B.C. Centre for Innovation and Clean Energy is now operational

The British Columbia Centre for Innovation and Clean Energy (CICE) is now operational with the appointment of an executive team and board of directors.

The CICE was founded in July 2021 by the Government of British Columbia, Government of Canada and Shell Canada, and aims to bring together innovators, industry, governments and academics to accelerate the commercialization and scale-up of B.C.-based clean energy technologies. It’s also intended to be a catalyst for new partnerships and technologies to deliver near- and longer-term greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions.

The Centre will be led by an executive team consisting of executive director Dr. Ged McLean and deputy executive director Yemi Adefulu. The team will also be complemented by a director of finance, with active recruitment expected imminently.

“I’m excited about the opportunity for the Centre to play a pivotal role in identifying solutions for sectors of the economy that are hard to decarbonize,” McLean said. “Together we can enable breakthrough technology and innovative business solutions which reduce B.C. and global greenhouse gas emissions.”

The CICE will be established as a member-based, non-profit corporation operating independent from government and private entities. A board of directors will steward the CICE’s operations. Current board members include Dan Woynillowicz, principal of Polaris Strategy + Insight, Dr. Alan Winter, former B.C. Innovation Commissioner, and Kim Code, a global Shell vice president and Director of Shell Canada.

The Centre’s initial focus is on preparing to solicit, evaluate and support opportunities in the following areas prioritized for funding and project delivery:

• carbon capture, utilization and storage;
• the production, use and distribution of low-carbon hydrogen;
• biofuels and synthetic fuels (including marine and aviation fuels);
• renewable natural gas; and
• battery technology, storage and energy management systems.

The Government of B.C. and Shell Canada have each committed $35 million to the Centre that will leverage additional public and private-sector investments and participation, and the Government of Canada has committed up to $35 million for the Centre’s innovative projects.