By James Noble
March 26, 2015
From desalination systems for drought-stricken areas to building the first solar power station in Sub-Saharan Africa, Canadian companies have established themselves leaders in the clean tech industry. Roughly 74 percentof Canadian clean-tech companies sell their products and services outside Canada, helping make cleantech the fastest growing sector in the Canadian economy.
Canadian solar power company, SkyPower Global recently inked a $5B deal to build 3,000 megawatts of utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) power plants for the government of Egypt. In partnership with International Gulf Development (IGD), the Egyptian SkyPower Global deal signifies an important milestone for international cleantech business and also for Egypt.
It is expected that SkyPower’s solar PV projects will add approximately $16.1 billion to the Egyptian economy resulting in opportunities for employment, skills training and education.
Elsewhere in Africa, the Canadian firm Windiga Energy Inc. is currently building a PV plant in Burkina Faso, a first for the African nation. The $50 million project will be the largest PV power station in Sub-Saharan Africa. The 20-megawatt PV plant will employ about 150 Burkinabe workers and will act as a catalyst for economic development in the area.
In North America, the state of California has experienced an unprecedented 10-year drought and is testing a Canadian desalination system to help overcome the drought’s impact.
H20 Innovation, located in Quebec City, Quebec, utilizes an ultrafiltration process and reverse osmosis to treat water. Once fully treated, the water is compliant with indirect potable reuse regulations. This water treatment system will feed the San Rosa Creek and San Simeon Creek aquifers that serve as fresh water sources for the region.
Cleantech exports are among the most diverse of any sector and businesses the world over are competing to provide tomorrow’s clean energy solutions. However, equipped with cutting-edge technology and a highly skilled workforce, Canadian cleantech companies stand to become a long-term force in the global green economy.
