Nearly $200,000 in federal funding supports two Yukon companies expanding clean energy solutions and mineral exploration technologies. The Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor) allocates up to $99,999 each to Whitehorse-based Solvest Inc. and Capital Exploration Ltd. Company leaders state the investments secure local jobs and stimulate territorial economic growth.
Solvest Inc. Develops Innovative PowerPod System
Solvest directs its funding toward constructing and field-testing the PowerPod, a prototype modular battery system. This technology integrates with existing solar-and-diesel configurations, extending solar usage, cutting diesel consumption, and enhancing reliability in remote areas.
Lauren Humble, Solvest’s chief business officer, highlights its versatility: “Whether it’s a First Nation, a mine site, or an off-grid community, we now have these systems that are completely mobile.” PowerPods deploy via helicopter to isolated sites, enabling flexible scaling of exploration camps as needs evolve.
“Because, by the time they’ve said, ‘OK, we need X amount of power,’ they install that, and then the camp has grown,” Humble noted. Engineered for northern extremes, the system performs reliably at –50°C. Solvest already supplies PowerPods to First Nation development corporations, which lease them to mining explorers, creating new revenue streams. “This has become an excellent revenue stream for First Nations,” Humble added.
The company plans a manufacturing facility to generate numerous jobs. Yukon’s economic development department and Yukon Development Corporation contribute an additional $200,000 to the PowerPod initiative.
Capital Exploration Acquires Advanced Survey Gear
Capital Exploration invests its CanNor funds in specialized equipment for mineral surveys. Rob Girard, co-director of the aviation exploration firm, positions it as the first operation north of 60° latitude offering such services.
“What we’re doing right now is trying to provide a local alternative that mitigates the ferry time for the helicopters coming from down south — because you can imagine how much fuel-burn that is, and what a waste of money for logistical costs, and the overall cost of the survey,” Girard explained. Long-term, the firm aims to deliver comprehensive services for northern resource investors, expanding to hire more field crews and geophysicists from Yukon’s workforce. “Ideally, we’d be able to hire within the Yukon’s labour pool,” he said.
