Edmonton, March 21, 2023 - Alberta Ecotrust Foundation, a charity that leads urban climate change action through their Climate Innovation Fund, has announced its’ Carbon Capture for Nonprofits initiative with the first of several installations of a CarbinX™ unit intended for nonprofit owned and/or operated buildings in the coming months.

“We are thrilled to work with our partners to bring this technology, created by the Calgary based company, CleanO2, to nonprofits in Calgary and Edmonton,” shared Alberta Ecotrust Foundation Program Specialist Adil Shivji. “This project will allow nonprofits that operate buildings to reduce their environmental footprint while also improving their financial resilience through lower overall operating costs.”  

The CarbinX™ Solution

Small-scale carbon capture and storage units can be used to relatively quickly reduce building energy use and emissions. Alberta Ecotrust Foundation, with support from Cenovus, is partnering with CleanO2 to install their CarbinX™ technology in buildings operated by nonprofits across Calgary and Edmonton this year. Nonprofit disabilities and mental health services provider Excel Society received the first of these installations earlier this year. 

CarbinX™ units capture carbon dioxide emissions from building heating systems and turn them into non-toxic pearl ash (potassium carbonate). The heat from the exhaust, as well as the exothermic reaction within the unit is recovered and used, resulting in lower natural gas consumption.

CleanO2 upcycles the pearl ash into cleaning products, thus creating the world’s first carbon capture soap. This truly innovative product is available for consumers to purchase. 

It is estimated that this first installation at the Excel Society building will reduce 6 t CO2e/Unit/year of natural gas emissions and capture another 5 t CO2e/Unit/year.

The Carbon Capture for Nonprofits initiative is part of the Climate Innovation Fund, which targets major urban greenhouse gas emissions in Calgary and Edmonton by identifying, investing in and scaling up a broad range of solutions that address climate change. Through the carbon capture initiative, Alberta Ecotrust will work with nonprofits, charities and social housing organizations in Calgary and Edmonton to install the Clean O2 CarbinX™ unit in their buildings, so they can reduce emissions, lower costs, and improve building performance. If you are interested in participating in this project, contact our Climate Innovation Fund team at cif@albertaecotrust.com.

Quotes

“The Government of Canada is pleased to support innovative solutions like CarbinX. This is a great example of how carbon capture technology can be used to create consumer products while reducing emissions. We are pleased to be working with Low Carbon Cities Canada and the Alberta Ecotrust Foundation to continue the deployment of impactful technologies in Alberta.” - The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources

“Alberta Ecotrust and the Excel Society have been great partners. They recognize that with devices like ours doing the right thing for the climate doesn’t have to incur a cost premium. To the contrary, it can improve operational efficiency and reduce energy costs.” - Jaeson Cardiff, CEO of CleanO2, makers of CarbinX carbon capture devices. 

“At Cenovus, we’re committed to finding innovative ways to develop resilient communities and help solve environmental, economic and social challenges. This pilot program has the potential to both lower carbon emissions and reduce operating costs for nonprofits, allowing them to dedicate more of their financial resources to their primary work.” – Jessica Yarnell, Senior Social Investment Advisor, Cenovus.

“Like all not-for-profit, for-purpose organizations, the Excel Society is constantly challenged to provide the highest level of service while effectively allocating our resources. This project is a fantastic way for us to reduce costs while also lowering our carbon footprint. We’re excited to be involved and to see the project grow to include others in our sector.” - Chris Tomson/Learning & Organizational Development Director, Excel Society.

About Alberta Ecotrust Foundation 

Alberta Ecotrust is a nonprofit organization dedicated to leading urban climate change action through community-based initiatives in Alberta, Canada. Its mission is to empower Albertans to take action on environmental issues by providing grants, fostering partnerships, and building networks of support. Its focus areas include water, land use, and climate change. To learn more about our programs and how you can get involved, please visit albertaecotrust.com.

About the Climate Innovation Fund

Alberta Ecotrust Foundation is a founding member of the Low Carbon Cities Canada (LC3) network, implemented in partnership among seven local centres across Canada and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. Funded by the Government of Canada, LC3 is part of a national investment in municipal climate action to accelerate urban climate solutions and to help achieve Canada’s climate goal of net-zero by 2050.

As an LC3 centre, Alberta Ecotrust received a $43.4 million endowment from the Government of Canada to create the Climate Innovation Fund. The Fund provides programming in Calgary and Edmonton, taking on a nimble, accelerator role, complementing and advancing the leadership work undertaken by the municipalities. Learn more about the Climate Innovation Fund.

For more information, please contact:

Maureen Ezeodumegwu, Communication Manager, Alberta Ecotrust Foundation

m.ezeodumegwu@albertaecotrust.com