Montreal, June 18, 2024 – RECYC-QUÉBEC and Cycle Momentum are joining forces to mobilize Quebec’s industrial ecosystem to tackle the challenges and seize the opportunities associated with e managing energy transition materials through a circular economy perspective. This initiative includes an Innovation Challenge, targeting the wind energy and electric vehicle battery sectors, was officially unveiled today at Cycle Momentum’s Green Light event, held as part of the Climate Solutions Festival in Montreal. The announcement was made in front of a estemmed audience comprising business leaders and cleantech innovators.
Through this partnership, RECYC-QUÉBEC aims to identify innovative and practical solutions that promote the reuse and recycling of materials, as well as eco-design approaches by manufacturers to optimize upstream processes. The primary objective is to effectively manage the materials involved in the energy transition, particularly those resulting from wind power generation and the growing use of batteries for electric vehicles. This collaboration reinforces, RECYC-QUÉBEC’s role as facilitator, fostering industry collaborations to encourage innovative and circular approaches to managing residual materials in this rapidly expanding sector.
Opportunities for the energy sector
This strategic collaboration between RECYC-QUÉBEC and Cycle Momentum follows the recommendations outlined in the 2022 study on current and projected material deposits required for Quebec’s energy transition. The ongoing energy transformation is expected to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions while generating new materials that require effective end-of-life managementIn 2021, Quebec generated 4,000 tonnes of energy transition-related materials, a figure projected to rise to approximately 142,000 tonnes by 2030 and over 296,000 tonnes by 2050. The wind power (49%) and electric vehicle (47%) sectors are expected to be the primary contributors to this substantial increase.
Quotes
“We shouldn’t wait before implementing circular economy strategies. The time to act is now, to put mechanisms in place to manage the materials of the energy transition when they reach end-of-life. Cycle Momentum’s expertise in the cleantech investment sector combined with RECYC-QUÉBEC’s expertise in residual materials management is a winning collaboration.”, said Emmanuelle Géhin, President and CEO, RECYC-QUÉBEC.
“At Cycle Momentum, we firmly believe that innovation and collaboration are key to adressing the challenges of the energy transition. This partnership with RECYC-QUÉBEC will catalyze innovative solutions that will not only reduce environmental impact but also create new economic opportunities for Quebec. Together, we can turn challenges into opportunities and build a more sustainable future.”, stated Patrick Gagné, President and CEO, Cycle Momentum
Highlights
- Quebec’s energy transition to meet government targets for reducing GHG emissions is necessary and involves the use of equipment and infrastructure that will increase over the coming years. As part of this process, proactive planning for product design and end-of-life management is crucial to address the challenges associated with these emerging materials.
- The implementation of eco-design and circularity strategies – with a view to reducing waste at source – is essential to ensure the sustainable management of materials for the energy transition.
- Product life spans vary from 10 years for electric vehicle batteries and charging stations, while the first wind farms installed in Quebec are nearing the end of their lifespan (20-25 years).
- The materials to be managed as part of Quebec’s energy transition mainly include concrete, aluminum, ferrous metals, and critical and strategic minerals.
- To find out more about the current situation for energy transition materials, see the 2022 study documents:
- Highlights: https://www.recyc-quebec.gouv.qc.ca/sites/default/files/documents/etude-materials-transition-highlights.pdf
- Full report: https://www.recyc-quebec.gouv.qc.ca/sites/default/files/documents/etude-materiaux-transition.pdf
About Cycle Momentum – www.cyclemomentum.com/fr/
Cycle Momentum is an international acceleration and innovation platform bringing together entrepreneurs, companies, investors, and innovators. Our mission is to enable the identification and development of cutting-edge technologies to tackle the climate crisis. As a member of the Cycle Capital platform, Cycle Momentum offers entrepreneurs acceleration programs to support their growth. We also offer investment and collaboration opportunities through our extensive network of investors and industry partners.
About RECYC-QUÉBEC – www.recyc-quebec.gouv.qc.ca
RECYC-QUÉBEC is a Crown corporation created in 1990 with the aim of making Quebec a model of innovative, sustainable waste management for a zero-waste society. RECYC-QUÉBEC promotes, develops, and encourages the reduction, reuse, recovery, and recycling of containers, packaging, materials, and products, as well as their reclamation, with a view to the circular economy and the fight against climate change.
Source: RECYC-QUÉBEC
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