Clean50’s Clean Tech Nominees for 2024- Part 8 of 8
This week featuring Valent Low- Carbon Technologies, Viridis Research Inc., Waterlix Inc., Convrg Innovations, and ZS2 Technologies.
Each year the Clean50 Awards attract more worthy nominees than we can possibly include on our list when we release it each fall (this year September 28th), and that’s an incredible shame – because this year we have 60 incredible nominees in the Cleantech and R&D categories alone. It’s great to know that clean tech innovation is alive and well in this country!
But innovation is not enough: Organizations and individual Canadians need to make the conscious choice to support made-in-Canada innovation – and buy Canadian wherever and whenever they can. Because here’s the thing: the incredible sums of money Joe Biden has invested in US based clean tech and the tax advantages he has conferred on clean tech investors means that US based clean tech companies are rich with cash – and they can afford to buy up Canadian competitors, and then take the intellectual property – and the jobs – and the revenues – to the USA. So we’re trying to do our part and show you 60 companies doing amazing stuff – and we hope you’ll do your part – and BUY some of it!
As go through this process, we’ve been amazed at where some of our clean tech innovation is coming from: It’s not just start ups and university labs. We’re featuring lots of those, for sure – but also a company capturing kelp from the seabed – turning it into compostable plastic, and another recycling abandoned plastic fishing nets into brand new plastic, and a company which has figured out a way to make boats really really slippery. How does that help? you ask… you’ll find out – if you keep reading!
We promise – each of the 8 articles in this series will open your mind to some seriously cool possibilities! Congratulations to all of our nominees!
Valent Low-Carbon Technologies
Clean50 Nominee: Timothy Haig, CEO
Oakville, ON
What does the product do?
Valent Low-Carbon Technologies (“Valent) is a Canadian low-carbon energy technology company pursuing next-gen low-carbon fuels for aviation with existing and proprietary feedstocks. The Company’s mission is to become the world’s leading producer of low-cost and low-carbon intensity sustainable aviation fuel (“SAF”). Valent has six technologies focusing on the renewable fuels / SAF value chain. The core platform technology, FORGE’s Lipid-to-Hydrocarbon, will produce 5 million gallons of SAF annually starting its first commercial facility in Southwestern Ontario starting in 2025. Valent’s SAF reduces airline fuel emissions/carbon intensity by more than 75% compared to traditional jet fuel.
Who should buy it?
Aviation and fuel companies.
Viridis Research Inc.
Clean50 Nominee: Macarena Cataldo, CEO & Co-Founder
Vancouver, BC
What does the product do?
Viridis is a watertech company leveraging advanced oxidation techniques to eliminate organic pollutants (microplastics, PFAs, dyes etc.) from water. Their first product is a game-changing microfiber filtration unit that connects to the washing machine discharge hose, capturing and degrading 90%+ of microplastics present in washing machine effluent. The product can be deployed as a stand-alone plug-and-play appliance, or as an integrated component of new washing machine designs. At scale, Viridis’ system will act as a critical technology in reducing microplastics in our oceans and waterways, making a significant contribution to the preservation of ecological balance and health of aquatic organisms.
Who should buy it?
Our primary target customers are consumer appliance manufacturers. Our aim is to partner with one or more of these manufacturers to co-develop and license our microplastic removal technology. In the future, we also intend to commercialize our own brand of microplastic removal systems, and build a direct-to-consumer vertical.
Waterlix Inc.
Clean50 Nominee: Mehrdad Varedi, CEO & Founder
Cambridge, ON
What does the product do?
Waterlix offers an advanced remote sensing application for water monitoring using AI and satellite images. Users receive access to a web portal or can opt for email reports based on their preference. Our solution includes an exploratory meeting to understand their specific requirements, ensuring the delivery of tailored reports and processed images that provide accurate insights into water quality.
Who should buy it?
Environmental agencies, water resource managers, researchers, and industries reliant on water bodies.
Convrg Innovations
Clean50 Nominee: Connor O’Shea, CEO
Calgary, AB
What does the product do?
Convrg Innovations’ patented EPOD (Engineered Power on Demand) solution is a solar-hybrid system designed for on or off-grid sites, providing compressed air and/or electricity for pneumatic devices, effectively eliminating up to 99.5% of methane emissions. Its standardized yet scalable design allows easy configuration, without requiring infrastructure overhaul, trucked-in gas deliveries, or higher operating costs. Leveraging existing infrastructure ensures simple installation and lower expenses, making EPOD the preferred choice for Upstream Oil & Gas producers seeking to comply with emissions regulations.
Who should buy it?
Upstream Oil and Gas Producers that are in the role of engineers, engineering manager, procurement managers, project managers, operations engineers, field operators, and service.
ZS2 Technologies Inc.
Clean50 Nominee: Doug Brown, Co-Founder & Chief Technical Officer
Calgary, AB
What does the product do?
We are working to disrupt and decarbonize the world’s largest industry: construction. We’ve successfully pioneered the development and commercialization of a carbon-neutral waste-to-cement technology that is providing a novel way to capture and store CO2 in building materials. The process provides an industry-transforming solution that produces cement from waste brines and utilizes off-spec products from the mining sector. The technology is currently being piloted and will avoid over 10,000 tonnes of CO2 by displacing concrete and directly capture and store an additional 1,000 tonnes from the atmosphere, providing both a practical and economic application that permanently sequesters CO2 from the atmosphere.
Who should buy it?
Our solutions are helping architects, builders, and engineers build more efficiently, consciously, and with the future in mind. Our technology and building materials are being used in commercial, industrial, residential, agriculture, and multi-use applications.
