Challenges

ABOUT SUMMERSIDE

Summerside is widely recognized as a leader and early adopter of green technologies. Our unique municipally owned infrastructure, combined with a business environment that fosters innovation, sets us apart from other communities in Canada.

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Challenges

The Summerside Challenge Program addresses issues that the City of Summerside aims to resolve through open innovation methods, partnering with innovation-driven businesses to provide solutions to specific technology challenges that the City has identified as important.

While we accept companies from most disciplines, we are particularly interested in technically led innovative solutions in the following areas:

  • Decarbonization of the Built Environment
  • Renewable Energy
  • Energy Storage
  • Grid Modernization and Digitalization
  • Investment in Clean Industrial Facilities

NEW CHALLENGES COMING SOON!

The City of Summerside is planning new Challenges for the 2025–26 year, but you don’t need to wait for a Challenge. The Xchange Membership can fast-track your enrollment into the program—connect with us to discuss your innovation and how we can help bring it to market.

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Previous Challenges: Application period is now closed

Fuel Cells from Renewables—Fleet

Challenge Synopsis:
The City of Summerside is seeking innovative ideas that support the City’s pursuit to change its public works fleets (medium to heavy-duty equipment) from gas/diesel to a zero-emission fuel source, including alternative fuels solutions such fuel as cells (i.e., electric, hydrogen, etc.). Solutions may include the generation of the fuel source from The City of Summerside renewable energy generation — solar and/or wind.
Context:
The City of Summerside is located in the Province of Prince Edward Island, on the east coast of Canada. Summerside is a small but innovative city with a significant level of open enabling infrastructure in which companies thrive. It is ideal for testing and development of scalable and exportable technology.
The City, in addition to owning and operating a municipal electrical utility, has invested in the following infrastructure over the past 16 years on its path to net zero:
  • 0.6 MW Solar and Battery Behind the Meter Demonstration Peak Shaving - First in World
  • 12 MW Wind Farm — 4 Vestas v90/3000 turbines — 21% of City’s power generation requirements.
  • 21 MW Solar Farm with 10 MW Power Transfer Battery — 21% of City’s power generation requirements.
  • AI Smart Grid — partner with the private sector in the development of the First in North America end to end AI power grid.
  • 40% of the City coverage with bi-directional residential fibre — smart device testing platform including innovative thermo storage for residential customers.
  • First in Atlantic Region in 2010 to invest in electric vehicles for municipal fleet.
  • First in the region in 2006 to invest in a Level 4 Tertiary Waste Treatment Facility providing 5,000 tonnes of biofertilizers for local use.
The City over the past two decades has partnered with a large number of innovative companies in developing, validating and testing new innovative technologies — to see additional case studies please visit the website in many cases becoming the “first or only” partner with technology lead businesses seeking to expand into the North American marketplace.

As of 2022, the City of Summerside has five electric vehicles in its fleet. To support these electric vehicles, the City has more than 60 dedicated fleet EV charging stations.

The City plans to add more net-zero vehicles by utilizing fuel cell technologies, including:
  • Conversion of its municipal services divisions medium and a heavy-duty fleet including line trucks, dump trucks, heavy equipment and snow moving equipment as follows:
    • 3 Line Trucks, 1 Electrician Lift Truck, 11 Snowplows, 3 Snowblower attachments (diesel), 4 Sidewalk Blowers/Salters, 2 Salt trucks, 2 Backhoes, Street sweeper, Sewer flushing truck, Loader with a bucket, 2 Dump trucks, 15 half-ton trucks/vans.
Charging Station

In 2019, it was estimated that more than 40% of the GHG emissions in PEI are derived from transportation. The Province has recently announced plans for 100% of light duty vehicle sales Province-wide to be zero emission by 2035, with the goal to reduce GHG emissions from transportation by 25–30% by 2030 and 55–65% by 2040. It is reasonable to forecast that the majority of the light vehicle ownership in the Province will be electric over the next 10–15 years.

To support the current and significate future charging demands of our residents, visitors, tourists and commuters with electric vehicles, the City is interested in novel charging technologies and systems.

The City is interested in investing time and resources to support the deployment of clean technology, including advancements in electrification, autonomous vehicles and artificial intelligence technologies with respect to advanced charging systems for its residents, visitors, tourists and commuters. Solutions may include other partners in the community that provide additional convenience to the end customer as well as new innovative business models. Technology solutions may include the following — examples only:

  • power networks
  • vehicle-to-grid
  • battery storage
  • community charging technologies
  • wireless charging
  • autonomous drive technology
  • over-the-air connectivity

Do you have an innovative business idea?

you can get our support! submit your solution

Response Criteria:

  • The City is seeking high impact solutions that will help City residents, visitors, tourist and commuters to new charging systems for their vehicles.
  • he City of Summerside is targeting companies with solutions that land between TRL 6–9 of the technology readiness scale, although it will consider low TRL solutions on a demonstration basis if they are especially innovative.
  • Where applicable, proponents should explain how their solutions meets safety and regulatory standards and provide a description of successful deployments if applicable.
  • The City of Summerside, as owner of renewable energy generation via wind and solar, is interested in becoming a commercial partner in charging solutions.
  • If applicable, proponents should explain coverage (i.e., how many installations will the solution need), impact (i.e., how does the solution help Summerside/PEI achieve its net zero targets), reliability (i.e., how well will the solution perform in real-world environments).

The Opportunity:

  • If chosen, conduct a proof-of-concept project of the solution with the City of Summerside.
  • The City of Summerside is interested in becoming a wholesale supplier/partner/investor/ customer post a successful proof of concept.
  • Apply for membership into the Summerside Xchange acceleration program. See more detail at Summerside Xchange
  • Validate your product claims in real world customer environment…meet new customers and access new markets.
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About The City of Summerside:

Summerside is widely recognized as a leader and early adopter of green technologies. Our unique municipally-owned infrastructure, combined with a business environment that encourages innovation, distinguishes us from other communities in Canada.

A commitment to sustainable development and technologies is a driving force in the policies of the City of Sum­merside. Our businesses and residents expect it. Sustainability makes both fiscal and environmental sense. It is a pillar of our approach to renewable initiatives and economic development in our community.

The City of Summerside is looking ahead to more innovation in the clean technology sector by building on the infrastructure already developed. Across North America, communities look to Summerside as a best practice model for leveraging sustainable net-zero development as an integral part of an economic development strategy.

The City of Summerside is located in the Province of Prince Edward Island, Canada and is aligned with the Pro­vincial Net Zero Plan 2040—for more information please visit the website.

Have further
questions?
Reach out to the Summerside Xchange team at allan@summersidexchange.com
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