Innovia GEO Corp., alongside its collaborator Ryerson University*, is pleased to announce the receipt of a joint multi-year grant award from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and Mitacs.
The NSERC Alliance-Mitacs Accelerate grant will support the continued research collaboration between Innovia GEO and Ryerson University to advance the development of ground-breaking geothermal heating and cooling technologies.
Innovia GEO has been working with Ryerson researchers, through the Dworkin Research Group, since 2018. The three-year award will help the partners strengthen their long-term R&D partnership and enable breakthrough geothermal solutions and technologies. Innovia GEO will also benefit from highly skilled Ryerson master’s and postdoctoral students, who will engage directly with the company via internships and training opportunities.
The research team will focus on advancing the wider adoption of geothermal solutions, which are seen as an environmentally friendly alternative to natural gas for winter heating and an energy-efficient alternative for summer cooling. This kind of technology is typically utilized in large commercial buildings, but the research will focus on developing and testing modular underground heat exchangers that are easier, cheaper and quicker to install in smaller buildings and residential homes. The solutions being developed will also help electric utilities balance seasonal fluctuations in energy consumption and production caused by a reliance on natural gas for heating in the winter and electricity for air conditioning in the summer.
A pilot project is already underway in Waterloo, Ontario.**
“We’re ecstatic to receive this support to continue our collaboration with the talented and dedicated team at Ryerson University,” said Andrew Lee, President of Innovia GEO. “The decarbonization of heating and cooling of our buildings and homes is one of the biggest challenges facing our energy sector. Collaborations between industry and academia are critical to develop the technologies and tools we need to accomplish this enormous challenge.”
“Thank you for Innovia GEO for its ongoing commitment to our joint research,” said Seth Dworkin, professor mechanical and industrial engineering and Canada Research Chair in High-performance Computing for Sustainable Energy at Ryerson University. “Together we are working on transformative geothermal energy solutions that will significantly decrease CO2 emissions, reduce our reliance on natural gas, help electric utilities balance production and consumption and change the way buildings are designed and built.”
About Innovia GEO Corp.:
Innovia GEO provides energy-efficient geothermal heating and cooling solutions to owners, developers, and other stakeholders involved in the design, construction, and operation of buildings and homes. Our mission is to support the sustainable development of our world by developing innovative ways to increase the use and adoption of renewable thermal energy systems.
For further information please visit: https://www.innoviageo.com/.
About Dworkin Research Group:
Prof. Seth Dworkin is the Canada Research Chair in High-performance Computing for Sustainable Energy. His group consists of undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral researchers who specialize in applications of thermodynamics and fluid mechanics towards sustainable energy technologies. Prof. Dworkin has published extensively on advances in geothermal heating design practices and technologies.
For further information please visit: www.ryerson.ca/~dworkin
About NSERC:
NSERC invests over $1.2 billion each year in natural sciences and engineering research in Canada. Our investments deliver discoveries—valuable world-firsts in knowledge claimed by a brain trust of over 12,000 professors. Our investments enable partnerships and collaborations that connect the makers and users of discoveries. Research partnerships established by NSERC help inform research and development and solve scale-up challenges.
NSERC also provides scholarships and hands-on training experience for more than 30,000 post-secondary students and post-doctoral fellows. These young researchers will be the next generation of science and engineering leaders in Canada.
For further information please visit: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/.
About Mitacs:
Mitacs is a national, not-for-profit organization that has designed and delivered research and training programs in Canada for 20 years. Working with an extensive network of postsecondary partners, and both federal and provincial governments, we build collaborations that support industrial and social innovation in Canada. Mitacs has worked with thousands of private sector and not-for-profit organizations as well as 78 universities and 77 college, CÉGEP and polytechnic partners to fuel strategic relationships that power Canadian innovation excellence.
To learn more about the organization, please visit https://www.mitacs.ca/en.
*In August 2021, the university announced that it would begin a renaming process to address the legacy of Egerton Ryerson for a more inclusive future. For more information, please visit the Next Chapter.
** For more information please visit: Innovia GEO Announces Commissioning of Geothermal Pile Demonstration System.