Driving Innovation Down Alberta’s Highways

May 15, 2020

News Release

Edmonton, Alberta - On Tuesday, May 19, 2020, InnoTech Alberta, a subsidiary of Alberta Innovates, will begin moving a carbon dioxide (CO2) capture unit - fabricated by ALCO Gas & Oil Equipment Ltd. (ALCO), in Edmonton - to the Alberta Carbon Conversion Technology Centre (ACCTC), located at the Shepard Energy Centre, on the outskirts of Calgary.

The CO2 capture unit was designed in Switzerland and built in Edmonton by ALCO. It will provide concentrated CO2 gas from the Shepard Energy Centre to five teams competing for a US$7.5 million grand prize in the NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE. There, teams are demonstrating the best way to capture and convert CO2 into usable products, like concrete, alcohol, plastics, soap, and a host of other applications.

The CO2 capture unit, and related equipment measure 68 feet x 21 feet x 24 feet (20.7 meters x 6.5 meters x 7.3 meters). The entire shipment weighs about 190,627 lbs (86.5 tonnes). Transporting the unit will require a police escort along with utility workers. It will also require the closure of Whitemud Drive at 3:00 a.m. on Tuesday, May 19th as it travels east in the west-bound lanes.

"InnoTech Alberta is hard at work making innovation happen for our clients and for Albertans," says Steve McMahon, Chief Operating Officer, InnoTech Alberta. "The magnitude of this move is enormous, and it is critical to the work at the ACCTC. It will benefit the NRG | COSIA Carbon XPRIZE competitors, as well as increase the value and viability of the ACCTC for many years to come."

Photo Opportunity

WHAT: Photo Opportunity for the transportation of the CO2 Capture Unit
WHEN: Tuesday, May 19, 2020
TIME: 03:00 a.m.
WHERE: Beginning at ALCO Gas & Oil Equipment Ltd: 5203 - 75 Street NW, Edmonton

  • East on 51 Avenue to 50 Street
  • South on 50 Street to Whitemud Dr.
  • East (in the west-bound lanes) on Whitemud Dr.
  • Cross the meridian on Whitemud Dr. and continue east in the east-bound lanes to Anthony Henday Dr.
  • South on Anthony Henday Dr. to highway 14
  • East on highway 14 to highway 36
  • South on highway 36 to highway 1
  • West on highway 1 to Secondary highway 797
  • South on Secondary highway 797 to Secondary highway 560 (Glenmore Trail)
  • West on secondary highway 560 to 100 Street, Calgary.
  • South on 100 Street SE, Calgary, to the Shepard Energy Centre

Background

The NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE inspires development of new CO2 conversion technologies to help solve climate change. The $20 million XPRIZE is a global competition to develop breakthrough technologies that will convert CO2 emissions from power plants and industrial facilities into valuable products like building materials, alternative fuels and other items we use every day. The competition is run by the XPRIZE Foundation, in partnership with NRG and Canada's Oil Sands Innovation Alliance (COSIA).

InnoTech Alberta
InnoTech Alberta is a leading research and technology organization serving the needs of industry, entrepreneurs and the public sector. Our leading-edge expertise and industrial-scale research and demonstration facilities accelerate and de-risk technology development and deployment with a focus on industrial solutions and commercial application. We are Alberta's innovation engine with 100 years of bold ideas that feed, grow, fuel, and build Alberta's agriculture, energy, environment, and forestry sectors. Visit us at: InnoTechAlberta.ca

XPRIZE
XPRIZE designs and operates multi-million-dollar, global competitions to accelerate the development of technological breakthroughs that benefit humanity. Active competitions include the $10 Million ANA Avatar XPRIZE and the $5 Million IBM Watson AI XPRIZE, the $20 Million NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE, and the $10 Million Rainforest XPRIZE. For more information, visit xprize.org

COSIA
Canada's Oil Sands Innovation Alliance (COSIA) is an alliance of oil sands producersfocused on accelerating the pace of improvement in environmental performance in Canada's oil sands through collaborative action and innovation. To create the breakthroughs needed, COSIA brings together leading thinkers from around the world to decrease emissions, reduce water usage and reclaim land faster. For more information, visit cosia.ca