Two companies based in British Columbia are receiving provincial support to deploy technology aimed at strengthening backup power reliability for general aviation aircraft in the region.
Up to $1 million through B.C.’s Integrated Marketplace is earmarked for Abbotsford-based Fast Air to deploy a mobile battery and solar power system developed by Richmond-based Holinova at the Abbotsford International Airport.
“B.C. is home to world-class innovators building technology that keeps our province running,” commented Adrian Dix, acting Minister of Jobs and Economic Growth. “We’re supporting companies like Fast Air and Holinova as they replace fossil fuels with clean battery storage, strengthening backup power for the aircraft behind wildfire response, medical transport, and search and rescue.”
The system is designed to power ground equipment and aircraft charging needs without relying on the electrical grid, providing a clean alternative to traditional diesel-powered backup power systems while helping maintain operations during outages or high-demand situations.
Through the Integrated Marketplace, “we’re connecting innovators with industry partners like Fast Air so they can test, validate, and scale their technologies in real operating environments,” says Rick Glumac, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence and New Technologies. “By supporting projects like this, we’re strengthening emergency preparedness, creating good jobs, and demonstrating the kind of made-in-B.C. innovation that is helping grow our economy through the Look West strategy.”
Fast Air’s facility at the Abbotsford International Airport is a hub for mission-critical aircraft used in emergencies, including wildfire response, medical evacuations and search and rescue.
The project will demonstrate how resilient energy systems can support general aviation facilities during emergency-response scenarios, according to Fast Air chief executive officer Dylan Fast, serving as a scalable model for sustainable infrastructure throughout Canada.
“Reliable operations are incredibly important to us, especially during emergencies when communities depend on aviation services most,” stated Fast. “We’re excited to work alongside Holinova and the Province to test innovative energy solutions that can help strengthen resilience, support critical aviation operations, and keep essential services moving during power outages and emergency situations.”
“Projects like this are an important step toward building more reliable and sustainable aviation infrastructure for communities across British Columbia,” Fast believes.
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,” says Thomas Ligocki, managing partner at Holinova.
The Fast Air-Holinova project is the second project launched under Integrated Marketplace’s Forestry Innovation and Emergency Management Testbed.
“As communities face more frequent and complex emergencies, there is a growing need for innovative technologies that can improve preparedness, response and resilience,” posits Peter Cowan, CEO of Innovate BC. “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.”
Created by the Government of B.C. in partnership with PacifiCan in 2023, the Integrated Marketplace is a demand-driven platform delivered by Innovate BC and helps B.C. companies test, deploy and scale their innovations in real-world environments, while de-risking technology adoption for partnering industry customers.
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