Canada’s ambitious climate goals have Alberta’s cleantech economy buzzing as innovative startups disrupt traditional models with an eye toward sustainability and renewability.
Acceleware is among the decarbonization technology startups playing the field in Alberta. The Calgary-based firm, founded in 2004, deals in seismic imaging software solutions.
The company believes its state-of-the-art high fidelity imaging provides the most accurate and advanced imaging available for oil exploration in complex geologies.
Beyond seismic imaging software, Acceleware has more recently been investing in Radio Frequency Heating Technology—or as Kyle Bakx described it last year for CBC, “microwaving the oil out of the ground.”
Acceleware is piloting “RF XL,” a patented production technology for heavy oil and oil sands that is low-cost, low-carbon, and “materially different from any heavy oil recovery technique used today,” according to a statement from the company. RF XL uses no water, requires no solvent, has a small physical footprint, can be redeployed from site to site, and can be applied to a multitude of reservoir types.
The vision is that electrification of heavy oil and oil sands production can be made possible through RF XL, thus supporting a transition to cleaner energy production.
Last month, the company was awarded $2 million alongside Aurora Hydrogen from The Hydrogen Centre of Excellence, which was recently launched by Alberta Innovates in order to accelerate technology and innovation across the hydrogen value chain, closing gaps to strengthen Alberta’s hydrogen economy.
It was not the first time Alberta Innovates funded Acceleware; last year, the company received nearly $1 million to support its RF XL pilot facility located in Marwayne.
The most recent capital is helping fund a joint development project involving methane pyrolysis using radio frequency energy. The aim of the project is to further Aurora’s research and development for the creation of a cost-effective method to convert natural gas into hydrogen at point-of-use or in a distributed manner as an alternative to large scale and high-capital centralized hubs, according to a statement.
“We believe that our RF innovation could play a key role in a low cost, distributed, and scalable zero emissions hydrogen production process,” stated Geoff Clark, Chief Executive Officer of Acceleware, in February. “Adding to our current RF XL heavy oil pilot, this project will further develop our core area of expertise—decarbonizing industrial heating applications by replacing combustion with clean electricity-powered RF energy.”
Though the firm was founded nearly two decades ago, Acceleware is moving like a startup again with regard to developing and launching its latest tech—which could allow the company to enter new hydrogen-related industries this year, according to the report from CBC.
Bryan Helfenbaum, executive director of advanced hydrocarbons at Alberta Innovates, told Bakx it was still “early days” for Acceleware.
Acceleware is listed on Canada’s TSX Venture Exchange under the trading symbol “AXE.”
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