NineSigma and Climate Change and Emissions Management Corporation (CCEMC) Collaborate to Find New Approaches to Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Alberta, Canada

CLEVELAND, and ALBERTA, Canada, June 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- NineSigma, the leading innovation partner to organizations worldwide, today announced that it is helping the Climate Change and Emissions Management (CCEMC) Corporation reach out to the world to solicit and fund the development of new technology solutions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Alberta, Canada. NineSigma specializes in open innovation, a strategy for accessing new ideas, technologies, or solutions beyond an organization's own four walls.

CCEMC is an Alberta-based not-for-profit, independent corporation whose mandate is to expand climate change knowledge, develop new 'clean' technologies and explore practical ways of implementing them.  Its goal is to cut carbon emissions and adapt to climate change by supporting the discovery, development and deployment of clean technologies. Toward this end, CCEMC will invest up to $40 million to develop breakthroughs that will accelerate the use of wind, geothermal, hydro, solar, biomass and other forms of renewable energy. Today, CCEMC is launching a new Request for Proposal - Call for Expressions of Interest (EOI) to reach innovators who can make an immediate impact. NineSigma is publishing this EOI to its worldwide network of solution providers and encouraging responses from enterprises, utilities, research and development organizations, technology developers, and others with relevant expertise.

CCEMC came about as a result of regulations that Alberta has implemented to address the problem of climate change. The organization has put out six previous RFPs within Canada, and is working with NineSigma for the first time to extend its reach, and build awareness of its efforts to address a problem that affects all of humankind.

"CCEMC understands that developing breakthroughs in clean energy depends on erasing traditional boundaries, and looking across geographies and industries for new solution providers. We look forward to helping CCEMC make connections with innovators from around the world who share their sense of urgency.  This supports efforts to help Alberta become a leader in clean technology," said Andy Zynga, CEO of NineSigma.

"We are interested in soliciting new ideas outside our own network. NineSigma provides an opportunity to reach beyond our borders and offers in-depth understanding of the state-of-the-art in clean energy at a global scale," said Eric Newell, Chair, CCEMC.

CCEMC may fund the development of multiple technical approaches that demonstrate a strong potential to make significant, verifiable, and sustainable reductions in emissions through the generation and use of renewable energy. Each winning solution provider will be eligible for up to $10 million. Research and development work may be carried out in any global location provided the solution has application in Alberta.  Responses to the EOI are due to CCEMC by September 27, 2012. Information Sessions will be held in Edmonton (Alberta, Canada) on June 18 and by Webinar on June 25 to provide prospective applicants with a clear understanding of the CCEMC's submission and evaluation processes. To participate, proponents must register at www.ccemc.ca/events. For more information, see submission guidelines at http://ccemc.ca/projects.

About NineSigma


NineSigma engages organizations with external innovation resources and enables them to share knowledge to accelerate the innovation cycle, whether they are in the private, public, or social sectors. Their proprietary and collaborative process has produced billions of dollars in tangible value. Companies such as Kraft, Philips, L'Oreal, Unilever, Denso and Suntory utilize NineSigma's Open Innovation services to solve immediate challenges, fill product pipelines, integrate new knowledge into their organizations, close development gaps, and improve financial performance. NineSigma has the largest open global network of solution providers and an extensive database of existing solutions that spans all industries and technical disciplines. Our team integrates professionals from a variety of fields, including business leaders, innovation consultants and Ph.D.-level scientists. Learn more at www.ninesigma.com.

About CCEMC

The CCEMC is a not-for-profit, independent organization with a mandate to expand climate change knowledge, develop new 'clean' technologies and explore practical ways of implementing them. For more information, please visit www.ccemc.ca.

Media Contact:  Dawn Ringel, Warner Communications for NineSigma, [email protected], (781) 449-8456

SOURCE NineSigma