University of Calgary, helping energy companies commercialize new technologies to reduce emissions – for free. Noted for innovations like transportable solid bitumen and carbonless flaring, many of Gates’ projects start in his garage or in the university lab using modified home gadgets. “Instead of buying all this expensive lab equipment, we [found] we could modify microwave ovens – take them apart, modify them…even though we burned them out after a few weeks of use, it was much cheaper than buying the lab equipment,” said Gates, a professor in the Schulich School of Engineering who is also the university’s associate vice-president, research and innovation. “That waffle maker? It has temperature limiters of about 170 degrees [centigrade]. Rip those out – we blasted that to 450.” The entrepreneurial spirit of Gates’ lab led to a partnership with the Natural Gas Innovation Fund (NGIF) and Tourmaline Oil to create the NGIF Emissions Testing Centre (ETC). The ETC provides third-party testing and validation of methane reduction technologies, first through simulations in Gates’ lab and then in the field at a Tourmaline gas processing plant in central Alberta. Since its launch in 2021, the ETC has received approximately $11 million in funding from Natural Resources Canada, Western Economic Diversification Canada, and Alberta Innovates to build and operationalize the ETC. Alberta Environment and Protected Areas recently announced a 15 million dollar commitment over five years to support the program’s ongoing operations. The ETC is part of the innovation ecosystem
by Canadian Energy Centre
Ian Gates in his lab at the University of Calgary. Gates is a professor in the Schulich School of Engineering and the university’s associate vice- president, research and innovation. Photo for the Canadian Energy Centre
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