Two British Columbia companies are teaming up to test a mobile clean-energy system designed to keep mission-critical aircraft operating when the electrical grid goes down.
Abbotsford-based Fast Air will receive up to $1 million through B.C.’s Integrated Marketplace to deploy a battery and solar power system developed by Richmond-based Holinova at Abbotsford International Airport.
The technology will supply off-grid power for ground equipment and aircraft charging, providing an alternative to the diesel generators commonly used during outages and periods of high demand.
Fast Air’s Abbotsford facility supports aircraft involved in wildfire response, medical evacuations, and search-and-rescue operations. Disasters such as wildfires, floods, and major storms can interrupt electricity precisely when those aviation services are most urgently needed.
“Reliable operations are incredibly important to us, especially during emergencies when communities depend on aviation services most,” said Dylan Fast, president and CEO of Fast Air.
The pilot will evaluate whether portable renewable-energy systems can improve charging efficiency, accommodate changing aircraft movements, and add electrical capacity without the expense and delays associated with permanent infrastructure.
Fast Air and Holinova expect the system to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions while improving the reliability of aviation operations during grid disruptions. The companies also see the project as a potential model for sustainable and emergency-ready fixed-base operator infrastructure elsewhere in Canada.
The initiative is the second project launched through the Forestry Innovation and Emergency Management Testbed, which was introduced in December 2025. The testbed supports technologies that could improve emergency response, strengthen resilience, streamline processes, and create efficiencies in British Columbia’s forestry sector.
“Through the Integrated Marketplace, we’re helping our innovators put their solutions to work in real operational environments, creating a pathway to adoption while giving companies the traction they need to scale,” said Peter Cowan, president and CEO of Innovate BC.
Created by the governments of British Columbia and Canada through PacifiCan in 2023, the Integrated Marketplace is delivered by Innovate BC. The program connects local technology companies with industry partners where their products can be tested and validated under real operating conditions.
The Fast Air-Holinova collaboration also forms part of the province’s Look West economic strategy, which targets growth in sectors including technology, aerospace, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, life sciences, marine industries, and critical minerals.
“Through the Integrated Marketplace, Innovate BC is empowering viable innovative companies to solve real-world challenges and offering a meaningful catalyst for the next B.C. technology unicorns,” said Thomas Ligocki, managing partner at Holinova.