top of page

News & Insights


Op-Ed: From resource powerhouse to industrial superpower: Alberta’s potential in the global trade order
By Keren Perla and Ailsa Popilian Originally published in The Hub , December 13, 2025

Keren Perla
Dec 12, 20251 min read


As the World Races to Lower Emissions, Budget 2023 Leans into Keeping Canada’s Energy Sector Competitive
Accelerating Investment in Emerging Net-Zero Aligned Energy Industries a Clear Priority Budget 2023 offered a much-needed response to...

Alison Cretney
Mar 30, 20236 min read


Canada’s advantage in the global battery supply chain: leading the world in energy transition innovation
In the global race to reach net-zero and decarbonize, Canada should be the bookie’s favorite. Long renowned as a nation of both abundant...

Ailsa Popilian
Sep 12, 20227 min read


There’s no energy security without net zero
Canada has the raw materials and commodities that the world is increasingly desperate for today, and the innovation capital to turn them into the future-fit energy that will be in demand for generations to come. ... Nobody ever said the energy transition would be easy, but few likely imagined it would be this chaotic. In retrospect, it was probably tempting to think that the transition to a low-emission economy could be a gentle and gradual affair. Well, so much for that. Wit

Alison Cretney
Aug 11, 20224 min read


From Lithium on Tap to the Battery Metals Association of Canada
The Energy Futures Lab contributes to a growing battery metals industry The EV Revolution Every so often, humans stumble upon a resource that accelerates our progress in unimaginable ways. With the discovery of fire, we learned to illuminate the world around us, unearthing countless new opportunities. We learned to harness the wind and the sun, we made something of bitumen and natural gas. Each of these discoveries allowed us to move forward in leaps and bounds. But at the he

Alison Cretney
May 30, 202212 min read


Support markets, not just one-off projects, to grow Alberta’s clean economy
How the federal and Alberta governments can support investment in low-carbon activities that build on Alberta’s strengths Una Jefferson is a Research Associate at the Smart Prosperity Institute. She is a member of the working group for the Energy Futures Policy Collaborative. Albertans think their economy is too dependent on oil and gas, according to a 2020 poll . Albertan firms are already working on repurposing assets from Alberta’s hydrocarbon industry towards economic ac

Una Jefferson
Aug 2, 20214 min read


Five Big Ideas for Alberta’s Economic Recovery
The outbreak of COVID-19 has triggered a global economic crisis that was unimaginable even two weeks ago, and perhaps nowhere is that being felt more acutely than in Alberta. In addition to the obvious consequences of social distancing on businesses and industry, we’re also dealing with a gut-wrenching collapse in oil prices that’s being driven in part by a deepening conflict between Saudi Arabia and Russia. Taken together, the combination of falling oil prices and a temporar

Alison Cretney
Dec 1, 202011 min read


The EFL in 2019, and beyond
2018: A Good Year Last year was a good year at the EFL. While our team is conscious that there is much to achieve in 2019, let me take a moment to acknowledge a number of accomplishments in 2018. The EFL was recognized as one of the Clean50’s Top 20 projects in Canada for 2018 for its outstanding contribution to clean capitalism. This recognition is grounds for pride in our work and evidence of the unique potential of The Natural Step Canada’s Sustainability Transition Labs

Alison Cretney
Jan 17, 20194 min read


Mobility in a Low-Carbon Future
The increasing drive towards a low-carbon future is demanding that we look differently at the way we live, eat, commute, and transport goods. Easy, convenient, and relatively affordable mobility is embedded in our lifestyle, which makes changes at scale challenging. This has opened the space for ideas across a range of innovation priorities, including 1) implementing new technologies and supporting cleaner fuels; 2) providing low-carbon mobility options; and 3) applying regul

Nagwan Al-Guneid
Oct 22, 20182 min read


Backcasting Applied to Economic Development Strategy: The Petro-lithium Exemplar
Amidst the drama of recent pipeline and trade war news, you may be forgiven if you missed another announcement that will be important in shaping Alberta’s economic future. On May 29th, Calgary-based E3 Metals announced that it had reached an important technical milestone that moves it one step closer to being able to extract lithium from oilfield brine. Alberta could become a key supplier of this globally-relevant material on the strength of its petroleum industry. Instead o

Chad Park
Jun 17, 20183 min read
bottom of page
