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Reflections from our Energy Futures Lab Fellows Distorted market prices have occurred due to past governments picking winners overs losers versus ensuring an even playing field – a fair competition.” – Alison Thompson What does the future of Alberta’s energy system look like to Alison Thompson, Managing Director of the Canadian Geothermal Energy Association (CanGEA) and Energy Futures Lab (EFL) Fellow? “Renewable, when possible, and not only measured by today’s market prices, which substantially subsidize fossil fuels with ‘hidden’ health and environmental costs, tax advantages, research support and dedicated government programs.” Alison is passionate about the importance of leveling the playing field when it comes to energy production and explains that, “Distorted market prices have occurred due to past governments picking winners overs losers versus ensuring an even playing field – a fair competition.” The Energy Futures Lab (EFL), convened by The Natural Step Canada in collaboration with Suncor Energy Foundation, the Pembina Institute, and the Banff Centre introduces a new approach to energy in the province. It brings together unlikely bedfellows from across Alberta’s energy system to trade ideas and innovate towards the energy system that the future requires. Such an approach is desperately needed explains Alison: “We’re treating ourselves, I think, very disrespectfully as a province. We’re treating ourselves like a developing nation where people come in and pillage, extract, and then send the products away..It is time to move towards a knowledge economy.” Having built her career over the past 20 years on energy in Alberta, and worked on both sides of the renewable/non-renewable energy spectrum, Alison’s selection to the EFL Fellowship was an easy decision. “I started out in industry not as an engineer, I was a relief operator, so I literally was the person driving around the oil and gas fields and checking gauges, batteries and operating wells, and gas plants. From there, I finished my engineering degree and worked for Shell, Suncor, Nexen, and a coal utility in the States.” Since leaving Nexen, Alison’s work has focused on geothermal energy. Geothermal, while not as common in Canada, is in widespread use across the world and famously provides approximately 65% of primary energy in Iceland. Alison wants people to understand the potential appetite for change that exists in the province. “There are many people like me who worked in oil. We have not turned our back on oil. That industry is the goldmine of talent. The word ‘energy’ can be expanded. Every company wants to make money and they don’t really care if it’s from oil. That happens to be the profitable commodity of the past but it is no longer the profitable commodity. With the proper government policies in place, if another commodity, like renewable energy, is in the market, then I think they would be very happy to use that energy instead as their vehicle for profit.” On Alberta’s ability to capitalize on the energy opportunities of the future, and the EFL’s potential to catalyze change, Alison is extremely optimistic. “This province is full of engineers, scientists, geoscientists, and we’re being blocked from being as innovative as we can. It’s not just about energy. It’s about personal satisfaction and expression in the job. We can do better. Other countries are already doing better… It’s our opportunity to step ahead. We need some people to lead the way. This lab is a wonderful incarnation of a group of people coming together to lead the way.” #Culture_Shift #Geothermal_Energy #Clean_Technologies #Fellowship #EFL_Platform #2016

Alison Thompson: This is Alberta’s Opportunity to do Better

Reflections from our Energy Futures Lab Fellows Distorted market prices have occurred due to past governments picking winners overs losers versus ensuring an even playing field – a fair competition.” – Alison Thompson What does the future of Alberta’s energy system look like to Alison Thompson, Managing Director of the Canadian Geothermal Energy Association (CanGEA) and Energy Futures Lab (EFL) Fellow? “Renewable, when possible, and not only measured by today’s market prices, which...

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Reflections from our Energy Futures Lab Fellows “The Albertan Oil Sands, and the province’s economic dependence on them needs to be an important focus for the province as it shifts to a modern energy future that is economically lucrative and sustainable.” – Aproov Sinha What does the future of Alberta’s energy system look like to Apoorv Sinha, founder of Carbon Upcycling Technologies, Research Manager of zEroCor Tubulars Inc, and Energy Futures Lab Fellow? “In the future, it is important to create a system with distributed and localized energy sources where under-utilized resources like stranded natural gas and local ecosystems can be better utilized for local energy generation. Central power generation facilities like conventional nuclear and coal-powered plants will need to be transformed to more modular energy sources, fuelled primarily by renewable energy sources and natural gas that can provide local power distribution. Initiatives like compressed air energy storage in caverns, small-scale solar modules will need to create localized power generation hubs, supplemented by technologies like Lithium-Sulphur batteries for energy storage at high densities.” Apoorv is ready to bring his entrepreneurial, system-driven perspective on energy infrastructure to the Energy Futures Lab (EFL), as one of 40 Fellows selected to represent government, the energy sector, First Nations groups, and NGOs. The Fellows have been brought together by The Natural Step Canada in collaboration with The Suncor Foundation, The Pembina Institute, and The Banff Centre to initiate a shift in Alberta towards an energy system characterized by sustainability, resilience, and innovation. Dr. Carol-Ann Brown, Director of Technology Services at The Delphi Group, and Operations Director for the Low Carbon Innovation Alliance notes that “Apoorv’s start up, Carbon Upcycling Technologies, is clear proof of his understanding that modern society requires more than tinkering at the edges, and that a perspective of the energy system, as a whole, is necessary. The utilization and transformation of carbon into a useful product replaces the current paradigm and practice of treating carbon as garbage and the atmosphere and oceans as society’s disposal system.” Besides the impressive technical expertise and business-minded approach, Apoorv brings to the lab an understanding that “change can be driven through management but needs to be facilitated through changes at a tactical, grass-root level to be sustainable, effective and create an overall positive impact.” In the face of the oil price shock, and in the wake of a historic political shift, Albertans are demonstrating that they are ready to shape their own energy narrative and shift their province in a direction that is fit for the future. As a Fellow, Apoorv will collaborate, innovate, and guide action towards an energy system that all Albertans can take pride in. #Culture_Shift #Fellowship #CCUS #Batteries #Advanced_Minerals #Future_Economy #2016 #EFL_Platform

Apoorv Sinha: What Does the Future of the Alberta Energy System Look Like?

Reflections from our Energy Futures Lab Fellows “The Albertan Oil Sands, and the province’s economic dependence on them needs to be an important focus for the province as it shifts to a modern energy future that is economically lucrative and sustainable.” – Aproov Sinha What does the future of Alberta’s energy system look like to Apoorv Sinha, founder of Carbon Upcycling Technologies , Research Manager of zEroCor Tubulars Inc , and Energy Futures Lab Fellow? “In the future, it is important to...

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The article “Innovation is key to new economy,” originally appeared in the Edmonton Journal on Tuesday January 26, 2016. Let’s step beyond the polarized and polarizing narratives that in recent years have kept us stuck in camps and inhibited our culture of innovation. This is not about good guys and bad guys, dirty versus clean industries, people who support oil and gas and people who do not. Building a resilient economy for a low-carbon future will require the resources and capabilities of Albertans from all sectors of society. In tough times, it is tempting to look back instead of looking forward. Hold on tight; wait for things to return to normal. For Alberta in early 2016, we face job losses, budget cuts and credit rating drops — emphasizing the extent to which our economic vitality depends on oil and gas. It is tempting to long for the past and hope that a rebound in the price of oil is imminent so the good times can return. Another temptation is to want to pick new sectors and technologies that might help us diversify our economy — find some new baskets for our eggs. Were it only so simple. The most innovative companies in the world know that long-term competitive success in a dynamic global economy lies less in focusing on any specific technology and more in building a culture of innovation. Google, for example, relentlessly seeks to foster a culture that breeds new ideas and breakthroughs. It starts with how they hire — targeting people who are open to new ideas, highly adept at adapting to change, and interested and passionate about a wide range of things. They then support these people by ensuring they have time to pursue their creative ideas, reducing hierarchy and other institutional barriers, and fostering a highly collaborative work environment that constantly brings new people and ideas into contact with one another. How can Alberta renew our culture of innovation to help us leverage our strengths and assets for building the economy that the future requires of us? First, let’s identify the big challenges and accept that we don’t know the answers. For example, we don’t yet know how to dramatically lower the carbon intensity of oilsands production or how to transform carbon dioxide into carbon-based materials instead of releasing it to the atmosphere. But we know we’ll need to do so if our vast hydrocarbon resources are going to continue to be a source of prosperity in the low-carbon global economy that the world wants to build. Not quite having the answers yet to grand challenges like these creates an enormous opening for innovation. Next, let’s create the ecosystem that breeds transformative new ideas. This means more than supporting research and development and investing in new technology ventures. Let’s also create opportunities for the scores of innovators and influencers in Alberta to interact with one another in unpredictable ways, where the outcomes are not pre-determined. Let’s make sure this effort goes out of its way to bring “strange bedfellows” together — technology innovators with artists, environmental activists with community leaders, oil and gas executives with students, clean technology pioneers with First Nations leaders. Furthermore, let’s step beyond the polarized and polarizing narratives that in recent years have kept us stuck in camps and inhibited our culture of innovation. This is not about good guys and bad guys, dirty versus clean industries, people who support oil and gas and people who do not. Building a resilient economy for a low-carbon future will require the resources and capabilities of Albertans from all sectors of society. The good news is that many Albertans from a wide range of backgrounds are more than ready for this challenge and are already rolling up their sleeves. Audrey Mascarenhas, for example, leads an oilfields service company, Questor Technology, that is exporting technology and know-how to turn waste emissions into energy and dramatically improve efficiency and air quality. Apoorv Sinha is an entrepreneur and chemical engineer whose company, Carbon Upcycling, is testing and developing technology to turn carbon dioxide into carbon-based nano-fibres. Meera Nathwani-Crowe is driving environmental performance improvement efforts at Shell Canada, seeking and implementing technology solutions, such as Shell’s new Quest carbon capture and storage project in Fort Saskatchewan. Jennifer Martin leads the Calgary science centre, Telus Spark, and is helping realize a vision to engage the Alberta public in the role and power of science in innovation and energy transition. Their stories and achievements don’t tend to dominate headlines, but these individuals and many like them are going to be the driving force for our future prosperity. They are a part of a growing wave of people across Alberta who want to be a part of building the economy that the future requires. They and 36 other people from a wide range of backgrounds called the “Energy Futures Lab Fellows” will gather in Edmonton January 25th to 27 to explore opportunities to collaborate. Environment and Parks Minister Shannon Phillips will address the group Tuesday evening. Their message to her and to all Albertans: we can do this. Source: Edmonton Journal #Culture_Shift #Clean_Technologies #Fellowship #2016 #EFL_Platform

Op-Ed: Innovation is Key to New Economy

The article “Innovation is key to new economy,” originally appeared in the Edmonton Journal on Tuesday January 26, 2016. Let’s step beyond the polarized and polarizing narratives that in recent years have kept us stuck in camps and inhibited our culture of innovation. This is not about good guys and bad guys, dirty versus clean industries, people who support oil and gas and people who do not. Building a resilient economy for a low-carbon future will require the resources and capabilities of...

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I’m pretty sure that “failing forward” has officially reached buzzword status, and if you’re like me you might be a little tired of hearing about the importance of failing. That being said, when what we’re trying to do is change massive, complex systems like how energy works in Alberta, it’s not very likely that perfect solutions – whether they be a products, services, or business models – are going to spring fully formed from our heads on the first try. So what if we could save ourselves some of the heartache and lost opportunity cost of failure by getting as much of that valuable learning done as possible before launch? 3 Reasons to prototype It’s cheap – Even if your prototype ends up being very close to the final model you arrive at, or a complete throwaway, it’s not as if you wasted much time, effort, or money. Prototyping allows us to try things with minimal risk. It’s going to save you time and money in the long run – We want to do our best to find out what works and what doesn’t before we go too far down any given path. Nobody knows everything – Exposing your model to testing and criticism allows you cover your bases and develop your model as much as possible prior to launch. How to select an idea for testing The following criteria are proposed by Theory U author Otto Scharmer for the selection of prototypes (Step 3): Relevance: Does it matter to the stakeholders involved? Select a problem or an opportunity that is relevant individually (for the persons involved). Revolution. Could it change the game? Rapid. Can you do it quickly (and avoid paralysis by analysis)? Rough. Can you do it on a small scale, on the lowest possible resolution that allows for meaningful experimentation? Right. Can you see the whole in the microcosm that you focus on? Relational. Does it leverage the strengths, competencies and possibilities of the team or network involved? Replicable. Can you scale it out (replicate), up (supportive systems), and/or deep (e.g. attitudes, culture)? Prototyping and Labs No new tech product or piece of software would get to market without having undergone multiple rounds of redesign to eliminate bugs and optimize user experience, so why should a change initiative? “A prototype is in fact an experiment, the purpose of which is to determine what works and doesn’t work.” Langdon Morris of InnovationLabs LLC Prototyping is about testing – rapidly and cheaply – an idea before making big investments, with success defined as the exploration of challenges and possible solutions. Ideally, prototyping will lead to an idea that deserves further testing, a full-fledged pilot or even a larger “roll out” across the system we’re hoping to change. The only way to fail is to not learn from the experience or not carry forward what has been learned into the next iteration of your solution. Building and Testing Models While methods vary, a typical change/innovation lab prototyping process may look something like the following: Design Brief – The prototype team drafts a description of the challenge, the types of outcomes they hope to see, and the key features of the response and/or constraints within which they operate. Observation and Research – The team spends time exploring the challenge they are trying to address and the systems in which these challenges are embedded. This may be accomplished in any number of ways including research, expert interviews, site visits, etc. Ideation and Selection – The team generates ideas that may be worth testing and selects those that will be tested as prototypes. Remember that not all ideas deserve to be prototyped. See How to select an idea for testing. Description of prototype – The team articulates a tangible and testable description of the model and prepares for implementation. Prepare evaluation plan – The team clearly outlines how it plans to test and evaluate the model during implementation. Implement/test and evaluate – Methods of testing and evaluation vary but may include; product testing with key stakeholders, focus grouping, or even Dragon’s Den-style examination by a panel of ‘investors’. Decide next steps: According to the results of evaluation, the prototype team may choose to discard the model, apply revisions and continue testing, graduate to a pilot, or go to scale. Prototyping for a Sustainability Transition Lab This month the Energy Futures Lab Fellows will convene for the second time. During their first gathering in November, they identified 8 ideas that they wanted to prototype and formed groups to begin the process. At next week’s session, they will take stock of their learnings and identify new ideas for prototyping. With what is facing Alberta’s energy system today, it’s tempting to want to launch initiatives that seem like no-brainers as fast as possible. If the Fellows share any unifying characteristic it is that they are all extremely action-oriented doers. The facilitators of this session may face a bit of a challenge in harnessing the energy of such a group for the testing and evaluation process. But the truth is that just about any idea, especially those being launched into extremely complex systems, can be improved and refined through thoughtful and robust (but at the same time quick and inexpensive) testing and revision. I can’t wait to see what comes out on the other end. #Culture_Shift #Fellowship #2016 #EFL_Platform

Rapid testing, Small investment: Prototyping in the Energy Futures Lab

I’m pretty sure that “failing forward” has officially reached buzzword status, and if you’re like me you might be a little tired of hearing about the importance of failing. That being said, when what we’re trying to do is change massive, complex systems like how energy works in Alberta, it’s not very likely that perfect solutions – whether they be a products, services, or business models – are going to spring fully formed from our heads on the first try. So what if we could save ourselves...

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Last time we talked about how data visualizations can be used to get a better understanding of the Alberta Energy system. Now we are happy to announce the launch of our Energy System Database! As we have mentioned before, there is no shortage of data on the energy system but how can we get a sense of how all the pieces fit together? Well the Energy System Database is a great place to start. Database Categories We have organized the data sets in number of ways to make it easier for you to find what you are looking for. The first way we have organized the data is by energy type. You can see data on: Primary energy – data by source such as oil & gas, coal, or renewables End-Use energy – how is that energy being used? By consumers? Industry? For transportation or export? Impacts of the energy sector – data on Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, environmental and economic impacts of energy in Alberta The second organization type is by data source type. Here you can look at data from: Government – both Provincial and Federal Industry – including industry associations Non-Governmental organizations And finally, we have categorized the data sets by visualization type: Raw data – data tables that don’t have any visualization applied Reports – data visuals that have been pre-built by the report designer Interactive – visualizations that let you change variables and play with assumptions In addition, we have tagged each item with a link to the visualization, the source data (if available), the format of the data, years the data is available and provided a screenshot preview of the data. How the Database Works Why did we make these choices for organizing all of these data sets? For three key reasons: People mean many things when they say “energy system”. Some are talking about electricity production, some are talking about oil & gas, some are talking about energy for export, some about energy efficiency. By collecting data sets on ALL of these views of the energy system, you get a sense of the overall picture of energy in Alberta. As mentioned before, data is always telling a story. And who tells that story will inevitably influence the kind of story being told. Looking at energy data from governments, industry and NGOs lets us compare and contrast and start to understand the stories behind the data. As much as we can give you our analysis of the data, you may want to decide for yourself. We have tried to give you links to as much of the raw data as is available so you can download and see for yourself. The Guardian in the UK (one of the world leaders in online data visualization) does this for almost all of their infographics and reports. Next time, we’ll dig into a few of these visualizations to look behind the scenes at how the data was put together, look at the stories behind the data and what the visualizations can (and can’t!) tell us. Contribute to the Database Have you found a site that does an amazing job of visualizing this data? Know of a data set we should include? Please send a note to info@energyfutureslab.com and let us know. We’ll get it up on our site as soon as we can. #Culture_Shift #2016 #EFL_Platform

Introducing the Energy System Database!

Last time we talked about how data visualizations can be used to get a better understanding of the Alberta Energy system. Now we are happy to announce the launch of our Energy System Database ! As we have mentioned before, there is no shortage of data on the energy system but how can we get a sense of how all the pieces fit together? Well the Energy System Database is a great place to start. Database Categories We have organized the data sets in number of ways to make it easier for you to...

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Reflections from our Energy Futures Lab Fellows “The energy system the future requires is efficient and reliable, diversified in sources and integrated in system, and of low carbon intensity.” – John Zhou Change is underway in Alberta. Within the province, energy sector innovators are working to collectively innovate, collaborate and act on transitioning towards a sustainable and resilient energy future. With a PhD in geology and seven US patents under his belt, John has spent the last 27 years researching energy and the environment. He is now the Chief Technical Officer and Executive Director of Water and Environmental Management at Alberta Innovates Energy and Environment Solutions (AI-EES) where he focuses on the energy-water nexus and GHG management. Most recently, John was selected as an Energy Futures Lab Fellow. The Energy Futures Lab, convened by The Natural Step Canada in collaboration with the Suncor Foundation, the Pembina Institute, and the Banff Centre, is leveraging the expertise of Dr. Zhou and 39 other fellows from government, the energy sector, First Nations groups, and environmental organizations to envision, develop, and act on ideas that will contribute to a sustainable energy future for Alberta. The Fellows’ success will be measured by tangible, breakthrough outcomes that support the transition towards a more resilient energy system. John sees an emerging opportunity in the current energy landscape. “Alberta has a great opportunity to decarbonize or drastically lower its GHG emissions from its electric power sector. The retirement of coal power plants offers a golden opportunity to increase renewable electricity capacity” he says. “The status quo of replacing coal plants exclusively with natural gas plants should be challenged. Decarbonisation in the electric power sector will buy Alberta the time to reduce GHG emissions in liquid fuel production.” Chad Park, The Natural Step Canada’s Executive Director, is excited to have John involved in the process. With his extensive knowledge as a long-term energy researcher and proven skills at developing high-caliber innovations, Dr. John Zhou was an obvious choice for the Energy Futures Lab Fellowship. #Clean_Technologies #Fellowship #2016 #EFL_Platform

John Zhou: How quickly can Alberta decarbonize?

Reflections from our Energy Futures Lab Fellows “The energy system the future requires is efficient and reliable, diversified in sources and integrated in system, and of low carbon intensity.” – John Zhou Change is underway in Alberta. Within the province, energy sector innovators are working to collectively innovate, collaborate and act on transitioning towards a sustainable and resilient energy future. With a PhD in geology and seven US patents under his belt, John has spent the last 27...

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Image source: Student Energy Hi there, I’m Steve Williams and I am an Information Designer for the Energy Futures Lab. I’m working on how the EFL uses data – how we can use existing data for decision making, how we can visualize and make sense of the data we have, and how we can develop new data and insights into Alberta’s energy system. There is a significant amount of information about the Alberta energy system online, in databases, in academic journals, on government websites and on corporate pages. Despite efforts to collect data on everything from oils sands extraction rates to air quality measurements, more data doesn’t necessarily lead to better decisions. Decision makers, whether they be in policy or business, need strong and objective analyses to underpin conversations about such a complex, interconnected subject like energy transition. So what do we mean when we talk about visualizing data? Data visualization can be everything from simple charts and graphs, to infographics (illustrating numbers in a highly visual format) to system maps (showing the relationship between parts of a system), simulations and interactive games that let us test future choices and directions. So why is the Energy Futures Lab so interested in looking at data in these ways? Here are our top 3 reasons: Visualizations give Fellows the ability to test theories and rapidly prototype ideas. Our energy system is big and complex. Testing new ideas and innovations in the “real world” can take a long time and be very expensive. Simulating different ideas and scenarios with data can help narrow in on promising policy or technical innovations. Simulations can expose assumptions and instead allow conversations informed by objective data. We all are susceptible to confirmation bias (retaining information that confirms our beliefs and ignoring opposing views). Sometimes, we need to be reminded of alternative views. Visualizing let’s us see the bigger picture and make decisions that go beyond a single element. No single number or chart exists in a vacuum – they tell a story, they are part of a narrative. Understanding the stories the data tells us, and how that relates to narratives of energy in Alberta, gives us insight into potential innovation areas or market opportunities. While there is a massive amount of data out there, it is fragmented and disconnected which makes it hard to see the whole system. No one seems to have an overall view of how the Alberta energy system works as a whole. We need to take an interdisciplinary approach to understanding, measuring and balancing the economic, environmental, technical and policy components of our energy system. There is a great benefit to bringing this information together in one place – organized, categorized and linked. That’s where the upcoming Energy System Visualization site comes in! We are bringing together 40 different visual representations of the Alberta energy system and categorizing this data by energy source type, level of interactivity and more. We’ll be following up with new data sets and visualizations and analysis each month. The Energy System Visualization site will give both our Energy Futures Lab Fellows and Canadians alike the knowledge they need to make informed contributions to the energy system transition. Stay tuned for the official launch of the Energy System Visualization site in mid-January! #Culture_Shift #Fellowship #EFL_Platform #2016

Using Data Visualization in the Energy Futures Lab

Image source: Student Energy Hi there, I’m Steve Williams and I am an Information Designer for the Energy Futures Lab. I’m working on how the EFL uses data – how we can use existing data for decision making, how we can visualize and make sense of the data we have, and how we can develop new data and insights into Alberta’s energy system. There is a significant amount of information about the Alberta energy system online, in databases, in academic journals, on government websites and on...

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Reflections on COP 21 Outcomes COP 21 is over and the world has agreed to “holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.” “Clean energy has passed the tipping point, and its gone mainstream” – The National, CBC Sure, we could focus on the lack of legally binding emissions reductions, but what is important about the Paris Agreement is that the story has changed. The agreement marks a historical milestone in an evolving global consensus around the urgency, and inevitability, of transition to a clean energy future. Here’s a line from The National’s recent feature Canada’s Clean Energy Race : “Clean energy has passed the tipping point, and it’s gone mainstream.” On December 1st the Economist released a podcast interview with Premier Notley, from COP 21, focused primarily on the new carbon tax. A year ago every part of that sentence would have sounded ludicrous. Under the headline It’s adapt or die for Canada’s energy sector, The Toronto Star warned oil sands producers not to become the next Kodak, the camera giant who found its product obsolete after passing on early versions of the digital camera. The Star cautioned energy companies that “it would be a mistake to underestimate the speed of transition to a low-carbon economy just because previous energy transitions took decades to catch fire.” Granted, coverage of clean energy and the need for climate action always picks up during COP climate negotiations, but the tone was different this time. Rather than focussing on the difficulty and cost of transition, these pieces emphasize the imminence of transition. Canada certainly showed up differently to the negotiations, with representatives of all provinces and major political parties welcomed to attend and participate. This doesn’t mean that they all agree on the same approach to combating climate change, but it does signal a new willingness to work together. Canada has pledged to cut its emissions by 30 per cent from 2005 levels by 2030. — As explained in Chad Park’s What Does The Alberta Climate Leadership Announcement Mean For The Energy Futures Lab? blog entry, the context and outlook for energy transition in Alberta was very different two years ago when the Energy Futures Lab was conceived. The recent policy changes give the Lab a head start, widening the scope of what is possible for its innovation agenda at a time when the global energy system is being transformed right in front of us. It is difficult to recognize a rapid historical shift when you’re living through it, but it really does feel like that’s what is happening. Just as we’re kicking off the EFL with amazing policy momentum out of the gate, the same is happening in the cultural space. As the examples above illustrate, the public narrative is already changing, and the EFL is perfectly poised to strengthen and build on it. — Public engagement is a huge part of the Lab. Albertans are already among the planet’s most energy literate populations. With major media outlets laying cultural groundwork for the embracing of clean energy, the scene is set for the EFL to help Albertans engage in the conversation in a way that showcases and builds our global leadership. Over the next few years, in communities across the province, people will be invited to engage with their energy system in ways they never have before, including learning opportunities and interactive simulation games that allow players to explore energy system interventions. While the EFL Fellows make tangible strides in the form of partnerships, business models, and other innovations that directly benefit the organizations they represent, they will at the same time be examples, providing inspiration and a practical roadmap to the rest of the province. This diverse group will be a vanguard of innovation, demonstrating what working across traditional boundaries can achieve in the energy space, with their accomplishments chronicled and broadcast via organized and concentrated media support (including this blog). As early adopters of a new model of collaboration, the Fellowship will be on the front lines of the transition, pushing the boundaries of the possible, and working to accelerating the mainstreaming that is already underway. #Culture_Shift #Fellowship #2015 #EFL_Platform

The energy transition culture shift is already here

Reflections on COP 21 Outcomes COP 21 is over and the world has agreed to “holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.” “Clean energy has passed the tipping point, and its gone mainstream” – The National, CBC Sure, we could focus on the lack of legally binding emissions reductions, but what is important about the Paris Agreement is that the...

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This past Sunday I attended briefings and the big announcement about Alberta’s new Climate Leadership Plan. Many friends of the Energy Futures Lab (EFL) were also in attendance – Fellows, partners, and Steering Committee members. I was asked on a number of occasions, “what does this mean for the Energy Futures Lab?” The question arises because the Energy Futures Lab was originally conceived almost two years ago in a vastly different context. The kinds of policy announcements we heard this week were not at all on the radar, and the public narratives were dominated by polarized debates. What a difference a few months can make. The short answer: This is excellent news for the EFL and only increases the timeliness of the initiative. The chance for the EFL to have a major impact have increased dramatically with this big shift in the policy landscape. The convening question for the EFL is: how can Alberta’s strengths in today’s energy system serve as a platform for the transition to the energy system that the future requires of us? A key word in this question is transition. The Alberta Climate Leadership policies have now clearly defined the rules of the game for many elements of the transition. Transition is now public policy, and we now have some of the important timelines and parameters. In the old world, the EFL Fellows might have spent a good portion of their collaborative effort advocating for the kinds of policy changes that would remove barriers and help scale the innovations being created in the Lab. Now, the bulk of those policies are in place just as we’re getting out of the starting gates. It’s like a giant gust of wind filling the innovation sails of the Lab. With the transition policy context so firmly in place, we can focus our efforts less on public policy advocacy, and more on social, technological, and financial innovations as well as the new partnerships needed to make the transition happen. Moving forward, together The Fellowship is made up of dozens of innovators and influencers from across a wide spectrum of groups who touch the energy system in different ways. They will work together in an innovation ecosystem over the next three years to generate new partnerships, business models, prototypes, resource flows, collaborations with First Nations, and other initiatives to help accelerate the transition. We can already see that a number of early prototypes generated in the first workshop are directly relevant to specific policy elements in the Alberta Climate Leadership framework. For example, one group has already initiated an early prototype on rapidly decarbonizing oil sands production – directly relevant in light of the newly announced 100MT oil sands emissions cap. Another group has formed to prototype innovative new financing mechanisms for renewable energy – highly relevant in light of the announcement to replace the province’s coal-fired power production with renewable energy. A second big reason for optimism relates to the broader cultural landscape. The Government of Alberta will need to engage Albertans in a way that builds on the support expressed by many parties this week in order to help solidify this policy direction in our provincial culture. Here, too, the Energy Futures Lab will be a big help. The public engagement activities of the EFL will capture imaginations and engage new constituencies in understanding and connecting with energy transition. The Lab will help Albertans feel that energy transition is something they are a part of, instead of something being done to them. Game Changers: The Energy Futures Lab Fellows This starts with the Fellows. This amazing, diverse group will become some of the leading public voices for energy transition in the province. Their work and stories will reach across multiple platforms and channels, beginning with their own networks and constituencies. Direct public engagement activities, including an energy transition simulation game and a series of in-person and online learning experiences will offer multiple ways for people and organizations across Alberta to engage and connect. Finally, how prepared do organizations feel they are for the new world? The recent announcement will leave many with an urgent need to pay far greater attention to the strategic implications of energy transition for their organizations. The organizational engagement stream of the EFL, currently being piloted with Suncor Energy, will ultimately offer organizations opportunities to draw on the content and insights of the EFL to engage their teams in an internal process that mirrors the experience of the EFL Fellows. In short, the Energy Futures Lab is poised to become a key vehicle to support implementation of the policy direction announced this week and offers a way to meaningfully engage Albertan organizations and citizens in the exciting new direction set out by the Government of Alberta. I know I’m not the only one involved with the Energy Futures Lab feeling very fortunate to have the opportunity to play a meaningful role in helping usher in the future that is calling to us. “The Alberta Climate Leadership policies have now clearly defined the rules of the game for many elements of the transition. Transition is now public policy, and we now have some of the important timelines and parameters.” #Culture_Shift #Fellowship #2015 #EFL_Platform

What does the Alberta Climate Leadership announcement mean for the Energy Futures Lab?

This past Sunday I attended briefings and the big announcement about Alberta’s new Climate Leadership Plan. Many friends of the Energy Futures Lab (EFL) were also in attendance – Fellows, partners, and Steering Committee members. I was asked on a number of occasions, “what does this mean for the Energy Futures Lab?” The question arises because the Energy Futures Lab was originally conceived almost two years ago in a vastly different context. The kinds of policy announcements we heard this...

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The Energy Futures Lab (EFL) has announced the names of the Energy Futures Lab Fellows – 40 influencers from industry, NGOs, government, academia, and First Nations communities across Alberta, who will work together over the next three years to help accelerate the transition to a sustainable, resilient energy system. These leaders have come together because they believe that how we tackle the interconnected issues of climate change, energy security and sustainable development is key to Alberta’s future prosperity. On Sunday, Premier Rachel Notley outlined a vision in which Alberta becomes “one of the world’s most progressive and forward-looking energy producers.” In the wake of the Government of Alberta’s historic announcement of its Climate Leadership Plan it is clear that Albertans are ready to step beyond polarized debates and be part of a constructive process to shape the future. “The future is never just a continuation of the past. This is especially true for the future of our energy system,” says Lab Director, Chad Park, “There are great implications for Alberta. We can either help shape the future or cope with it.” Underlying the Energy Futures Lab is a shared conviction that Alberta’s strengths and assets in today’s energy system can serve as a platform for innovation and leadership in the transition to the energy system that the future requires of us. “Alberta’s energy system requires us to be bold, fearless leaders; to collaborate in ways we never thought possible; to be deliberate storytellers; and be balanced while considering the climate, people, and economics.” – Megan Zimmerman, Energy Futures Lab Fellow and Business Development Manager of Renewable Energy & Technology at Calgary Economic Development Designed and convened by The Natural Step Canada, the Suncor Energy Foundation, the Banff Centre, and the Pembina Institute, the EFL brings together a wide diversity of experiences and perspectives from across Alberta’s energy system. The Fellows were selected based on their ability to collaborate, experiment, act as agents of change in a range of networks across the province, and for their knowledge, achievements and commitment to shaping Alberta’s energy future. Anticipated outcomes include new partnerships, business models, policy and public engagement activities. The Lab serves as a platform for ongoing experimentation and innovation that will help align and amplify existing efforts on energy transition across the province. By engaging a wide range of stakeholders and the public, the Lab will support the targets outlined in the Climate Leadership Plan including the phase-out of pollution caused by burning coal, transition to renewable energy, adaptation to carbon pricing, methane emissions reduction and remaining within the overall oil sands emission limit. This creative solution space will enable experimentation, prototyping, and scaling of new and existing initiatives to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon energy future. Over the course of the next year, the fellows will engage in a series of workshops, learning journeys and collaborative activities that will be characterized by tough conversations that challenge basic assumptions and reveal root causes of current challenges. On the approach needed for the transition to a sustainable energy system, Megan Zimmerman, EFL Fellow and Business Development Manager of Renewable Energy & Technology at Calgary Economic Development states, “Alberta’s energy system requires us to be bold, fearless leaders; to collaborate in ways we never thought possible; to be deliberate storytellers; and be balanced while considering the climate, people, and economics.” For the two years to follow, the Lab will coordinate action across a broad range of organizations and the public. Each fellow belongs to a company, community group, university, government, or not-for-profit organization that has expressed a commitment to experiment and innovate with The Energy Futures Lab. By engaging their organizations and the broader Alberta public in this important dialogue about Alberta’s future, the fellows’ ideas, discoveries and solutions will have a ripple effect. The aim is to engage wider audiences, foster new leaders, and build a pool of collaborators and diverse stakeholders to help Alberta prepare for and shape the future. We encourage all Albertans to follow us and join in this endeavour. To learn more and stay updated, please visit the website energyfutureslab.com and register for the newsletter energyfutureslab.com/newsletter. #Culture_Shift #Fellowship #2015 #EFL_Platform

Energy Futures Lab Launches Fellowship to Shape Alberta’s Energy Future

The Energy Futures Lab (EFL) has announced the names of the Energy Futures Lab Fellows – 40 influencers from industry, NGOs, government, academia, and First Nations communities across Alberta, who will work together over the next three years to help accelerate the transition to a sustainable, resilient energy system. These leaders have come together because they believe that how we tackle the interconnected issues of climate change, energy security and sustainable development is key to...

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We have come together to convene this important initiative because we believe that how we tackle the interconnected issues of climate change, energy security and sustainable development today is key to Alberta’s future prosperity. The issues are so complex that addressing them is not possible unless we are working across traditional organizational and sectoral boundaries. Underlying our collaboration is a shared conviction that Alberta’s strengths and assets in today’s energy system can serve as a platform for innovation and leadership in the transition to the energy system that the future requires of us. We also believe that we are not alone. Individuals and organizations all across our province want to step beyond polarized debates and be a part of a constructive process to prepare for and shape the future. Many are already working on these issues – applying their talents and commitment as social and technological innovators outside and within our established energy industries and other sectors, startups, governments, First Nations, universities, and non-profit organizations. Designed to accelerate the development of a “fit for the future” energy system, success for the EFL will mean that co-ordinated action across a broad range of organizations has generated tangible breakthrough outcomes that support transition toward a more sustainable and resilient energy system. To achieve this, we will bring together a cohort of leaders, Energy Futures Lab Fellows, and support them in working together both to align and amplify existing efforts and to generate new opportunities to test and scale initiatives. Ultimately, the EFL will engage thousands of individuals and dozens of organizations across the province and beyond. We invite you to join us! Chad Park Executive DirectorThe Natural Step Canada Steve Williams President and CEOSuncor Dan Buchner Vice PresidentPeter Lougheed Leadership Institute Ed Whittingham Executive DirectorPembina Institute #Culture_Shift #Fellowship #2015 #EFL_Platform

Welcome to the Energy Futures Lab

We have come together to convene this important initiative because we believe that how we tackle the interconnected issues of climate change, energy security and sustainable development today is key to Alberta’s future prosperity. The issues are so complex that addressing them is not possible unless we are working across traditional organizational and sectoral boundaries. Underlying our collaboration is a shared conviction that Alberta’s strengths and assets in today’s energy system can serve...

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The desire to shape the future, not just cope with it or react to it, is deeply embedded in Alberta’s culture. Alberta has long been at the forefront of discovery and innovation of game-changing solutions in the energy field. Alberta’s work on technological innovations is key to resiliency of our future energy system, but it is not enough. To unlock the full range of energy system transition opportunities, Alberta will have to employ seemingly unconventional strategies and partnerships. Attention must be paid to social innovations and cultural narratives in addition to policy options and technological innovation. What if oil and gas executives worked together with clean tech innovators to chart new innovation pathways for turning CO2 emissions into useful carbon-composite materials, for an Alberta-based response to the global X Prize challenge? Or what if they joined forces to find new markets for biofuels generated from a company like Enerkem’s leading edge waste-to-energy facility in Edmonton? “The rest of the world is looking to transition to a low-carbon economic future, with or without us. Alberta can sit on the sidelines, or take the action needed to ensure the continued strength of the economy.” – Shannon Phillips, Alberta Minister of Environment and Parks, at the 2015 Alberta Climate Summit, September 9. What if homegrown industry leaders like the Landmark Group of Builders worked together with municipal and provincial governments, financial institutions, and other stakeholders to remove some of the barriers to scaling up adoption of their groundbreaking net-zero homes? What if chambers of commerce, economic development agencies, and municipal and provincial governments worked together to articulate and build a next-generation concept of the “Alberta Advantage” that became the foundation for a new provincial economic development and diversification strategy? What if Albertans of indigenous heritage collaborated with environmental groups, community planners and industry to accelerate the adoption of renewable energy technologies on First Nations reserves across the province? All of this and more could be possible through the Energy Futures Lab. All of the organizations and stakeholders listed above are involved in this unprecedented collaboration. Their work together over the coming months and years promises to expose tired stereotypes about our province and make it clear that the Alberta of the future is being born today, building on the legacy and assets of what we’ve been, and charting our own path forward. Charting our own transition path How can we work together to leverage Alberta’s leadership position in today’s energy system to help accelerate the transition to the energy system the future requires of us? We’re thrilled to be on the cusp of a process aimed at finding and acting on answers to this question with the kick-off meeting of the Energy Futures Lab in Banff on November 1-4. In attendance were 40 Energy Futures Lab Fellows – influencers and innovators from government, NGOs, industry, academia, First Nations and community groups. Approximately 100 individuals applied to join the Energy Futures Lab, which exemplifies what a strong interest there is among energy system players to contribute to a positive, future-focused initiative about Alberta’s energy future. The Energy Futures Lab is being designed and facilitated by The Natural Step Canada, in collaboration with Suncor Energy Foundation, the Banff Centre, and Pembina Institute. Over the coming months the Fellows – a microcosm of Alberta’s energy system – will “backcast” by building a shared vision for the energy system of the future and evaluate where we are today relative to that future state. They will then work together to develop interventions aimed at helping bridge the gap between where we are and where we need to be. We can’t yet know exactly what these interventions will look like, but the ideas described above only begin to scrape the surface of what this group might be able to achieve together. With the Energy Futures Lab serving as a forum for ongoing collaborative experimentation and innovation among such an impressive and diverse group, we are extremely excited about the possibilities. Please stay tuned, follow our progress, and reach out to ask about how you might get involved as the Lab’s organizational and public engagement activities are rolled out in early 2016. #Culture_Shift #Fellowship #2015 #EFL_Platform

Shaping our Energy Future: Chad Park introduces the Energy Futures Lab

The desire to shape the future, not just cope with it or react to it, is deeply embedded in Alberta’s culture. Alberta has long been at the forefront of discovery and innovation of game-changing solutions in the energy field. Alberta’s work on technological innovations is key to resiliency of our future energy system, but it is not enough. To unlock the full range of energy system transition opportunities, Alberta will have to employ seemingly unconventional strategies and partnerships....

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How do you accelerate innovation to an unnaturally high pace? According to Bill Gates, in a provocatively titled We Need an Energy Miracle piece last week from the Atlantic, society needs to ramp up innovation in order to accelerate “a transition to new forms of energy” and avoid running a global 3 or 4 degree climate experiment. His interview raised fascinating questions about the mechanics of how we might go about attempting to drive “innovation ‘at an unnaturally high pace.’” These are the exact questions that the organizers of the Energy Futures Lab (EFL) have been grappling with for the better part of two years as they prepared to launch an initiative aimed at “accelerating the transition to the energy system that the future requires.” “I suggest that you should set the bar at making history, and history’s waiting out there to be made. You are the right gang to do it.” – Avrim Lazar, former President and CEO of the Forest Products Association of Canada In contrast with Gates, the designers of the EFL don’t believe that we need a miracle, but rather a radically different approach to stimulating innovation through collaboration: a blend of state-of-the-art change lab methodology with leading edge public engagement strategies, and a planning framework to guide human action within planetary limits. With these tools, the right group of influencers may have a chance at cutting through the mind-numbing polarization that characterizes ‘debates’ over the future of energy in Alberta, and leverage the province’s energy resources and expertise to become a world leading energy system of the future. The core of the Energy Futures Lab process is the EFL Fellowship, and two weeks ago, all 40 of these leaders convened for the first time in Banff. The Fellows represent incredibly diverse interests from across the energy spectrum in Alberta, including oil and gas, provincial and local government, First Nations, and non-profits. Despite their differences, they all possess a proven leadership ability and deep desire to help shape the future of Alberta. Avrim Lazar, former President and CEO of the Forest Products Association of Canada and key architect of the landmark 2010 Boreal Forests Agreement, welcomed the Fellows to the launch by reminding them of exactly what they were there to do: “I suggest that you should set the bar at making history, and history’s waiting out there to be made. You are the right gang to do it.” — Over the course of the intensive three-day session that followed, the Fellows began to lay the groundwork for this ambitious undertaking. They took stock of one another’s experiences, expertise, and motivations, gave voice to common energy narratives at play throughout Alberta, and explored efforts already underway to transform how the province produces, distributes, and uses energy. The Fellows were guided through mapping exercises to reveal barriers to change and leverage points within the energy system where small interventions may result in wide-ranging effects, and had the opportunity to pitch initiatives to the group as projects for collaboration. Predictably, given the range of perspectives in the room, the Fellows did not always see eye to eye on either problems or solutions, but that friction, the organizers emphasize, is what will give the initiatives that emerge from the Lab a robustness that would otherwise be missing. There were disagreements, debates, and some uncomfortable discussions over the course of the session, but there was also common ground. The three day session in Banff was only the first of many meetings of the Fellows slated to take place over the next year but already a number of themes are becoming apparent. This is a community bent on making history. Just about the only thing the Fellows have 100% agreement on is that the EFL is not going to be another forum for great discussion. If this isn’t about doing, they’re not interested. Engaging the public is essential to success. If actions taken by the Fellows do not find fertile cultural ground, they’ll be doomed to fail. The EFL will need to frame initiatives that are compatible with the narratives being lived by Albertans, or find ways to shift those narratives. Sharing matters. The session opened with each Fellow presenting an object that symbolized commitment to the Lab. From family photos, to a 425 million year old fossil, to a Fellowship of the Rings DVD, what each brought said something authentic about themselves and was an investment of trust in the group. The value of the relationships forming out of this trust is difficult to quantify but absolutely essential to effective coordinated action. A number of questions and tensions are also emerging from the process. Fellows and Lab organizers have until January to ponder these before they meet again in Edmonton. How deeply does a group of actors need to understand the complexity of the Alberta energy system in order to identify high-leverage opportunities for change and effectively forecast barriers? Where do we draw the boundaries around our attempts to map such a complex system? To what extent must a group of collaborators share a common vision of success in order to effectively coordinate action? Certainly, we can all agree that a future energy system must be sustainable, but how important is it that we all hold the same definition of sustainability? The possible rewards are vast, but the ambiguities of the Lab process can sometimes be frustrating for participants. How can we balance the desires of an action-oriented group, accustomed to pursuing specifically defined goals, with a process that, according to change lab guru Adam Kahane, is “emergent, unfolding, but almost never according to plan?” — In the coming months I’ll be following developments in the Energy Futures Lab, touching base with a number of the Fellows, and tracking EFL public engagement efforts. If the aim is history making, consider me a primary source chronicler with an inside track on events as they take shape. I am honoured and excited about the opportunity to play a role, however small, in the effort to accelerate innovation in Alberta an unnaturally high pace and I cannot wait to see how it turns out. #Culture_Shift #Fellowship #2015 #EFL_Vision #EFL_Platform

Recapping the First Energy Futures Lab Workshop

How do you accelerate innovation to an unnaturally high pace? According to Bill Gates, in a provocatively titled We Need an Energy Miracle piece last week from the Atlantic, society needs to ramp up innovation in order to accelerate “a transition to new forms of energy” and avoid running a global 3 or 4 degree climate experiment. His interview raised fascinating questions about the mechanics of how we might go about attempting to drive “innovation ‘at an unnaturally high pace.’” These are...

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A blog from Energy Futures Lab Fellow Alex Nnamonu As Alberta begins grappling with the energy challenges of the 21st century, Alex Nnamonu, Executive Director of Major Legislative Project and Strategic Planning at Alberta Municipal Affairs is thinking beyond technology, beyond numbers… “A desirable future is one which is not dominated by “all-or-nothing” thinking, but one which delivers win-win outcomes. Energy Futures Lab is an opportunity, an unusual opportunity for people to start talking, start sharing information.” – Alex Nnamonu He’s thinking about soccer. Growing up in Nigeria, he recalls, “you play soccer in a little patch of ground and when you came back six months later, it was gone. There was a building there or a road there. The actual soccer field became some kind of gravel pit. For me one key parameter for responsible development is that it’s tied to what citizens feel, need and want. As a child, there was development happening, there was growth happening, but there was no longer a place to play soccer.” As a Fellow of the Energy Futures Lab, Nnamonu will join a lively and challenging new initiative that brings together leaders from across provincial government, industry, and civil society to address the pressing challenges of Alberta’s energy system. They will explore these challenges while considering the needs of the environment, economy and communities. The goal of the Lab, convened by The Natural Step Canada in collaboration with Suncor Energy Foundation, the Banff Centre, and Pembina Institute, is to develop practical, actionable solutions that start the transition of Alberta’s energy system to a sustainable one. Thinking of Alberta’s energy future, Nnamonu states, “People should be able to thrive where they live. I see a future where citizens have more tools, more information to participate actively in that dialogue. I believe an opportunity exists to move beyond the simple notion of trade-offs, winners and losers to a different plane of true innovation in terms of becoming world leaders in pursuing resource extraction the right way and adapting or changing when appropriate to do so.” Fellows of the Energy Futures Lab include representatives from government, NGOs, industry, academia, First Nations and community groups. Together, they will develop practical and innovative solutions to transition Alberta to a sustainable energy system. With Nnamonu’s extensive experience managing multi-stakeholder initiatives and using data to gain system-wide insights, he will be a valuable part of the 40 person team. “A desirable future is one which is not dominated by “all-or-nothing” thinking, but one which delivers win-win outcomes.” states Nnamonu, “Energy Futures Lab is an opportunity, an unusual opportunity, for people to start talking, start sharing information.” #Culture_Shift #Clean_Technologies #Fellowship #Alberta_Energy_Narrative_Hearts_and_Minds #2015 #EFL_Platform

What does a thriving energy system look like?

A blog from Energy Futures Lab Fellow Alex Nnamonu As Alberta begins grappling with the energy challenges of the 21st century, Alex Nnamonu, Executive Director of Major Legislative Project and Strategic Planning at Alberta Municipal Affairs is thinking beyond technology, beyond numbers… “A desirable future is one which is not dominated by “all-or-nothing” thinking, but one which delivers win-win outcomes. Energy Futures Lab is an opportunity, an unusual opportunity for people to start...

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Sir Winston Churchill once famously said that we should never let a good crisis go to waste. Never was this truer for Alberta than today. As the reality of sliding oil prices settled in last year, Premier Jim Prentice described the province’s fiscal situation as “the most challenging financial and economic circumstances we’ve seen in our province in a generation.” The Economist magazine recently used a similar turn of phrase when it called on governments around the world to take “the once-in-a-generation opportunity” to implement smarter energy policies, including putting a price on carbon emissions. In Alberta, the temptation will surely be to revert to the policies of the past, or to consider only incremental adjustments to current policies. In part this is because the cultural narratives that shaped those policies are so strong. Jobs versus the environment. No provincial sales tax in Alberta. National Energy Program. As goes the oil business, so goes our economy. But as our province grows and our demographics change, more and more Albertans are questioning the old storylines, asking how well they mesh with the realities of a rapidly evolving world. For example, public opinion polls show most people strongly favour the middle ground in the polarized debates around energy and resource development, even though the dominant public narrative still suggests that the poles offer us our only choices. Most of us just want to ensure that our children and grandchildren have the same or better opportunities for a good life as we have today. It’s the same ethic that Alberta brought to the national consciousness when Preston Manning and his colleagues reminded us of the consequences of our growing national debt in the 1980s and 1990s: We shouldn’t borrow from the future to pay for today. When it comes to energy issues, there is no hypothetical sweet spot that perfectly balances environmental, social and economic concerns. But we can find solid middle ground for the majority by thinking about transition. How can Alberta’s strengths and assets in today’s energy system serve as a platform for innovation and leadership in the transition to the energy system that the future requires of us? Even in the absence of clear policy direction, many Albertans are already working with a “transition” vision in mind. Applying their talents and commitment as social and technological innovators, they work both outside and within our established energy industries and other sectors, startups, universities, municipal governments, and non-profit organizations. The City of Edmonton’s Energy Transition Strategy is just one among many fine examples of Albertan institutions readying themselves for a much different energy future. Another inspiring example is the Landmark Group, a successful home builder now also a renewable energy provider. Innovators like these are writing some of the new Alberta narratives. To support them, we need to consider today’s public policies and investments not by weighing the environmental cons against the economic pros, but in light of their strategic potential for taking us toward the sustainable, resilient energy system we will need to be as successful in the 21st century as we were in the 20th. This is environmental leadership as a source of economic opportunity. A new provincial climate change framework and an energy sustainability strategy are both due to be released later in 2015. They represent a tremendous opportunity to set a clear direction and demonstrate Alberta’s vision and commitment. Meanwhile, let’s consider the next provincial budget. What if we used this moment to fundamentally address the inherent risk of a provincial budget that is so tied to the price of a single global commodity over which we have no control? What if, building from our strengths and the legacy of all that we’ve accomplished, we used this moment to prepare ourselves for the carbon-constrained future we know is coming? What if we constructed a provincial budget that assumes oil prices at today’s levels and then, when the prices do eventually rise, we save the ensuing surpluses for investment in continued Albertan leadership in that future? #Culture_Shift #Regional_Pathways #Alberta_Energy_Narrative_Hearts_and_Minds #2015 #EFL_Platform

Seize the inter-generational moment, Mr. Prentice

Sir Winston Churchill once famously said that we should never let a good crisis go to waste. Never was this truer for Alberta than today. As the reality of sliding oil prices settled in last year, Premier Jim Prentice described the province’s fiscal situation as “the most challenging financial and economic circumstances we’ve seen in our province in a generation.” The Economist magazine recently used a similar turn of phrase when it called on governments around the world to take “the...

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We gratefully acknowledge the original territories of the Siksikáwa, Îyârhe Nakodabi, and Tsuut’ina Dene, of Mohkínstsisakápiyoyis, Wincheesh-pah, Kootsisáw, or the colonized lands which many now refer to as Calgary, where the Energy Futures Lab is headquartered. These Lands are also home to members of the Métis Nation of Alberta under the Otipemisiwak Métis Government — District 4 & 5, whose peoples have deep relationships with the land. This reminds all of us to walk in a good way and remember our commitments to Indigenous Peoples.

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