Source: Re$earch Money http://www.researchmoneyinc.com
Written by: Mark Henderson
Winnipeg’s Red River College of Applied Arts, Science and Technology (RRC) has teamed with two industrial heavyweights and Manitoba Hydro on an ambitious project to develop and demonstrate an all-electric bus and charging system. The $3-million project brings together Winnipeg-based New Flyer Industries Inc and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), a core unit of the Mitsubishi Group with more than 60,000 employees worldwide.
The project closely follows an MOU signed last December between the provincial government and MHI to collaborate on the expansion of renewable energy utilization and the development of associated technologies, focusing on several areas related to the electrification of transportation and recharging infrastructure. The RRC-based project is the first to arise from the MOU.
The MOU is part of Manitoba’s electric vehicle strategy and includes a second MOU with Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada, which enables the company to use the province as a testing environment for further development on its i-MiEV electric vehicle.
The development project is expected to be completed within one year, followed by two years of testing in the province. To accommodate the project, RRC received $100,000 in provincial support to create an Electric Vehicle Technology and Learning Centre (EV-TEC) to help demonstrate electric vehicle development and enhance student training.
“This is a new relationship with MHI. We’re working with a number of partners — some old, some new — on a locally made commercial product. They’re all active partners,” says Ray Hoemsen, RRC’s director of applied research. “This is not a science project, it’s a development project focused on the technical side.”
While not large, the electric bus and charging system project is a potent example of the distinct yet growing role that Canada’s colleges are playing in the national system of innovation.
4th R&D centre
The college is now home to four R&D centres. In addition to EV-TEC, it has the Centre for Applied Research in Sustainable Infrastructure and two aerospace-related centres co-located with Magellan Aerospace Corp and StandardAero respectively.
For MHI, the electric bus project provides an opportunity for the company to test and demonstrate its lithium-ion secondary battery packs in a cold weather climate. The company says it is hopeful the project will mark the beginning of a long and productive relationship with Manitoba. New Flyer has already developed an all-electric bus and is eager to demonstrate its reliability. Development work will be split between RRC and New Flyer facilities. For its part, Manitoba Hydro is focused on the charging aspect of the project to determine how a growing number of electric charging stations will impact the grid. Manitoba currently has about 500,000 recharging outlets and derives the bulk of its energy from hydro.
For RRC, the project is helping to boost the amount of R&D it conducts annually. Since 2004, it has gone from just $50,000 in R&D income to $4.3 million in 2010.
“Our research activity has been evolving for the past 10 years. Each college is at a different stage in evolution and we’ve been fairly engaged with industry,” says Hoemsen, who joined RRC in 2004.
Hoemsen role in building RRC’s R&D capabilities was honoured earlier this week with the Association of Canadian Community College Gold Leadership Excellence Award. The award acknowledges his success in creating the college’s Applied Research and Commercialization unit and attracting major funding to RRC., which was described as “a model for other colleges regionally and nationally”.

The Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC) recently named Ray Hoemsen, Red River College’s (RRC) Director of Applied Research & Commercialization as their prestigious Gold Leadership Excellence Award winner.
The award recognizes an individual from a Canadian college that has made the greatest impact on his/her institution and, as a result, the communities it serves. Ray accepted the award at the Annual ACCC Conference on June 5 in Edmonton, Alberta.

Below are photos of Ray accepting the award:
 

The Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC) has named Ray Hoemsen, Red River College’s (RRC) Director of Applied Research & Commercialization as their prestigious Gold Leadership Excellence Award winner.
“Mr. Hoemsen was recognized for the exceptional work he has done in creating and leading sustained applied research, innovation, and commercialization programs in Manitoba,” said James Knight, ACCC President and CEO. “His leadership in this area has been a model for other colleges regionally and nationally.”
Every year, the ACCC recognizes an individual from a Canadian college that has made the greatest impact on his/her institution and, as a result, the communities it serves.
“We were proud to nominate Ray for this award and are delighted that he has won,” said Stephanie Forsyth, President of RRC.  “Ray is creative, dynamic, and has shown a sustained level of leadership excellence in his field and amongst his communities.”
Ray is credited with launching the College’s applied research enterprise in 2004.  Since then, he has been the driving force behind the creation of four applied research centres and a key factor to RRC winning several government and industry awards that amount to several million dollars in funding for the College.
“RRC continues to overachieve in the area of applied research with Ray leading the way,” said Ken Webb, VP, Academic and Research at RRC. “But the impacts he has made extend far beyond RRC and include leadership roles both nationally and internationally.”
Ray has been a leading advocate in driving the public policy change to recognize the strategic role played by Canadian colleges in Canada’s research and innovation agenda.
“Canadian colleges’ historical focus has been on providing technical education and training,” said Ron Britton, Professor and Associate Dean at the University of Manitoba. “Ray successfully made the case for applied research at the college level to create the program we see today at RRC, and at other Canadian colleges.”
Ray’s leadership contributions are indeed far reaching. He has led, or played a notable role in over 70 community organizations in post-secondary education, engineering and technology, policy leadership, national and local sports, and neighborhood clubs.
“It has been said, half in jest, that a committee that is working for the betterment of our community isn’t officially sanctioned unless Ray is a member,” said Britton.  I’ve known him since his undergraduate days, and even then, you could tell he had that something extra.”
Ray has historically led by example and shown humility.  He was no different in accepting this award.
“This is really a team award,” said Hoemsen. “I love what I do and am lucky to have been surrounded by people who can embrace change and make things happen. “

Red River College (RRC) was one of 35 colleges that will share in more than $8 million in federal grant money, via the federal government’s recently announced Applied Research Tools and Instruments Grants, a brand new initiative under the College and Community Innovation Program.
This grant supports the purchase of research equipment and installations to foster and enhance the ability of colleges to conduct applied research.
“This funding helps us with our ongoing mandate of applying knowledge to solve real-world challenges,” says Ray Hoemsen, Director of Applied Research and Commercialization at RRC.
RRC received a grant of $127,001, which will be used to upgrade the environmental test chambers in the College’s Centre for Applied Research in Sustainable Infrastructure and acquire air leakage testing equipment to be used for commercial and industrial buildings.
“Upgrades are under way and we are already using the air leakage testing equipment on a handful of projects,” says Hoemsen. “Applied research is a key element in improving Canada’s productivity and innovation capacity. We are thankful for the federal government’s continued support.”
Click to learn more about RRC’s office of Applied Research and Commercialization.

Province Will Invest $30 Million Over Five Years: Selinger
A new, $30-million Commercialization Support for Business Program has been established to promote and support entrepreneurism, commercialization and business development, Premier Greg Selinger announced today. Click here to read more.

As part of their efforts to make composite manufacturing more economical, an instructor and a grad from RRC’s Mechanical Engineering Technology program have developed a new means of making dissolvable mandrels and patterns, otherwise known as “rapid prototype composite tooling (RPCT).” Read More →

Red River College, recently named one of Canada’s Greenest Employers (2011) and featured in the Globe and Mail’s Earth Day special supplement titled “Report on Green Solutions.”
Read the article on RRC here.

Premier Greg Selinger today announced the province will invest $1 million for the development of an all-electric transit bus and charging system, and $100,000 for the creation of an electric-vehicle learning and demonstration centre at Red River College, two of several initiatives under Manitoba’s Electric Vehicle Road Map.
“This is exciting. We are working together to develop an entirely electric bus to get families around in cities all over North America,” said Selinger. “We’re also creating opportunities for young people right here in the province to become leaders in developing and building clean, electric vehicles and helping cut greenhouse-gas emissions.”
The $3-million, three-year project brings Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, New Flyer Industries, Manitoba Hydro, Red River College and the province together. The bus development will be completed within one year and tested in Manitoba for two more years, the premier said. Project development will be focused at Red River College and New Flyer Industries’ Winnipeg facilities.
The electric-bus development will benefit from New Flyer’s experience in building hybrid and hydrogen fuel-cell buses, Mitsubishi’s leading-edge lithium-ion battery technologies, Manitoba Hydro’s grid-management knowledge and Red River College’s instructors and students who can assist in solving the technological challenges coming from the project.
“It is our great pleasure to take part in this important project in Manitoba,” said Ichiro Fukue, senior vice-president, Mitsubishi. “It is also a great honour for us that our state-of-the-art lithium-ion battery technology has been selected and can contribute to a cleaner life for Manitoba people. Our challenge to develop cleaner and sustainable energy in Manitoba has just started from here today. We hope that this joint demonstration of the electric bus is the only a beginning of a long and strong relationship between Manitoba and Mitsubishi.”
“This is very positive news for vehicle technology in Manitoba. It is great to see our government being progressive and embracing this technology,” said New Flyer president and CEO Paul Soubry. “All-electric buses are an emerging need in the heavy-duty transit market as our customers are focused on cleaner technologies and reducing fuel costs. We are pleased to be the vehicle supplier for this demonstrator program as the funding provided serves as the catalyst to commence development. This program is consistent with the New Flyer strategy in regards to product innovation and we will leverage our existing resources and knowledge gained through electric trolley, hybrid and fuel cell buses. ”
“Manitoba Hydro is pleased to be a part of a project that provides such an exciting opportunity to influence the future of mass transportation and ensure that Manitoba businesses can play an important part in that future,” Bob Brennan, Manitoba Hydro president and CEO, said. “Understanding where electric buses will fit into the transportation mix and how charging will impact the grid will ensure that Manitoba Hydro can reliably meet these requirements.”
To support the development of electric vehicles in Manitoba, Selinger also announced a new Electric Vehicle Technology and Education Centre (EV-TEC) at Red River College.
“We all know that better training opportunities, like this new one at Red River College, will give more Manitobans the skills they need to get well-paying jobs and give their families hope for a better future,” said Selinger. “We’re proud to be a part of it.”
The province will provide funding of $100,000 to support the centre.
“This centre will establish Red River College as a Canadian leader in electric-vehicle testing and research and will allow us to enhance our training programs to better prepare students for the future of the automotive industry,” said Stephanie Forsyth, president of Red River College.
The (EV-TEC) will be a demonstration site for various all-electric and plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles and their recharging equipment. The public will have a first-hand opportunity to learn more about these emerging technologies as electric vehicles become commercially available.
“The province is pleased to partner with Red River College for this exciting initiative under Manitoba’s Electric Vehicle Road Map,” said Selinger. “When we’ve worked together in the past, the college has played an integral if not critical role, particularly in adapting vehicles for our cold weather conditions.”