NRC capabilities in clean energy and resources

Component and system validation

• Third party validation of materials, cells, packs, modules and systems
• Development of codes, standards and testing protocols
• Failure and abuse testing: full-scale and component
• Accelerated testing and stressor analysis

Technical and market analysis

• Techno-economic assessment of smart grid technologies
• Codes and standards development and support, including technological and metrological support for electrical standards
• Technology analysis and roadmap development
• Component and system cost analysis

Materials and storage technologies

• Battery raw materials processing and upgrading analysis and optimisation (lithium, graphite, vanadium, silicon)
• Development of new and optimized materials (anode/cathode/electrolytes)
• Electrochemical materials development and validation (polymers, ceramics, catalysts)
• Analysis of safety and failure modes and effects
• Graphene nanomaterials, characterisation, reference materials and standards

Systems and grid integration

• Demonstration support including factory acceptance and site acceptance test development and deployment
• Systems modeling and optimization
• Optimal dispatch scenarios and analysis
• Safety analysis including failure modes and effects analysis, and hazard and operability
• Communication, controls, and data acquisition design and deployment
• Self-managing and self-healing power apparatus, including health monitoring and precision fault location
• Vehicle-to-grid and charging infrastructure

Low carbon fuels

• Ground-based and in-flight fuel testing
• Static engine testing and engine test cells
• Engine qualification testing
• Modifications to components and fuel systems
• Assessment of materials and coating compatibility with alternative fuels
• Techno-economic assessment of smart grid technologies
• Codes and standards development and support, including technological and metrological support for electrical standards
• Technology analysis and roadmap development
• Component and system cost analysis

Biomass conversion

• Pre-treatment and biomass conversion technologies (microbial processes, torrefaction, pyrolysis and gasification) to reduce cost and enhance conversion efficiency and energy density
• Optimizing processes for biofuel upgrading

Cleaner combustion

• Adapting conventional power generation technology to work with fossil fuel derivatives, including gasified coal, biomass and municipal waste
• Solving biofuel power plant compatibility issues
• Enhancing performance of reciprocating and gas turbine engines and components to enhance fuel flexibility, improve operability, optimise systems and reduce emissions
• Combustion and integration of fuels with conversion systems for Combined Heat and Power (CHP) and mobile applications

Testing and demonstration

• Design, develop, demonstrate, deploy new value-added bio-refining products and processes
• Small and pilot-scale fermentation and bioconversion pilot plants
• Biomass combined heat and power testing and training hub for remote communities
• Demonstrate new, cleaner low-emission combustors from technology readiness level 3 to 6
• Techno-economics and codes and standards support
• Flew first civil jet powered by 100% unblended biofuel
• Qualification of new fuels from bench-scale to full-scale engine testing

Electrification

• More electric aircraft and hybrid propulsion
• Battery raw materials processing, optimization, validation
• Battery components development and validation
• Battery safety and failure modes analysis for impact of duty cycles on lifetime
• Numerical simulation and modeling of lithium battery cells and packs
• Hydrogen fuel cell vehicle component manufacturing
• Manufacturing and materials for low cost electric motors

Lightweighting

• Aluminium and hybrid components and structures: specialised aluminium forming, assembling, corrosion control and performance validation
• Plastic and bioplastic formulation, compounding and processing
• Conventional and advanced composite and bio-composite formulation development and manufacturing

Performance and certification testing

• Aircraft and surface vehicle drag reduction
• Reducing fuel burn
• Wind tunnels and engine test facilities
• Developing and validating technologies to meet environmental, safety, cost-reduction, performance, and fuel flexibility requirements
• Validation and safety-testing services to ease the adoption of new electrification technologies
• Vehicle level integration and testing

Alternative fuels and emission control

• Qualification of alternative fuels
• Combustion and fuel nozzle development and evaluation
• Engine and turbomachinery aerodynamics
• Technologies and materials to reduce friction losses
• Selective catalytic reduction component development
• Catalyst material and catalyst support development
• Numerical simulation and modeling of engine systems

Clean hydrogen

• Custom H₂-certified facility
• Codes and standards expertise and support
• Catalyst and membrane materials development, design, testing
• Electrochemical energy conversion: H₂, fuel cells, electrolysers
• H₂ storage

Process efficiency

• Process development and optimization: sensors and materials to improve mining process efficiency
• Microbial electrochemical technology (MET): produce direct current from biodegradable materials for energy neutral / energy positive wastewater treatment

Emissions measurement

• Measurement methods and standards for black carbon (BC) and other emissions for aviation, marine, on-road, upstream oil and gas sectors
• Support development of new emission certification standards
• Ground-based and airborne monitoring of environmental and air pollutants
• Algae cultivation using industrial CO₂ emissions as feedstock and processing of algal biomass into sustainable products including biofuels

Functional materials

• Site-built wall and floor assemblies with improved wood-based products
• Renewable, biocompatible, biodegradable value-added nano materials
• Solid state lighting (LED) metrology: Enabler for high energy efficiency lighting solution, to achieve significant energy savings while providing critical lighting solutions to green infrastructure

Codes and standards

• Codes and standards advice and support: National Energy Code of Canada for Buildings, setting out technical requirements for the energy efficient design and construction of new buildings
• Development of detection (e.g. nanoparticles in water and food supply) and characterization tools, reference materials
• Standards development assistance to facilitate environment, health and safety, and regulatory work as well as commercial development

Building envelope

• Façade technologies to make buildings more thermally efficient while harvesting energy, managing solar load and performing requirements for natural light, durability and moisture management
• Low energy solutions and technologies
• Human factors research to define control strategies for improved energy efficiency and organizational productivity
• 3D image metrology to enhance processes and minimise waste and to evaluate building structures for repair to extend service life

ICT and grid integration

• Intelligent environmental control
• Interactive platforms standardised communication and management solutions
• Connecting and integrating building energy systems, vehicle charging stations and smart grid
• Components targeting high data-density, short reach applications to alleviate congestion in access networks and data centres
• Grid impact analysis, big data analytics (smart meters, network analysis), systems modeling and integration