Industrial Transformation Challenge 2024

Eligibility

Applicants:

• Open to all categories of lead applicant, including universities, innovators, technology developers, Indigenous communities, industrial facility owners/operators, industrial associations, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), research and development (R&D) organizations, municipalities, not-for-profit organizations, government research labs, and individuals.
• Applicants are not required to be located in Alberta, but all applicants must demonstrate a clear value proposition for the province.
• Collaboration between multiple organizations is eligible and encouraged.

Projects:

EOIs are invited for projects that will advance technology to the stages of field pilot, demonstration, or first-of-kind commercial implementation by project completion (see Call for Expressions of Interest for details). It is incumbent upon applicants to justify how their project qualifies as a novel opportunity. All projects must demonstrate a clear and justified value proposition for reducing GHG emissions in Alberta. Technology solutions can originate from anywhere globally but must be demonstrated or implemented in Alberta during the project. Projects that involve demonstration or implementation of a technology at multiple Alberta sites are eligible for funding.

Summary

Interested applicants are encouraged to contact the Strategic Initiatives and Research Intelligence team (siri@ucalgary.ca).

The 2024 Industrial Transformation Challenge is seeking technology scale-up, pilot demonstration, and first-of-kind projects that present transformative solutions for Alberta’s industrial and natural resource sectors. The 2024 call aims to unlock critical solutions (which may be technologies, practices, or combinations thereof) to reduce emissions and ensure existing and new industries in Alberta remain competitive in a carbon-constrained future. Emission Reduction Alberta’s (ERA) investment strategy is defined by the principles and themes outlined in ERA’s Technology Roadmap (4th edition). This call primarily aligns with the Industrial Transformation, Energy Efficiency, and Circular Economy areas of the Technology Roadmap but is not limited to any particular focus area or technology. ERA is seeking transformative opportunities to position Alberta for success in a future carbon-neutral economy. All proposed solutions must be compatible with decarbonization strategies and must demonstrate a strong line of sight towards realized emissions reductions.

Funding Considerations

ERA requires its funding to be matched on a minimum 1:1 basis with funding from the applicant and/or project partners toward eligible expenses. In other words, for every dollar that ERA provides to a project, there must be at least one dollar from the applicant and/or partners. As such, the maximum ERA contribution to a single project will be no more than 50% of the project’s eligible expenses. Eligible private matching funds includes cash and in-kind contributions.

ERA will not match other federal, provincial, or international government funds provided directly for the proposed project. However, the inclusion of other government funds does not disqualify a project from eligibility. ERA does not have a formal “stacking” limit alongside other government funds as long as the requested ERA contribution is matched at least 1:1 by contributions from the lead applicant and private partners.

Webinar

An informational webinar will be held on May 27, 2024 at 10:00 am (MT). Register here.

Submission Process

There is a two-stage process consisting of an Expression of Interest (EOI) and Full Proposal, which is by invitation only. Both stages of this competition will be part of the Research Management System (RMS), and approvals will be obtained electronically. Research Funding Application Approvals (RFAA) forms are not required as approvals are collected electronically in RMS.

The deadline for Full Proposals is TBA.

1. Expression of Interest (EOI)

The EOI, plus approval in the Research Management System (RMS) using a Pre-Award/Letter of Intent record, must be submitted to RSO by June 18, 2024 at 12:00 pm. Please be sure to select 'Submitted for approval' (under Save & Progress) in RMS in good time to allow for approvals from your Department Head and/or ADR prior to the RSO internal deadline. Consult your department and faculty for more information on their approval processes and timelines.

Once you have received RSO approval, you must submit the EOI by June 21, 2024 at 5:00 pm (MT) using ERA's Emissions Reduction Information Management System (ERIMS).

2. Full Proposal (by invitation only)

The Full Proposal, plus approval in the Research Management System (RMS) using a Pre-Award/Application record,* must be submitted to RSO at least 3 business days ahead of the ERA deadline (at 12:00 pm). Please be sure to select 'Submitted for approval' (under Save & Progress) in RMS in good time to allow for approvals from your Department Head and/or ADR prior to the RSO internal deadline. Consult your department and faculty for more information on their approval processes and timelines.

*Creation of a new Pre-Award/Application record in RMS is not necessary. You can automatically generate an Application record from the existing LOI record by changing the status of the LOI record to 'Invited to full application' (under Save & Progress).

Do not submit to the agency until RSO's approval has been granted in RMS. Once this institutional approval has been obtained, the Principal Investigator will receive an automated message from RMS to their @ucalgary email address. You can then proceed with submitting your application  by the ERA deadline (TBA).

Please note: Following the Expression of Interest (EOI) stage, Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA) may ask the University of Calgary to internally rank proposed projects if multiple submissions are invited to the full application stage. If necessary, the internal ranking process would be conducted as an internal Letter of Intent (LOI) stage by the Office of the Vice-President (Research) in summer 2024. Applicants are therefore encouraged to collaborate within the university to form team projects to present the strongest proposals possible.

Program Resources

• Industrial Transformation Challenge EOI Guidelines
• ERA Cost Guidelines
• Industrial Transformation Challenge FAQs
• ERA contact:applications@eralberta.ca

Overhead

15%

Pre-application deadlines

RSO internal deadline

Pre-application program deadline

Application deadlines

RSO final internal review deadline

Program application deadline

NOTE: Consult your Faculty Associate Dean (Research) (ADR) regarding Faculty-specific deadlines and submission processes.

Principal Investigators: Complete a Research Management System (RMS) record, including a copy of your complete application, and submit this for approvals in RMS.

Postdocs, students, and trainees: For fellowships and externally-sponsored research training awards or opportunities, you must complete the Research Funding Application Approval (RFAA) Trainee PDF form, and submit it, along with a complete copy of the application, to Research Services at rsotrainee@ucalgary.ca. Trainees should not use RMS at this time.

Approvals: The University of Calgary requires that all funding applications be approved prior to submission. Approval requires signatures via either RMS or the RFAA Trainee form, in the following order:

• Principal Investigator
• Department Head
• Faculty ADR/Dean
• Research Services (on behalf of the Vice-President Research)

Read the Meaning of Grant Signatures policy to understand what your approval means. Please see the agency guidelines for details about which signatures are required on your application, as it may differ from internal requirements.

Late submissions: Late submissions will only be accepted in cases of medical or family emergencies, or other exceptional circumstances. If you submit your RMS record to Research Services after the internal deadline has passed, you must secure additional approvals. Please read: Late Applications Process.

RESOURCES 

Support for projects involving Indigenous Research: 

Support with the development of your grant application is available through the Indigenous Research Support Team (IRST). Applicants can reach out by email to IRST at IRST@ucalgary.ca in advance of the RSO internal deadline. For more information about IRST, please visit the IRST webpage. 

Support for Knowledge Engagement: 

Support for knowledge mobilization/engagement/translation, community partnerships, and responsible research assessment (DORA) is available through the Knowledge Engagement Team. Applicants can reach out by email to the KE team at knowledge.engagement@ucalgary.ca. For more information, please visit the KE team webpage. 

Support for Research Data Management: 

For information on research data management plans, processes, or best practices for your research program, please contact research.data@ucalgary.ca OR research.data@ucalgary.libanswers.com. 

Support for EDI in Research: 

RSO can provide resources and support to research teams on the integration of equitable and inclusive practices in research design and research practice. Contact Jaya.Dixit@ucalgary.ca for more information. 

Support for Research Security: 

The Research Security Division is available to assist researchers adhere to research security guidelines and policies, including the National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships (NSGRP) and the new policy on Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern (STRAC). Visit the Research Security website to learn more or contact researchsecurity@ucalgary.ca.  

Reminder: The sooner the researcher engages with RSO units, the more help we can be! 

RMS: Creating a Pre-Award LOI 

RMS: Creating a Pre-Award Application