GLOBE-Net, June 8, 2012 - Ontario is
taking another step to implement its Clean Energy Economic Development
Strategy with the launch of the Clean Energy Institute,
designed to create new jobs in the clean energy sector.
Announced today by Ontario's Minister of Energy in
partnership with the Ministry of Economic Development and
Innovation, the new institute will bring together
industry leaders and utility companies to build on Ontario's
strengths in smart grid technologies and other clean energy
innovations.
Created in partnership with the Toronto-based
the MaRS Cleantech Practice, the institute will
support and expand domestic and international business
opportunities to better position Ontario to capitalize on the
rapidly expanding $250 billion clean energy
industry.
The vision for the Institute is to be a powerful catalyst
for energy sector collaboration. It would drive long-range
regulatory and policy planning, set research and commercialization
priorities for Ontario's clean energy technologies, and establish a
strong presence in domestic and international export
markets.
The announcement took place before 200
clean energy experts meeting at the MaRS Future of Energy
Summit to exchange ideas about how to leverage
Ontario's clean energy expertise to global markets and create
jobs.
The summit focused on a number of areas
including designing the grid of the future and featured a showcase
of smart grid innovators including a number of Ontario's Smart Grid Fund
recipients.
Global investment in clean energy projects is expected to
mobilize nearly $7 trillion of new capital over the next 20 years,
notes Dr. Ilse Treurnicht, CEO, MaRS Discovery
District.
"By combining Ontario's robust energy innovation pipeline with
the collaborative efforts of public and private industry
stakeholders, I believe this province is on track to become a
leading exporter of the next generation of energy technologies,"
she said.
The MaRS Future of Energy
Summit heard from senior Cabinet
ministers, researchers and entrepreneurs, public sector
distributors, regulators, and utilities managers, and private
sector industry leaders.
The Summit's five themes included: Using the power of clean
energy data, designing the grid of the future, combining different
energy sources and uses, examining emerging energy generation and
storage technologies, and supporting the commercialization of new
energy technology.
Located in Toronto's Discovery District (two square kilometres
designated as the city's centre of innovation), the MaRS Centre is
the gateway to Canada's largest concentration of scientific
research. It is anchored by major teaching hospitals, the
University of Toronto and more than two dozen affiliated research
institutes.
The Centre also neighbours the Bay Street financial district,
the provincial legislature and key government organizations, as
well as arts and cultural attractions.
Construction of Phase 2 is underway. This expansion will make
the MaRS Centre one of the largest urban innovation hubs in the
world.