10 Ontario cleantech companies ready for the EV revolution

Cleantech commitments, talent and government support are present in these 10 companies that are ready to turn the province into an innovative hub for the EV battery supply chain

July 22, 2021

Original article published in Invest Ontario

It’s predicted that by 2040, globally, over half of all passenger vehicle sales will be electric vehicles (EVs), according to a 2020 report by Bloomberg New Energy Finance. Many jurisdictions have announced bans on the sale of internal combustion engine passenger vehicles, including Canada where their sale will be banned in 2035.

Ontario is primed to be right at the centre of that production revolution, with its access to materials, history of automotive excellence, ethical supply chain, culture of innovation and government support.

Experts have called the province a crucial jurisdiction for this kind of integral innovation, which represents both the future of automotive design and production, as well as a commitment to the environment. Ontario is home to 39% of the nation’s cleantech employees, and cleantech is already globally worth $5.8 trillion—a number on the rise.

The manufacture of rechargeable batteries is both a savvy business venture, as seen through the number of jobs and capital the industry has affected worldwide, and a response to a global target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, the province already has a long-standing history of leadership in clean technologies, specifically connected to the EV battery supply chain.

The value chain of an EV battery starts with raw material mining, as well as refining and processing. Cell component manufacturing, cell production, and battery pack assembly and integration can also be completed in Ontario.

The advantages of natural resources, an extremely clean electricity grid, favourable policies from the federal government, the competitive Canadian dollar and a highly skilled talent pool all point to Ontario as the next big hotspot for EV.

Here are 10 Ontario companies that provide clean technologies and support the electric vehicle battery supply chain.

Refining and processing

Polar Sapphire
Mississauga, Ontario

As a producer of high-purity, low-cost alumina, this Mississauga, Ontario company provides essential input for lithium-ion batteries. Using their own proprietary, cutting-edge technology and manufacturing process, the company strives to deliver a high-quality product that also results in carbon savings and low emissions on the manufacturing side and low environmental impact. Because high-purity alumina is an essential piece for green technology, Polar Sapphire’s investors are largely cleantech-focused.

Zen Graphene Solutions
Thunder Bay, Ontario & Guelph, Ontario

This graphene producer, with two facilities in Guelph, Ontario, is part of the refining and processing section of the battery life cycle. The precursor material, derived from graphite, has various applications, including batteries in EVs. Along with a team of university researchers, Zen aims to improve the product’s performance while focusing on environmentally friendly and scalable processes.

Battery pack assembly

Stromcore
Mississauga, Ontario

The industrial lithium-ion battery manufacturer for heavy-duty forklifts is an example of 100% emission-free clean technology that could easily apply to the broader EV sector. Based in Mississauga, Ontario, the manufacturer’s slotted battery pack design leads to a custom fit and universal forklift compatibility. Their products are freezer-certified to provide full performance in the most challenging environments. At the end of a battery’s lifecycle, Stromcore disassembles and salvages up to 99% of components, issuing a certificate of ecological disposal for every unit they recycle.

Battery integration

eCamion
Toronto, Ontario

eCamion, based in Toronto, Ontario, is a leading technology provider for flexible battery storage, electric vehicle charging and energy management solutions that help businesses and EV drivers adapt to the changing energy landscape. Their battery storage solutions draw and store power from the electricity grid, which supplies their high-speed charging stations with minimal impact on the grid. Their EV charging stations are universal and can be placed anywhere, enabling the potential for cross-country transport.

Nuvation Energy
Waterloo, Ontario

Battery management and energy storage engineering service, Nuvation Energy, provides solutions designed to utility-grade standards. The Waterloo, Ontario-based company produces customized battery management solutions that focus on long-term reliability and functional safety. Their configurable management solutions allow customers to start building energy storage systems at any scale and volume—perfect for the rapidly increasing production of EVs in the coming years.

Peak Power
Toronto, Ontario

Peak Power considers battery energy storage to be a disruptive component of the energy sector. They seek to take advantage of a more dynamic grid through energy storage and vehicle-to-grid charging. The software solution company saw the growth of wind and solar and recognized the potential in storage. They optimize the operation of energy systems to help developers get greater returns from their investments.

Storage Power Solutions
Whitby, Ontario

Based in Whitby, Ontario, Storage Power Solutions has over 100 years of experience in battery energy storage. They design their storage from the cell up, ensuring design control of the entire storage system. Their vision is to provide 100% available, low-cost, clean power for all. Their lithium-based energy storage has roots in telecom, so they have experience with critical infrastructure built to be resilient in all climates.

Recycling and reuse

Li-Cycle
Mississauga, Ontario & Kingston, Ontario

Li-Cycle provides lithium-ion battery recycling solutions. Their critical material recovery approach reintroduces materials back into the supply chain, treating end-of-life batteries as a resource rather than a waste. As we produce more batteries to meet the increased demand for EVs, Li-Cycle’s closed-loop solution will be crucial to the critical minerals supply chain that are found in EV batteries and to decreasing the carbon footprint of electric-powered transportation.

Asset management

BluWave-ai
Ottawa, Ontario

BluWave-ai is a cloud-based, artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled platform that optimizes the operation of utilities, smart grids and EV fleet charging installation. Their goal is to increase the use of renewable energy sources, reduce emissions, and lower costs and carbon footprints in electricity consumption. AI streamlines the complex management of assets from charging to operating EV fleets and optimizes energy costs in real-time, providing a holistic view and coordinated energy dispatch and control.

Opus One Solutions
Toronto, Ontario & Richmond Hill, Ontario

Opus One, a software engineering company based in Toronto, Ontario, envisions an intelligent, connected and sustainable energy network using their GridOS software. Their hope is for a decarbonized planet, and their first-of-its-kind operating system for the smart grid is a step towards their “connected energy” vision. Their software enables full integration of EVs across the entire province.