KINGSTON, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Feb. 6, 2017) - Enviro Innovate Corporation and Tandem Technical, Inc. today announced a new partnership in support of Tandem Technical and the team's pursuit of 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. This partnership allows Tandem to utilize 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 during the semi-finals of the competition. A host of academic and industry collaborators in Kingston, Ontario, will also be involved, including Queen's University, DuPont, GreenCentre Canada, Kingston Process Metallurgy and WorleyParsons.
On June 22, 2016, the Province of Ontario announced that it is making up to $2.5 million available to Ontario-based teams competing in the NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE, and Tandem Technical is one of only three teams from Ontario that have advanced to Round Two of the Carbon XPRIZE competition that will share equally in this $2.5 million pool.
This partnership allows Tandem Technical 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. Additionally, state-of-the-art facilities and expertise at Queen's University's Innovation Park, a clean-tech accelerator, will be available to Tandem as the company develops its CO2conversion technology. The partnership will also work with the Kingston region clean-tech cluster, which includes several multi-nationals, small to medium-sized enterprises, startups and not-for-profit groups, all of which encompass drivers, providers, enablers and consumers of clean-tech.
"The partnership between Enviro Innovate and Tandem Technical is a wonderful opportunity made available to Tandem to help to advance our CO2 conversion technology, which we believe will help to tackle the grand challenge of CO2 emissions," said Jerry Flynn, the Founder of Tandem Technical. "Competing in the Carbon XPRIZE competition is a massive challenge. Partners such as Enviro Innovate and the innovation ecosystem throughout Kingston not only provides Tandem access to the world-class expertise and facilities needed to prototype, test, and iterate, but also serves as an innovation hub to accelerate Tandem's research, development and commercialization pathway. With this support, along with the financial support coming from the Province of Ontario, we believe that Tandem can have a positive impact on the question of CO2 emissions long into the future."
"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 Tandem Technical with a platform and venue to support Tandem's pursuit of the Carbon XPRIZE and its CO2conversion technology, throughout the Carbon XPRIZE competition process," says Tom Thompson, Chairman and CEO; Enviro Innovate Corporation. "I believe that Tandem's commitment to our clean-tech innovation eco-system is a re-affirmation of the opportunity available to the world's CO2 conversion technology companies, as they cultivate their ideas, identify and transform these important technological discoveries, and propel these innovations into the marketplace."
Thompson continues, "Taking a longer term view, we envision a long-term relationship with Tandem Technical and other CO2 conversion technologies, utilizing this international centre for carbon capture and carbon conversion research, development and commercialization after the XPRIZE competition, which will incentivize the development of new and emerging CO2 conversion technologies, accelerating them from laboratory testing to demonstration under real-world conditions, and ultimately to world-leading businesses."
"This collaboration is another 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), Queen's University. "We are delighted to be working with both Enviro Innovate, Tandem Technical and XPRIZE on this exciting initiative. Tandem 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."
About Enviro Innovate
Enviro Innovate spearheads a clean-tech accelerator at Innovation Park, located at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario. The initiative is attracting startups and established enterprises looking to commercialize or acquire innovative technologies. This accelerator focuses on the commercialization of promising, innovative clean technologies introduced from Enviro Innovate's international network, and those developed with support from Queen's University and other parties in this South Eastern Ontario based innovation ecosystem, such as GreenCentre Canada (GCC), a Centre for Excellence in Commercialization and Research (CECR). From the perspective of Enviro Innovate, clean-tech includes recycling, renewable energy, green transportation, advanced materials, green chemistry, and water solutions. As importantly, it also includes energy efficiency and the reduction of GHG emissions. For more information, visit the Enviro Innovate website.
About Tandem Technical
Tandem Technical, Inc. is a CO2 conversion technology company whose technology is focused on the conversion of greenhouse gas emissions to compounds that are used to make every day household products, such as health supplements, toothpaste, paint, and fertilizers.
About Queen's University
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.