CleanTechNL, an initiative started by the Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Industry Association (NEIA), promotes this platform of clean energy and supports initiatives that have a positive environmental impact.
To enhance that mandate, CleanTechNL is building a database of companies that fit with the definitions of clean energy and take it directly to the decision-makers who make the product and service choices and employ it locally to benefit the program.
“The federal government has a litany of supports for the adaptation of clean technology. We have to understand what those are or this will pass us by,” said Kieran Hanley, executive director of CleanTechNL.
"We connect the dots between business and supports that can help them grow, such as those coming from the federal government."
Clean technology refers to products, processes and services that improve on environmental performance in support of sustainable development and clean growth. The use of clean technology can mean improving efficiency, reducing waste and/or mitigating the environmental risks of business activity.
“As every industry has an impact on the environment in one way or another, clean technology can be applied and found in all of them — from oil and gas, to mining, to aquaculture, to transportation, to manufacturing, etc.,” Hanley said.
“This presents enormous opportunities for the creation of new products, processes and services within our industries here in Newfoundland and Labrador that can be exported worldwide.”
One of those products was developed locally and is ready to hit the marketplace next month.
Empowered Homes, the brainchild of Joshua and Zachary Greene, has developed Mysa, a smart thermostat designed for homes with electric baseboard heaters.
These heaters are generally high-voltage appliances. It was found they needed a device to operate them remotely from a smartphone application, something the marketplace was lacking, explained Andrew Murphy, director of marketing with the company.
“Empowered Homes was an energy auditing company that was focused on telling people how to save money. The problem was, we had nothing to recommend to people to use, so we decided to build it.”
This was where the partnership with NEIA unfolded.
“They helped get us lots of exposure. Through NEIA, we are now working with utilities and export markets in other regions and countries,” Murphy said.
They launch in October, and are approaching pre-order sales of about 1,500, with nearly half of that number coming from the United States, while Canadian markets that have shown the most interest to date are British Columbia, Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador.
“We are one of the first people in the space for high-voltage applications. We are keeping our eyes on larger markets to develop Mysa in larger markets around the globe in the next 12 months.”
What the directory aims to accomplish
The CleanTechNL Directory will be used to educate and inform planners and decision-makers. It will help procurement officials, engineers, architects, consultants and other customers with an environmental mandate to source products, services and processes that are available in the province.
It will be used as a marketing tool internationally to highlight the capabilities of Newfoundland and Labrador firms. It will help connect those seeking to adopt clean technologies within the province with those who can provide it.
To accomplish this, NEIA aims to:
- Contribute to the development of new enterprises.
- Contribute to the retention and growth of existing local enterprises.
- Attract new enterprises to the region.
- Create conditions for these activities to take place, be it through regulatory frameworks, general business climate or sector awareness.
Real-world examples
What are some examples of green technology?
- A service that helps reduce water use in manufacturing processes
- A filter that can help reduce the amount of oil used
- Processes to treat wastewater
- Equipment that can reduce electricity use
- The monitoring of pollution sources
- Technology that helps re-use crab shell waste
- A software model that can predict oil spill dispersion
- Renewable energy development
- Waste management services
- Services for environmental remediation/improvement
About Mysa
- Mysa is a smart, Wi-Fi enabled, line voltage thermostat that combines sleek design with innovative software to give users control of their heating systems and help homeowners save money.
- Mysa maximizes energy savings by using machine learning algorithms and big data to automate the homeowner’s heating schedule, without sacrificing the homeowner’s comfort.
- By focusing on esthetics and integrating smart features into Mysa, Empowered Homes is positioning Mysa as the leading high-voltage thermostat.
- The company’s mission is to help the world become more environmentally friendly and sustainable through energy efficiency and conservation, led by innovative technology that enriches people’s lives.
- Price is about $100 per unit.
