This year, a Canadian university is set to launch a battery prototyping and testing facility, the first of its kind in the country.
Last year, the federal government expressed support for the Canadian Battery Innovation Centre, slated to open at Dalhousie University this autumn, in the form of $10 million investment.
The capital is flowing through Natural Resources Canada’s Energy Innovation Program as well as the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency’s Regional Economic Growth through Innovation program.
The CBIC, a $20M project, has also received funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation and Tesla.
“When it comes to the clean economy, Canada’s competitors are increasingly making strategic investments to get ahead,” stated federal minister Jonathan Wilkinson over the summer. “Investing in domestic battery production is one of many ways Canada is supporting innovation-led commercial growth to create long-term economic benefits for Canada while cementing its place in the global battery and minerals sectors.”
Dalhousie in Halifax has been a powerhouse in battery research since the 90’s, with a research and development department headed by lithium-ion pioneer Jeff Dahn.
Alice Aiken, Vice-President of Research and Innovation at Dalhousie, believes the new innovation centre will continue to draw outside interest as the region deepens its battery tech footprint.
“The Canadian Battery Innovation Centre will provide our world-renowned battery scientists with a powerful tool, enabling them to rapidly envision, produce and test new batteries while collaborating with industry,” she stated last year.
“This state-of-the-art facility will be a magnet for industry, fostering a research and development hub in Nova Scotia that promises to transform the science, the sector and the greening of our economy,” Aiken added.
Battery tech companies that have launched from Dalhousie include clean energy giant Novonix and Atlantic Canadian innovator Zen Energy, a Foresight 50 alumnus.