Four British Columbia-based companies have been selected to participate in a new Innovation Challenge aimed at reducing diesel reliance across remote Canadian Coast Guard operations.
Delivered through Innovate BC’s Integrated Marketplace and enabled by the BC Marine Energy and Decarbonization Hub—a joint initiative of COAST and the University of Victoria—the Challenge is focused on advancing clean energy solutions for hard-to-access coastal sites.
The initiative targets technologies that can displace diesel generation using renewable energy sources, including marine-based power, alongside advanced storage and energy management systems. Solutions must be modular, scalable, and rapidly deployable to meet the operational realities of remote coastal infrastructure.
Selected participants include Ascent Systems Technologies, Cleohydron Innovation, Mostar Labs, and Voltai. Each company will receive up to $100,000 in funding, covering 50% of eligible project costs, along with access to lab and office space at the Marine Technology Centre in North Saanich. Participants will also work directly with Canadian Coast Guard technical teams and researchers from the Accelerating Community Energy Transformation (ACET) initiative.
Ascent Systems Technologies is adapting its Autonomous Environment Monitoring and Surveillance platform into a ruggedized clean-energy system designed for long-term deployment in harsh marine environments. Cleohydron Innovation is advancing a hydrogen production system tailored for remote coastal sites, aiming to move from lab validation to a deployment-ready prototype.
Mostar Labs is developing a floating renewable energy platform capable of delivering stable, three-phase power in challenging ocean conditions, while Voltai is testing a modular wave energy system designed to integrate into hybrid microgrids supporting remote infrastructure.
Beyond supporting pilot development, the Challenge is expected to inform future federal procurement strategies, potentially positioning successful technologies for broader adoption.
COAST, an initiative of the South Island Prosperity Partnership, is backed by funding from PacifiCan and the B.C. Ministry of Energy and Climate Solutions, with a mandate to accelerate ocean innovation across the region.
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