Connect with us

Technology

Minister Vandal announces investments in clean energy projects to help reduce diesel use in Nunavut

Published

on

RANKIN INLET, NU, July 29, 2024 /CNW/ – Indigenous-led clean energy projects play an important role in reducing the use of costly and polluting diesel for electricity and heating in Northern and Arctic communities and support local jobs and economic development.

Today, the Honourable Dan Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs and David Kakuktinniq, President of Sakku Investments Corporation, announced over $19 million in federal funding for three clean energy projects that will increase renewable energy generation in Rankin Inlet, Baker Lake, and Naujaat, Nunavut.

Funding will support the construction of a 1.0 + megawatt solar and battery energy storage facility in Naujaat, which currently relies entirely on diesel to meet its electricity needs. This new facility will supply 30% of the community’s electricity demand with locally-produced renewable energy. The project name “Ikayuut” was chosen by the Hamlet Council of Naujaat. It comes from the Inuktitut word “Ikayuuti,” meaning “help, support, or resources,” and speaks to how the project will help support Naujaat’s power grid. Construction is set to start in the summer of 2024.

The federal government is also providing funding for early-stage work on three solar installations on buildings owned by Sakku Properties Ltd., a subsidiary of Sakku Investments Corporation, in Rankin Inlet. The systems will result in 300kW of installed generation capacity, which would reduce diesel and greenhouse gas emissions by more than 56,000 litres and 178,000 kilograms each year. The systems are expected to generate solar power for the community by 2025.

Funding is also being provided for the Baker Lake and Rankin Inlet Wind Energy Development Projects to undertake research and development of wind energy generation to reduce the communities’ reliance on diesel. They will incorporate traditional Inuit knowledge into community input-driven wildlife studies for wind development in northern Canada while supporting local labour, capacity building, training and economic development.

These Inuit-led clean energy initiatives are foundational to Nunavut’s energy transition. Canada is working directly with Indigenous communities to advance self-determination while building a low-emission energy future and creating economic prosperity, security and more resilient communities.

Quotes

“Sakku is pleased to partner with the Government of Canada to deliver renewable energy infrastructure projects for the Kivalliq region. Investing in a clean energy future for Nunavut is critical as our region grows and we shift away from burning fossil fuels, which is vital to protecting our lands, waters and communities for generations to come.” 

David Kakuktinniq
President and CEO of Sakku Investments Corporation

“As the Regional Inuit Association promoting the interests and rights of the Inuit of the Kivalliq, we are pleased to support Sakku Investments in advancing these important energy projects. It is critical that we fight climate change, build infrastructure that supports economic growth, and change the legacy of diesel fuel that is shipped through sensitive Arctic waters. I’d like to thank the Government of Canada for partnering with us to ensure energy infrastructure in Nunavut is a priority. Let’s continue to build a stronger, greener future.” 

Kono Tattuinee
President of the Kivalliq Inuit Association

“It is great to be back in the Kivalliq Region to announce support for new community-led clean energy initiatives. They are crucial to tackling climate change and growing a clean energy economy in the North. These Inuit-led and delivered initiatives will reduce pollution, save money, and create good jobs in Nunavut.”

The Honourable Dan Vandal, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Northern Affairs and Minister responsible for CanNor

“In Nunavut and across the country, clean energy presents an enormous economic opportunity that will also help people save money on their energy bills and keep the air clean. Supplying people in Rankin Inlet, Baker Lake, and Naujaat with clean energy will make a real difference in their lives and help fight climate change.”

The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources

“Helping advance Indigenous-led climate action projects, such as the Ikayuut Solar and Energy Storage Project, is critical to building a low-carbon economy and will help reduce the use of diesel in Canada’s Northern and Arctic regions. This project will be a shining example to other communities seeking to implement solar energy technologies and other renewable energy projects in the North and beyond.”

– The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change

Quick facts

The federal government is investing $18.45 million toward a solar and energy storage facility in Naujaat, including:$6.5 million through the Clean Energy for Rural and Remote Communities Program;$5.9 million through Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Low Carbon Economy Fund;$1,050,000 under Natural Resources Canada’s (NRCan’s) Indigenous Off-Diesel Initiative; and$5 million through the Indigenous Community Infrastructure Fund, delivered by Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC) and administered by Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated.Through CIRNAC’s Northern REACHE Program, the Government of Canada is investing $220,000 in the early project development work for solar photovoltaic installations on three Sakku Properties Ltd buildings, a subsidiary of Sakku Investments Corporation, in Rankin Inlet.The Northern REACHE program supports Indigenous and northern communities’ transition away from diesel fuel for electricity and heating by promoting and funding renewable energy technologies such as solar, wind, hydroelectricity, and biomass heating. To date, Northern REACHE has supported a total of 222 clean energy projects in the North with an investment of over $102 million, including 47 projects in Nunavut.NRCan is providing 1,313,282$ in funding for the Baker Lake and Rankin Inlet Wind Energy Development Projects under the Clean Energy for Rural and Remote Communities Program (CERRC).The CERRC program provides funding for renewable energy and capacity-building projects to reduce the reliance on fossil fuels for heating and electricity in Indigenous, rural and remote communities across Canada. Supporting Indigenous leadership and collaborating on solutions to reduce reliance on fossil fuels in Northern communities for First Nations, Inuit and Métis is central to advancing the reconciliation journey and self-determination.Launched in 2019 and developed with Indigenous representatives and six territorial and provincial governments, Canada’s Arctic and Northern Policy Framework is a long-term vision for the Arctic and the North, reflecting the priorities and perspectives of the Arctic and northern people.

Associated links

Sakku Investments Corporation
Kivalliq Inuit Association
Low Carbon Economy Fund
Clean Energy for Rural and Remote Communities Program
Indigenous Off-Diesel Initiative

Stay connected

Join the conversation about the North:

X: GovCan_North
Facebook: GovCan – North

You can subscribe to receive our news releases and speeches via RSS feeds. For more information or to subscribe, visit www.cirnac.gc.ca/RSS.

SOURCE Indigenous Services Canada

Continue Reading

Technology

Tuya Smart Unveils Doova at IFA 2026, an AI Home Companion Robot Designed to Support Independently Living Seniors

Published

on

By

BERLIN, Sept. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Tuya Smart (NYSE: TUYA; HKEX: 2391), a global AI cloud platform service provider, today unveiled Doova, its new AI home companion robot, at IFA 2026. Designed for seniors living alone, Doova moves beyond the traditional roles of security devices and household robots, combining proactive safety protection, emotionally intelligent companionship, and seamless smart home coordination to support a safer, more connected, and more comfortable daily life.

For many seniors living independently, the greatest concern is not simply an accident itself, but the time that passes before anyone realizes something is wrong.

Doova is equipped with LDS LiDAR, a four-microphone sound source localization system, and AI vision-based skeletal recognition algorithms. If a user falls or encounters another emergency, they can call out, “Hey Tuya, help,” and Doova will quickly locate the user, move to their side, and assess the situation in real time.

If no response is detected within 60 seconds, Doova automatically initiates an emergency response workflow, sending a two-way live video call alert to family members so assistance can be arranged without delay.

An AI Companion for Everyday Life

Doova combines emotional companionship, daily assistance, and wellness support in a single AI-powered home companion designed specifically for older adults. Its conversational ability is powered by a multimodal large language model, allowing it to hold natural, free-flowing conversations rather than respond only to fixed commands.

During quiet moments at home, Doova can hold conversations, offer company, and play entertainment content to ease feelings of loneliness. In day-to-day life, it can help interpret complex bills and letters, identify potential scam risks, and guide users through operating smart appliances. For health and routine management, Doova can provide reminders for medication, weather updates, and schedules, while also engaging users with light interactive games.

Over time, Doova learns user preferences and becomes more personally helpful in everyday areas such as meal suggestions, gardening advice, and outfit recommendations. In the future, Tuya also plans to introduce value-added services including autonomous item-finding throughout the home, helping reduce anxiety around misplaced belongings.

Smarter In-Home Monitoring for Greater Peace of Mind

When users are away from home, Doova helps make home monitoring simpler and less intrusive.

Unlike conventional patrol-style security devices that follow walls in fixed routes and can feel like overt surveillance, Doova uses a node-oriented coverage strategy designed around the center of each room. It can move from space to space on a dual-wheel drive with caster wheels, perform a 360-degree scan at each location, and automatically generate a safety report that is delivered to the user’s mobile phone, making it easier to stay informed about conditions throughout the home from anywhere. Doova also supports autonomous docking and recharging, so monitoring continues without day-to-day intervention.

A Gentle Smart Home Hub Built for Daily Living

Powered by Tuya’s mature AIoT ecosystem, Doova also serves as a central smart home control hub. With simple voice commands, users can coordinate connected devices across the home, including lighting, curtains, kitchen appliances, and bathroom devices, without complicated setup or operations, lowering the barrier to smart living for seniors.

Doova is also designed to feel like a natural part of the household rather than a piece of equipment. Its soft, curved form moves away from the cold, mechanical look often associated with robots, allowing it to blend more naturally into living spaces. The device height is optimized for interaction whether a user is standing, seated, or reclining, while a 10.1-inch high-definition display and dynamic facial expressions make conversations feel warmer and more engaging.

Doova has drawn strong interest from attendees at IFA 2026, reflecting growing demand for AI solutions that support independent living. With Doova, Tuya continues to extend its AI+IoT ecosystem into new areas of daily life, bringing safety, companionship, and connected living together for seniors who choose to age independently.

About Tuya Smart

Tuya Inc. (NYSE: TUYA; HKEX: 2391) is a leading global AI cloud platform service provider dedicated to bringing AI into everyday life. Through its TuyaOpen open-source development framework and universal AI Agent engines, including the AI Agent development platform, Tuya integrates multimodal AI capabilities to lower barriers for AI development, efficiently advancing the realization of AI-driven lifestyles and accelerating AI integration with the physical world. Tuya offers innovative physical AI solutions for smart devices, commercial applications, and industry developers through its cloud computing and spatial intelligence capabilities. It also provides a complete, open, and neutral global AIoT ecosystem.

As of June 30, 2026, the Tuya AI Developer Platform had over 2,092,000 registered AI developers from more than 200 countries and regions.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tuya-smart-unveils-doova-at-ifa-2026-an-ai-home-companion-robot-designed-to-support-independently-living-seniors-302870623.html

SOURCE Tuya Smart

Continue Reading

Technology

NonPublic delivers over 10x return on SpaceX investments for early investors

Published

on

By

Private markets technology investment platform NonPublic delivered over a 10x return to early investors, after they saw SpaceX’s valuation soar to a peak of 2.6 trillion following the biggest IPO in history.

SYDNEY, Sept. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Private markets technology investment platform NonPublic has delivered over a 10x return to early investors, after they saw SpaceX’s valuation soar to a peak of 2.6 trillion following the biggest IPO in history.

“What this outcome illustrates is that the most significant growth in today’s leading technology companies increasingly belongs to private market investors. Most of the money is made before the bell rings, and as companies stay private for longer, that window only widens.”

The NonPublic Group ran 14 vehicles across SpaceX, and xAI which merged into SpaceX, growing US $4.4 million of investor capital into around US$16 million at the IPO price and US$24 million at the June peak, before fees.

SpaceX stock surged 67 percent above its IPO valuation within days of listing, and total market cap still currently sits at over US $2 trillion, but the vast majority of investor returns were realised well before the public markets were granted access.

Direct access to US private placements like these has historically required Australian investors to hold US SEC accreditation or qualified purchaser status, leverage a US-licensed broker, and commit a minimum of US$1 to 5 million per deal.

These requirements are operationally and legally impractical for most eligible Australian investors to meet directly, however NonPublic gave eligible wholesale Australian investors access to the deal by pooling funds through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV).

This access was critical given SpaceX remained private for 24 years accruing value before listing, as the average time from founding to IPO for major US technology companies has grown from around four years in the early 2000s to 12 years today.

SpaceX joined the Nasdaq 100 on 7 July. NonPublic believes its investors already captured the bulk of the company’s value creation before public markets opened.

Milan Reinartz, founder and CEO at NonPublic, said: “When we first accessed SpaceX in 2021 at a US$108 billion valuation, many people thought the ceiling was closed. They missed what Starlink represented as a commercial engine, and the long-term mission that gives SpaceX a purpose no competitor can replicate.

“What this outcome illustrates is that the most significant growth in today’s leading technology companies increasingly belongs to private market investors. Most of the money is made before the bell rings, and as companies stay private for longer, that window only widens.

“For eligible Australian wholesale investors, that opportunity has historically been out of reach. Our goal is to provide access to these companies at transparent fee structures through familiar Australian structures, while being clear that disciplined diversification across a portfolio is how investors manage the genuine risks of this asset class.”

Please contact Priyanka Dogra for any interview requests: 0410 593 587

NonPublic (www.nonpublic.com) is an Australian-licensed investment platform providing sophisticated/accredited and professional investors with curated access to exclusive pre-IPO and private market opportunities, with a focus on leading US technology companies. Through a transparent, technology-enabled platform, NonPublic connects investors with high-growth private companies, secondary transactions, and alternative investment opportunities that have traditionally been difficult to access.

NonPublic Pty Ltd holds Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL) 482668.

Media Contact

Priyanka Dogra, NonPublic, 61 0410593587, priyanka@thirdhemisphere.agency, https://nonpublic.com/

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prweb.com/releases/nonpublic-delivers-over-10x-return-on-spacex-investments-for-early-investors-302868905.html

SOURCE NonPublic

Continue Reading

Technology

CHiQ Wins AI Home Ecosystem Brand Award, Exploring New Smart Living Experiences Through AI Innovation

Published

on

By

BERLIN, Sept. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — CHiQ, a global smart home brand, received the AI Home Ecosystem Brand Award at IFA 2026 in recognition of its continued innovation in AI technology and smart home ecosystems. The award further highlights CHiQ’s pioneering work in AI-powered smart homes and its ongoing efforts to enhance the user experience through technological breakthrough.

Presented jointly by IDG and IFA, the award is one of the technology innovation honors closely watched by the global consumer electronics and home appliance industry during IFA. It recognizes notable advances in cutting-edge AI technology across the sector, with a focus on practical innovations and applications that contribute to industry development.

“Receiving the AI Home Ecosystem Brand Award is a recognition of CHiQ’s continued exploration of AI-powered smart homes,” said Vinson Fan, Deputy General Manager of Changhong International Brand Business Center. “The value of AI should be reflected not only in the smart features of individual products, but also in understanding users’ needs and enabling different devices and scenarios to work together naturally. CHiQ will continue to deepen the integration of AI into everyday home life, making smart home technology more responsive to users and delivering more convenient, intuitive and personalized experiences to consumers worldwide.”

At this year’s IFA, CHiQ unveiled a range of flagship AI-powered smart home products across key categories, including TVs, refrigerators, washing machines and air conditioners. The RGB MiniLED AI TV features an AI Sports Platform that expands opportunities for exercising at home, while the AI refrigerator uses AI-powered precision control technology to improve food preservation. The washing machines and air conditioners employ intelligent sensing to further optimize garment care and indoor climate control.

Beyond its products, CHiQ continues to explore the intersection of technology, culture and lifestyle. The brand has incorporated panda-inspired elements into its AI interactions to engage users in a more approachable way. Through sports partnerships such as the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup, CHiQ is also connecting its brand with sports and lifestyles familiar to European consumers, further strengthening its localized brand presence.

In recent years, CHiQ has continued to advance the development and application of AI technology, extending its AI capabilities from individual products to a broader range of home appliances and everyday scenarios while steadily strengthening its technological and product innovation capabilities. Building on this award, CHiQ will further expand the role of AI in everyday home life. Through a more open ecosystem and continued technological development, the brand aims to strengthen its global presence and bring more personalized smart living experiences to consumers worldwide.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/chiq-wins-ai-home-ecosystem-brand-award-exploring-new-smart-living-experiences-through-ai-innovation-302870186.html

Continue Reading

Trending