The Royal Canadian Geographical Society (RCGS) is proud to announce GreenBug Energy Inc. of Delhi, ON, is the 2015 winner of the prestigious 3M Environmental Innovation Award. The GreenBug Energy system is the first of its kind in the Americas to adapt the Archimedes screw to make cost-effective, reliable, green electricity. The 3M Environmental Innovation Award, established by the RCGS and 3M Canada in 2009, celebrates innovative contributions to environmental change.
Mike Bouk accepts the 3M Environmental Innovation Award on behalf of GreenBug Energy at the star-studded event at the Museum of History in Gatineau on Wednesday, November 18, 2015.
(Left to right: The Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, Mike Bouk, Paul Ruest President of The Royal Canadian Geographical Society)
“GreenBug Energy is exactly the kind of innovation and progress that 3M celebrates with our 3M Environmental Innovation Award,” says Lisa Sheldrick, Communications and Community Relations Manager at 3M Canada. “We want Canadians to be proud of the individuals in business, academia, community organizations and government who are addressing challenges like energy availability.”
When Archimedes invented the screw thousands of years ago, he surely never imaged his invention would one day help to protect our planet’s waterways. GreenBug Energy of Delhi, ON has re-adapted the Archimedes screw design to generate electricity using gravity and the weight of water to rotate the screw and turn the generator as the water travels down the screw as on an escalator. The flow generates low-carbon electricity without incremental environmental impact. Even fish can safely take a ride down the escalator-like screw without injury. The Archimedes screw generator is built almost entirely of steel and has low incremental environmental impact, even when compared to renewables like wind and solar. The GreenBug Energy system has the potential to bring thousands of underutilized ‘microhydro’ dams (under 500 kilowatts) online across the Americas.
“The journey from being worried about the environment, to taking action and challenging the status quo can be daunting,” says Tony Bouk, founder and CEO of GreenBug Energy. “This award from such distinguished organizations as the Royal Canadian Geographic Society and 3M Canada gives us that extra encouragement and support to continue. It’s a great honour.”
Harnessing the capacity of low-carbon hydropower in an environmentally benign manner has the potential to become an income generator for many of GreenBug Energy’s partners such as property owners, municipalities and communities where this uniquely low impact energy resource is available. ”GreenBug Energy is an example of technological ingenuity that the 3M Environmental Innovation Award was created to support,”says Gavin Fitch, chair of the 3M Environmental Innovation Award Committee and Vice-president of the RCGS’s Governors. “The recognition the award brings will help GreenBug Energy seize the opportunities of the burgeoning global clean energy market.” GreenBug Energy will receive Canada’s top environmental award on Wednesday, November 18, 2015 at the Museum of History in Gatineau at a star-studded event.
About the Award
The 3M Environmental Innovation Award was established in 2009 by The Royal Canadian Geographical Society and 3M Canada to recognize outstanding individuals in business, government, academia or community organizations whose innovative contributions to environmental change are benefiting Canada and Canadians.
The Award seeks to celebrate individuals involved in a local, regional or national project, program or initiative that has provided innovative solutions that protect, restore or preserve the environment.
