Technology Innovation & Policy Forum 2018
Unlocking Energy Innovation for a ‘Low Cost-Low Carbon’ Economy

November 7, 2018

Waterloo, Ontario

Technology & Policy Forum 2018

The Council for Clean & Reliable Energy (CCRE) in partnership with the Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Energy, a leading Canadian innovation centre at the University of Waterloo, hosted its third annual Technology Innovation and Policy Forum on Wednesday, November 7, 2018. This important event brought together policy makers, technology innovators, leading researchers, and entrepreneurs.

Forum Goals and Objectives:

  • Our goal was to explore the effect of emerging technologies on the distribution sector business models.
  • The Forum was comprised of panel presentations by leading industry, government, and academia, with extensive opportunities for networking.
  • The Forum addressed the alignment of energy policy and the need to foster innovation to achieve a low carbon economy.

The Forum:

  1. Explored investment opportunities for technology developers and small to medium size enterprises (SMEs) as new business models emerge in response to disruptive technologies.
  2. Focused on distributed energy resources to improve performance and resilience of the distribution network.
  3. Fostered research partnerships between academia, industry, utilities, and government to strengthen the eco-system for innovation and entrepreneurship.
  4. Addressed regulatory and energy policy issues in the context of sector modernization.
Glen Wright
Glen Wright, Chair
Council for Clean & Reliable Energy
Jatin Nathwani
Jatin Nathwani,
Forum Co-Chair Executive Director, WISE University of Waterloo
David McFadden, Chairman of Canadian and International Advisory Boards at Fengate Capital Management (CNW Group/Fengate Capital Management)
David McFadden,
Forum Co-Chair, Counsel, Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP

Welcome Message

Program and Presenters

2018 Post-Forum Summary of Proceedings

Keynote Speaker

Yung Wu
Yung Wu, Chief Executive Officer
MaRS Discovery District

Feature Innovation Project

Elizabeth and Robert
Elizabeth Monoian and Robert Ferry
Founding Co-Directors Land Art Generator Initiative

Innovative Showcase

Innovative Showcase

The Innovation Showcase featured product and innovative technologies from both corporate and institutional sources. Representatives from industry, academia, innovators, entrepreneurs, and policy makers had the opportunity to connect with the innovators in a dedicated area incorporated into the conference facility.

University of Waterloo Lab Tours

Non-destructive Testing Lab - Photo Image

Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) Lab

Around the world, cities are facing a major challenge: What to do about aging infrastructure such as bridges, water mains, roads, and electrical transmission lines. How can engineers know if they have years of life left in them or are on the verge of collapse?

University of Waterloo research teams are developing innovative techniques to help distinguish the good from the bad in materials ranging from concrete to wood – without manually taking the system apart.

Take the example of wooden hydro poles. How do you detect rot when a pole is still in service? According to University of Waterloo engineers, the solution is ultrasonic. Fernando Tallavo, Giovanni Cascante and Mahesh D. Pandey have devised a non-destructive method for detecting the early stages of decay by sending ultrasonic waves through the pole.

By measuring how the waves dissipate and how the velocity is affected by the density of the wood, the researchers can produce a cross-sectional computer image that pinpoints areas of decay. The remaining strength ratio can then be determined by comparing their results with the bending strengths of healthy poles. As a result, they can judge whether the pole meets National Electrical Safety Code standards.

Simple, cost-effective, and efficient, the “UWpole-Testing” approach could root out rot within the province’s hydro poles before it causes costly electricity outages. As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Centre for Advanced Photovoltaic Devices - Photo Image

Centre for Photovoltaic Devices and Systems

Promotes cutting-edge research and development that spans the spectrum of photovoltaic (PV) technology. Our 14,000-square-foot facility includes infrastructure for synthesizing semiconductor base materials; developing nanotechnologies for PV; designing and fabricating advanced PV devices and systems modules; and testing and characterizing PV materials, devices, and systems.

Giga to Nanoelectronics Centre

The Giga-to-Nanoelectronics (G2N) Centre at the University of Waterloo. G2N is a unique facility at the University of Waterloo and Canada, offering a wide range of capabilities for processing electronic materials and devices.

Established in 2005, the Centre is a hands-on facility providing users training and access to run their own research. This facility consists of groups within the University of Waterloo and external partners that make up the interdisciplinary research that spans nano-materials to large-area electronics. In addition to facilitating academic research programs, G2N also provides the capability to develop and prototype novel and emerging technologies for commercial applications.

Forum Organizers

Council for Clean and Reliable Energy Logo

The Council for Clean & Reliable Energy (CCRE) is a non-profit organization that provides a platform for public dialogue and analysis on subjects related to energy policy. The CCRE was formed by a group of volunteers from universities, public and private sector business leaders, and labour. The CCRE Members collaborate to broaden the public debate on issues related to energy and governance.

Energy leaders from around the world have attended facilitated conferences focused on sharing knowledge, experiences, and expertise to create a better understanding of the challenges and potential solutions to common areas affecting energy in Canada and abroad. To date, the Council has hosted conferences on distributed generation, biomass, coal and nuclear, public sector governance in the electricity sector and the future of local distribution companies. Annually, the CCRE hosts the Energy Leaders Roundtable and the Innovation Technology and Policy Forum. In addition, the Council encourages energy experts to provide reasoned opinions and points of view about significant issues relevant to the sector. The CCRE Commentary is published, distributed to opinion leaders, and made available to the public.

The Council understands the value of creating a broader and more inclusive public discourse. During the last decade, its efforts have been recognized and appreciated by decision-makers in government and the energy business as providing a neutral forum for the free exchange of ideas and opinions. The Council remains committed to continuing to facilitate debate on the generation, transmission, and distribution of clean, affordable, and reliable energy with a clear focus on finding effective solutions for Canada and abroad.

The Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Energy (WISE) was established at the University of Waterloo in 2008. The Institute comprises more than 100 faculty members with graduate students and postdoctoral fellows working as multi-disciplinary research teams across Engineering, Science and Environment. The Institute provides a focal point for energy research at Waterloo and creates the best possible research platforms for faculty to test their ideas, engage with their peers, and partner with external organizations to accelerate the pace of research, development, and deployment of practical solutions.

Research initiatives developed at WISE are of an interdisciplinary nature – spanning theory and experiment – encompassing a broad range of expertise across several faculties and departments. In a short period of ten years, WISE has grown to become Canada’s largest concentration of researchers in academia devoted to sustainable energy. The Institute has created positive relationships with senior energy leaders from all sectors and has generated significant opportunities for its members to advance energy research. WISE continues to intensify communication and outreach programs to share the knowledge created and to cultivate energy literacy. WISE – and the University of Waterloo – are becoming internationally recognized as leaders in addressing the global energy challenge.

Event Supporters

Aird Berlis
Enbridge
Canadian Gas Services Association Canada
Power Workers' Union
Waterloo North Hydro
Council for Clean & Reliable Energy
Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Energy
Natural Gas Innovation Fund

Conferences

Technology Innovation & Policy Forum 2018
Unlocking Energy Innovation for a ‘Low Cost-Low Carbon’ Economy

The Council for Clean & Reliable Energy (CCRE) in partnership with the Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Energy, a leading Canadian innovation centre at the University of Waterloo, hosted its third annual Technology Innovation and Policy Forum on Wednesday, November 7, 2018. This important event brought together policy makers, technology innovators, leading researchers, and entrepreneurs. Forum

Read More »

Technology Innovation & Policy Forum 2017
Disruptive Innovation Over the Wires- Business Models for Success

The Council for Clean & Reliable Energy (CCRE) in partnership with the Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Energy (WISE), a leading innovation centre at the University of Waterloo, hosted its annual Technology Innovation and Policy Forum on Thursday, November 9, 2017. The annual event brought together technology developers and innovators, leading researchers and entrepreneurs, industry thought

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Technology Innovation & Policy Forum 2016
Microgrids and Distributed Energy: Is there a revolution in the making?

The Council for Clean & Reliable Energy (CCRE) in partnership with the Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Energy (WISE), a leading innovation centre at the University of Waterloo, hosted its annual Technology Innovation and Policy Forum on Thursday, November 24, 2016. The inaugural event brought together technology developers and innovators, leading researchers and entrepreneurs, industry thought

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