Program description

The Energy innovation assistance program (PAIE) aims to encourage the development of new technologies or innovative processes focussing on energy efficiency or emerging energy sources by financially supporting project developers who actively contribute to the various stages of the innovation process.

This program is one of the many objectives identified in the Québec Energy Strategy 2006-2015 ─ Using Energy to Build the Québec of Tomorrow.

• Eligible clientele
• Evaluation criteria
• Eligible projects

Eligible clientele

Any person, corporation or agency, whether governmental or non-governmental, with an establishment in Québec is eligible.

Evaluation criteria

Every project will be evaluated by the Department based on the following criteria:

All projects deemed eligible will be analyzed by a committee of experts. Each project must obtain a minimum score of 65%. If this condition is satisfied, the committee shall submit a favourable recommendation to Department which will then render its final decision on each project. The decision to accept or refuse the project will then be transmitted to the applicant.

Eligible projects

To be eligible, projects must focus on new technologies or innovative processes used in the field of energy efficiency or by emerging energy sources. These projects must also respect sustainable development principles.

Projects must be performed in Québec and not exceed a period of 36 months.

Here are a few examples of the fields targeted by the Energy innovation assistance program (PAIE):

An eligible project can pertain to one or several stages of the innovation process:

• Research and development
• Experimentation
• Demonstration
• Measurement
• Pre-market
• Upgrade and transfer
• Market release

For a more accurate description of these stages, please refer to the glossary located at the end of the Detailed guide for applicants (in French - PDF| 553 KB).