Talk of clean technology at one time may have conjured up images of mad scientists hovering over
kitchen counter labs. Those days are long gone. As the burgeoning cleantech movement has matured, it
has followed the trajectory of another sector that has made its way from the fringe to become a central
pillar of our economy: ICT or information and communications technologies.
Beyond parallels in innovation trajectories, ICT and environmental technology companies share another
important bond. Quite simply – data collection, analysis and communication are critical enablers for
more intelligently managing important resources like energy or water, optimizing transportation routes,
or tracking emissions and effluents.
This growing convergence was front and centre this past December at the Canada-Brazil Smart Grid
Match-Making Mission, hosted by ISTP Canada in conjunction with Smart Grid Canada, Ryerson
University, BCIT (British Columbia Institute of Technology) and other regional and federal partners.
Taking place in Toronto and Vancouver, the mission united over 40 Brazilian and Chilean delegates,
attracted nearly 200 Canadian industry, utility, academic and government representatives, and served as
the backdrop for over 300 one-on-one meetings dedicated to identifying prospective R&D, partnership
and new market opportunities in the cleantech sector.
Mission presenter, Carlos Marcio Ferrera, Chief Operating Officer of a leading energy generation and
distribution company in Brazil called CPFL Energia, noted several drivers fueling Brazil’s interest in smart
grid innovation. These include growing electrical demand as the population and economy expands, local
targets for reducing CO2 emissions, and growth constraints on existing electricity networks in Brazil.
Brazil already has the third largest electricity sector in the Western Hemisphere, behind the United
States and Canada. But according to the US Energy Information Administration, Brazil’s energy demand
is expected to grow by a rate of 2.6 percent per year through 2030 – more than four times the average
for OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries. Add to this the fact
that Brazil’s extensive existing and planned hydroelectric network is increasingly vulnerable to extreme
weather events linked to climate change, and it becomes clear that companies offering solutions for
conserving energy and building more resilient energy infrastructure have a bright future in the region.
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At the Toronto event, Ravi Seethapathy from Ontario’s Hydro One Networks Inc., which operates one of
North America’s largest transmission and distribution systems, highlighted influential segments within
the smart grid sector, including customer control, utility flexibility and adaptive infrastructure. While
visibility to such opportunities is an important step forward, how can Canadian companies take further
steps toward establishing R&D and business relationships, better understand global supply chains, and
ultimately boost trade between Canada and Brazil?
Bharat Rudra, Country Manager for Brazil and India at ISTP Canada – an organization dedicated to
strengthening Canada’s global competiveness by increasing bi-lateral R&D and business collaboration
with three key trade countries (Brazil, China and India) – cites the important role national industry
organizations such as Smart Grid Canada play in building industry capacity and promoting Canadian
expertise internationally. Establishing relationships with R&D partners such as Ryerson University and
BCIT (institutions at the forefront of smart grid research that already regularly partner with private
sector firms) can also help accelerate the development and adoption of novel smart grid applications
and technologies.
Finally, the importance of assessing, testing and demonstrating solutions at sufficient scale cannot be
overstated. For the smart grid movement, major utilities like BC Hydro or independent test labs like
Powertech (a subsidiary of BC Hydro) serve as ‘playgrounds’ for would-be international customers and
partners that place great value in the ability to interact directly with technologies in real-world or highly
controlled environments.
The fact that building a strong story at home can translate into improved prospects abroad bodes
well for Canadian businesses in the smart grid sector. As the line between cleantech and information
and communications technologies continues to blur and bi-lateral partnerships emerge earlier in
the innovation cycle, Canada’s historical leadership in ICT and emerging community of smart grid
innovators is poised to spawn solutions that fit just as nicely into overseas markets as they do in our
own backyards.
For more information about ISTP’s trade mission and R&D funding programs and global
innovation networks that may be applicable to your business, visit: www.istpcanada.ca/Events/
canadabrazilsmartgrid/index.php
About the Author
Garrick Ng is Vice President of the Innovolve Group, the sustainability consultancy behind the annual
Canadian Water Summit. www.innovolve.com
