Northern Energy Chair to support Canada’s North
Yukon College has been awarded an Industrial Research Chair for Colleges in Northern Energy Innovation from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). This position is supported by electricity companies in all three Canadian territories to solve challenges faced by the northern energy industry.
The Northern Energy Innovation Chair, Dr. Michael Ross will work closely with a pan-territorial consortium comprised of ATCO Electric, Northwest Territories Power Corporation, Qulliq Energy Corporation Nunavut, and Yukon Energy Corporation. These companies have matched NSERC’s one million dollar contribution by each committing $50,000 per year over the next five years.
“This prestigious award will support Yukon Research Centre in doing what we do best: solving northern problems with northern expertise through partnership,” said Janet Moodie, Interim President and Vice Chancellor, Yukon College. “The Chair’s research will serve Canada’s North by addressing northern energy challenges while sharing these results publicly and transferring this knowledge to industrial partners, Canada’s territorial colleges, and the scientific community at large.”
Dr. Ross and the Consortium aim to achieve the highest level of efficiency, reliability, cost reduction, and enhanced environmental stewardship standards in the northern energy industry through applied research and innovation.
“Utilities in the North face some common challenges, including isolated grids, reliance on diesel, and aging infrastructure,” Consortium Chair and President of Yukon Energy, Andrew Hall, said. “The Consortium believes that we can address these challenges most efficiently by combining our efforts through the creation of this Chair position.”
Dr. Ross will focus his research projects on the following areas as identified by the Consortium: integration of renewable energy into isolated community grids, energy storage, diesel efficiencies, independent energy valuation, residential and utility partnership, and demand side management.
Over the coming months, Dr. Ross will work closely with the consortium to identify specific research projects that will be developed and implemented throughout all three territories over the next five years.
The Chair in Northern Energy Innovation is Yukon College’s second NSERC Industrial Research Chair. In 2013 Dr. Amelie Janin was hired as Yukon College’s Industrial Research Chair in Mine Life Cycle. Janin is entering her fourth year of the five year program.
The Yukon Research Centre is funded by Government of Yukon’s Department of Education with funding for Cold Climate Innovation from Economic Development.