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EnviroInnovate and Tandem Technical Partnership

Enviro Innovate Corporation



Enviro Innovate Corporation

Tandem Technical, Inc.



Tandem Technical, Inc.

February 06, 2017 10:18 ET

Tandem Technical to Utilize Enviro Innovate’s Clean-Tech Innovation Facilities In Pursuit of the $20M NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE

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 CO2 conversion 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 CO2 conversion 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 www.enviroinnovate.com.

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.

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OCE Press Release for XPrize Semifinalists

TORONTO, October 17, 2016- Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) is thrilled to congratulate three Ontario-based teams among the 27 semi-finalists in the $20 million global NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE competition. These semi-finalists –­ Pond Technologies, Tandem Technical and CERT — were selected from 47 international entrants.

“I am proud of Ontario’s Carbon XPRIZE semi-finalists as these bright and hardworking researchers, engineers and scientists are on the frontline of fighting climate change,” says Reza Moridi, Ontario’s Minister of Research, Innovation and Science. “Ontario is proud to support their work and we wish them the best as they develop ways to make our planet healthier for generations to come.”

The three semi-finalists from Ontario include;

  • Pond Technology’s Carbon Cyclers – Led by Peter Howard, the team is producing biodiesel and solid biofuel.
  • Tandem Technical – Led by Jerry Flynn, the team is producing health supplements, toothpaste, paint and fertilizers.
  • CERT – Led by Ted Sargent, the team is producing formic acid, an environmentally friendly product, at up to five times lower cost than today’s fossil fuel based processes.

“Congratulations to CERT, Pond Technology’s Carbon Cyclers, and Tandem Technical for making it to  the semi-finals in the prestigious Carbon XPRIZE competition,” says Glen Murray, Ontario’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change. “Innovative ideas like these are helping Ontario lead the fight against climate change and transition to a low carbon economy. It is inspiring to see Ontario companies delivering the next generation of clean technology solutions that will help the world mitigate and adapt to climate change. ”

The Pond, CERT and Tandem Technical teams will now continue to the semi-finals of the $20 million competition with support from OCE. As a part of Stream 3 of OCE’s Target GHG initiative funded by the Ontario Government with $74 million from the Ontario Green Investment Fund, OCE has earmarked up to $2.5 million to assist Ontario teams that have advanced to the semi-finals. This funding, subject to OCE’s program due diligence and eligibility, could be used to develop and demonstrate concepts as they progress in the Carbon XPRIZE competition. Each team will also be assigned a Business Development Manager from OCE during their time in the competition.

“I’m very proud of the work being done by all of these teams to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and repurpose CO2 into valuable products right here in Ontario,” says Dr. Tom Corr, OCE’s President and CEO. “Incentivizing our homegrown innovators to create disruptive technologies that convert emissions from industrial facilities and power plants into everyday items is a great step forward in the global fight against climate change. The Carbon XPRIZE competition will help accelerate commercialization of new products in our province as they move more quickly from concepts to commodities.”

The Carbon XPRIZE has a mission to inspire the best and brightest innovators in the world to help solve climate change. The teams whose breakthrough technologies have made the semi-finals will demonstrate ways to convert CO2 emissions from industrial facilities and power plants into new products like building materials, alternative fuels, fish food, fertilizer and even shoes. The competition includes two tracks, with one focused on testing technologies at a coal power plant and the other at a natural gas power plant. One winner from each track will receive $7.5 million USD, and scoring will be based on the amount of CO2 converted plus the net value of the team’s products.

Quick Facts

  • Of the 27 semi-finalists, 9 teams from Canada are moving to round two with Ontario having the highest number of participating teams.
  •  Over the past two years, OCE has supported 243 clean-tech related projects leading to the creation and retention of close to 900 jobs.
  • The OCE Target GHG program is supported by the Ontario government with $74 million in funding from itsOntario Green Investment Fund, which is dedicated to projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase energy efficiency, support cleantech innovation and drive job creation and economic development. 
  • The OCE Carbon XPRIZE Partnership initiative is part of Stream 3 of OCE’s Target GHG initiative funded by the Ontario Government with $74 million from the Ontario Green Investment Fund.
  • The Carbon XPRIZE competition began in September 2015 and ends in March 2020.

Media Contact:
Andrew Robertson
Manager, Media Relations
t: 416.861.1092 x 1092 
andrew.robertson@oce-ontario.org

About Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) Inc.

OCE drives the commercialization of cutting-edge research across key market sectors to build the economy of tomorrow and secure Ontario’s global competitiveness. In doing this, OCE fosters the training and development of the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs and is a key partner with Ontario’s industry, universities, colleges, research hospitals, investors and governments. A champion of leading-edge technologies, best practices and research, OCE invests in sectors such as advanced health, digital media and information communications, advanced manufacturing and materials, and cleantech including energy, environment and water. OCE is a key partner in delivering Ontario’s Innovation Agenda as a member of the province’s Ontario Network of Excellence (ONE). Funded by the Government of Ontario, the ONE is made up of regional and sector-focused organizations and helps Ontario-based entrepreneurs rapidly grow their company and create jobs.