XPRIZE and Enviro Innovate Corporation today announced a new partnership in support of teams competing for the $20M NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE, a global competition to develop breakthrough technologies that convert the most CO2 into one or more products with the highest net value.

The partnership will see the formation of a first-of-its-kind International CO2 Capture and Conversion Research, Development and Commercialization Centre, spearheaded by Enviro Innovate Corporation in collaboration with the Carbon XPRIZE and a host of academic and industry collaborators in Kingston, including Queen’s University.

The partnership will provide support for teams vying for the $20 million NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE, a global competition to develop breakthrough technologies that convert carbon dioxide – a major contributor to climate change – into one or more valuable products such as building materials, alternative fuels, and other common items.

Carbon XPRIZE teams will be able to utilize Enviro Innovate’s carbon capture technologies and its collaboration partners who have deep research strength and excellence in clean-tech, energy and sustainable technology development. State-of-the-art facilities and expertise at Innovation Park, which already hosts a clean-tech accelerator, will be available to the benefit of all Carbon XPRIZE teams as they develop their carbon conversion technologies.

“This collaboration is an excellent example of leveraging opportunities that contribute to our research and the regional economy, while providing training and career opportunities for our students, and enabling our researchers and students to make meaningful contributions to Canada and the world,” says Dr. Steven Liss, (Vice-Principal Research). “We are delighted to be working with both Enviro Innovate and XPRIZE on this exciting initiative. Participants will be able to tap into the extensive expertise of Queen’s researchers, and we look forward to the prospects and opportunities that this new collaboration holds.”

 “The vision driving this collaborative partnership, and the resulting access to state-of-the-art CO2 capture technologies permanently housed in the Kingston area, is to provide XPRIZE with a platform and venue to support the Carbon XPRIZE and its applicant CO2 conversion technologies, throughout the XPRIZE competition process,” says Tom Thompson, Chairman and CEO, Enviro Innovate Corporation.  “This activity will see the region host as many as 30 CO2 conversion technology companies, as they cultivate their ideas, identify and transform these important technological discoveries, and propel these innovations into the marketplace.”

The $20 million NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE, launched in September 2015, is a global competition to address climate change by converting CO2 emissions from power plants and industrial facilities. Innovators from around the world will compete to develop breakthrough technologies that will convert CO2 emissions into valuable products like building materials, alternative fuels, and other items that we use every day.

Queen’s distinguishes itself as one of the leading research-intensive institutions in Canada. The mission is to advance research excellence, leadership and innovation, as well as enhance Queen’s impact at a national and international level. Through undertaking leading-edge research, Queen’s is addressing many of the world’s greatest challenges, and developing innovative ideas and technological advances brought about by discoveries in a variety of disciplines. Queen’s University is a member of the U15 Group of Canadian Research Universities.