The project is focused on supporting the idea of establishing small wind turbine units to generate electricity by each owner either for domestic or commercial use. The main benefit to the individual will be paying low electric bills which might reach zero if they generate all their capacity consumptions. Also, these units can be installed on the roofs of the residential houses, buildings, malls, gas stations to generate free electricity.

Thousands of kilometers sewage pipelines suffer from severe bio-corrosion caused by prolonged exposure to highly aggressive environments. Over the past several decades, many approaches have been developed to reduce the risk of concrete bio-corrosion with variable degrees of success. Over the last 6 years at UBC, a novel cement-free corrosion-resistant coating material was developed to enhance pipes durability and service-life. The proposed project aims to develop sprayable MCC coating for repair and strengthening of corroded wastewater pipes.

As lithium-ion batteries continue to expand in use, new applications such as electric vehicles have increasing demands for higher energy density and longer life batteries. Improvements beyond the industry standards will be achieved using new, innovative materials that will result in increased performance. Through this project, the intern will work on synthesis and processing new anode and cathode materials and work to demonstrate improved performance of those materials in full Li-ion batteries.

This project is a collaboration between NORSAT International Inc. and Laboratory for Alternative Energy Conversion (LAEC) at SFU to commercialize novel and efficient cooling solutions for NORSAT ATOM series BUCs and SSPAs. NORSAT amplifiers are typically 15-20% efficient meaning up to 85% of the applied electrical power is dissipated as heat. The heat is removed by means of several ways in the current design e.g. heat sinks, heat pipes, and fans which is about 50% of the amplifier size.

The development of novel biotechnologies will be a key component of the economic growth and development of Canada’s changing economy. A critical component of this will be fostering the development of start-up companies that can capitalize on these new opportunities. The Myera Group is an indigenous-led company in Manitoba that is developing novel biotechnologies for Canada’s new economy. This project focuses on the development of microorganisms that can produce a profile of novel high-value carotenoids (chemically related to ?-carotene).

Testing industrial facilities including pipelines and tanks are key to optimize operation and maintenance costs in heavy industries such as oil and gas. Hazardous industrial spaces (e.g. confined spaces) are of the most challenging and costly areas to inspect. WorksafeBC has reported about 18 people have been annually killed in confined spaces in BC, in the last decade. Avestec is focused on development and commercialization of a novel flying robot (Robotic UAV) for inspection of hazardous spaces such as interior of tanks for various industries.

This project focuses on the development of new solvents, to replace those that are currently used in industrial processes. Currently, the majority of solvents used in industry are harmful to both people and the environment. These solvents are full of volatile organic compounds, which are released to the atmosphere and contribute to smog formation. Globally, smog is a major risk factor for human health, following only malnutrition, dietary risks, high blood pressure, and tobacco.

The proposed research work will be a breakthrough in the emerging data engineering field, especially in satellite data management, Machine learning algorithms, quality and quantitative analytics. The machine learning platform quickly scans vast archives of satellite images and delivers usable insights to decision makers.

Heat and electricity generation from biomass combustion in power boilers and co-generation plants produces large quantities of ash residues in British Columbia (BC) each year. In 2013, approximately two thirds of the produced ash were landfilled in Canada and only the remaining one third beneficially utilized. On the other hand, high-quality construction materials are rare in many parts of the world, and most often engineers are forced to seek alternatives to reach the stipulated requirements.

Canada has committed to combatting climate change. To do this, Canada must find ways to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the country’s most polluting sectors. Transportation accounts for roughly a quarter of the country’s total GHG emissions, and though electric vehicles have been identified as a promising strategy for passenger vehicles, a viable alternative to diesel for Canada’s trucking industry is unclear. This research will identify the most promising alternatives to diesel for implementation in Canada based on their ability to reduce GHG emissions at the lowest cost.