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Photo: Maddie Faunt On November 4, 2025, the very same day that the Lab’s first workshop closed a decade earlier, over 150 members of the EFL’s extended network, including founding members of the Lab platform, joined us in Calgary at Bonterra Trattoria for a very special gathering to celebrate the Lab’s 10th Anniversary . Guests attend the 10th anniversary celebration of the Energy Futures Lab | Photo: Maddie Faunt Between rounds of delicious food, drinks, and enthusiastic reunions of community members, the evening’s program kicked off with a very special opening by Hal Eagletail, who performed a song to bless and safeguard the people leading the important work of energy innovation. Alison Cretney speaks to guests of 10 Forward: A Celebration of 10 Years of Impact | Photo: Maddie Faunt The Lab’s Managing Director, Alison Cretney , offered remarks highlighting the many ways in which the Energy Futures Lab community has helped break through polarization, open new pathways in Alberta’s energy transition, and build the momentum, partnerships, and leadership needed to shape a prosperous, sustainable energy future. And we also debuted two new videos , highlighting the Lab’s journey from inception  to  impact : Next, toasts offered by six supporters of the Lab showcased unique aspects of the Lab’s approach, its community and what it has achieved in its first decade. Arlene Strom | Photo: Maddie Faunt Arlene Strom A founding partner of the Energy Futures Lab, Former Suncor Chief Sustainability Officer and General Counsel and now Chancellor of Mount Royal University toasted the Lab’s  ambition , and  its unique willingness to truly relinquish control in a co-creative space , and the empowerment and sense of duty that trust unlocks in participants . She   reflected on the discussions with Suncor leadership in deciding whether or not to fund the Lab’s initial 3-year arc given the ineffable nature of what it might generate, and how their trust in the founders’ vision ultimately persuaded them to proceed. Steve McDonald | Photo: Maddie Faunt Steve McDonald The Current Generate Canada board member, long-time Lab Advisor, Former CEO of Emissions Reduction Alberta and now Principal at +SM Advisory Services toasted the Lab’s unwaivering commitment to finding solutions amidst deep complexity , and solving problems with integrity, ingenuity and a truly representative diversity of perspectives. Photo: Maddie Faunt Prageet Nibber The CEO and founder of ReWatt Power Inc. toasted the Lab’s capacity as a forum for   mentorship  and a springboard for new ideas , reflecting on an initiative she developed with support from Lab members, Community Power Aggregation, that’s since gone on to be implemented in the UK. Dani Hansen | Photo: Maddie Faunt Dani Hansen Current EFL Fellow and BMO Capital Markets VP Environmental Commodities Sales & Structuring, Dani toasted the Lab’s ability to take complex, systemic issues, and create space for practical collaboration that leads to meaningful impact , pointing to its role in the creation of the investment tax credit now in place to support carbon capture and storage projects in Canada. JP Gladu | Photo: Maddie Faunt JP Gladu The Energy Futures Policy Collaborative Indigenous Advisory Committee Chair and Principal of Mokwateh toasted the Lab’s emphasis on  building relational capital, forged through valuable shared experiences . Chad Park | Photo: Maddie Faunt Chad Park Last but not least, the founding Managing Director of the Energy Futures Lab and current Vice President, Sustainability & Citizenship for The Co-operators, toasted the Lab’s longevity , which he credits to its adaptability , which allows it to  sense the system and quickly pivot to respond to what’s needed most at any given moment. He also praised the application of adaptability in learning and not being deterred by the inevitable missteps that accompany innovation and human relationships. Photos: Maddie Faunt We're grateful to everyone who was able to join us for the event, and to those who sent messages and texts congratulating us on this significant milestone. Your support means the world to us! As we reflect on our journey, we couldn't be prouder of what the Lab community has collectively achieved. Each contribution, big or small, has played a vital role in our success. We value every individual who has been a part of this journey, and we recognize that our accomplishments are a direct result of your hard work and dedication. We extend our most heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you for your unwavering commitment to the Lab's vision and the hard work and passion you bring to the table every day in service of making that vision a reality. Onwards!

Celebrating 10 Years

Photo: Maddie Faunt On November 4, 2025, the very same day that the Lab’s first workshop closed a decade earlier, over 150 members of the EFL’s extended network, including founding members of the Lab platform, joined us in Calgary at Bonterra Trattoria for a very special gathering to celebrate the Lab’s 10th Anniversary . Guests attend the 10th anniversary celebration of the Energy Futures Lab | Photo: Maddie Faunt Between rounds of delicious food, drinks, and enthusiastic reunions of...

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As the Energy Futures Lab turns 10, we’re also celebrating the start of a new era. Today, the Lab is excited to share news of an important milestone for our organization — one that reflects our growth and the strong foundation we’ve built over the past decade. To look ahead, we must first reflect on where we began. In 2015, an idea for a social innovation approach to addressing a growing sense of polarization around energy and climate was born within The Natural Step Canada (TNS). That idea went on to become the Energy Futures Lab, which emerged as the first 'solution space' within TNS, which, in 2024, became Generate Canada : an organization helping to tackle complex challenges at the intersection of the environment, economy and society. Over the past decade, the Lab has grown and matured into Canada’s leading social innovation platform for the energy transition, bringing together innovators, industry leaders, policymakers, and communities to navigate the challenges and opportunities of some of the most pressing energy issues of our time.  Now, as we mark 10 years of helping accelerate the energy transition in Canada, we are confidently stepping into our next phase of growth. Effective January 1, 2026 , the Energy Futures Lab will become its own independent organization – a natural progression in our journey from an initiative of Generate Canada to a fully established entity in our own right. This marks an important step forward, and we will continue to collaborate closely with Generate Canada and its solutions spaces , maintaining a strong and strategic partnership where our work intersects. With this transition: The Lab will establish its own Board of Directors, composed of nationally connected regional leaders leaders committed to advancing our shared vision . Our programs, partnerships, and day-to-day work will continue without interruption. For most outside the organization, there will be no discernable change to our operations or programming beyond this shift in financial and governance structures. With our roots in Alberta, we will continue to align our work with regional priorities and realities — applying local expertise and scaling tailored approaches to national and global challenges. As the Lab’s scope has gradually broadened, our platform and methods have become part of the fabric of Alberta’s energy system, with many communities, agencies and organizations eager to partner with us, growing our capacity to host major initiatives independently. Becoming an independent organization will further allow us to deliver programming with the support of regional leadership and broaden our network to connect with strategically aligned organizations and new partners at a critical moment for Canada’s energy future, enabling us to make sustained impact as the energy landscape continues to shift. This evolution is a testament to the strength of the network we’ve built together  — the Fellows, Ambassadors ,  alumni, initiative coalition and working group members, advisors, funders, and friends who have shaped our journey. Your insight, collaboration, and commitment continue to inspire us.  We are profoundly grateful for the enduring partnership and support of Generate Canada, whose stewardship has been essential to our growth. As we look to the next decade, we remain dedicated to accelerating an inclusive and equitable shift to a prosperous and sustainable energy future — and we look forward to continuing this work with all of you in this exciting new chapter. #2025 #EFL_Platform #Generate_Canada

A New Chapter Begins for the Energy Futures Lab

As the Energy Futures Lab turns 10, we’re also celebrating the start of a new era. Today, the Lab is excited to share news of an important milestone for our organization — one that reflects our growth and the strong foundation we’ve built over the past decade. To look ahead, we must first reflect on where we began. In 2015, an idea for a social innovation approach to addressing a growing sense of polarization around energy and climate was born within The Natural Step Canada (TNS). That idea...

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With additional reporting from Jennifer Young EFL Fellows on an invigorating, early-morning hike to Grassi Lakes near Canmore Energy Futures Lab Fellows recently gathered for the second time in-person in Canmore at the mid-point of the Fellowship. Together, we worked to unpack insights gathered over the last year and put them into action. Over the summer, work had been done to whittle down the Fellowship’s portfolio of tension investigations i nto four key tensions present across the energy industry:  Investor Coherence and Confidence Relationships with Indigenous Communities  Energy Development in Rural Spaces  Pore Space Many of the Fellows, particularly new ones, were itching to get to work, and after several months of working to understand these tensions, it was time to shift from working in the “problem space” to the “solution space.” GROUNDING TO OPEN Our second gathering was opened with a truly grounding land acknowledgement. Elder-in-training Gilbert Crowchild graciously and humorously shared his traditional knowledge of how the land, the water and the air have sustained for eternity, a sentiment that is echoed in the human experience of motherhood and nurturing. These ideas were cemented with a ceremonial smudge allowing us to be truly open and present for work we had in front of us. ICEBERGS, REVISITED The workshop’s first session focused on completing the ‘Iceberg’ (causal layered) analyses that Fellows had started to work on during the March workshop. These were used to generate a better, more nuanced understanding of the structures and mental models that underpin each of the tensions. In other words, diving even deeper into the problem. In this session, Fellows utilized the data from 101 interviews conducted with people working within these tensions in their day-to-day roles to further explore the assumptions, beliefs and value systems that drive the tensions that we see in the energy system. We observed that many of the tensions are rooted in systems that are much larger than anything our group of fifty people could tackle. For example, in the Rural Energy Development tension, sticky notes added under structures and mental models included things like NIMBYism, rural values, inertia, colonialism, even ‘the way government is structured’. Not only did we spend most of the day in the “problem space” – at this point, it seemed the problems were much deeper and larger than we had initially thought. SHIFTS AND NUDGES Next, we sought to identify shifts in mindset, behaviour, structures or narratives that would need to occur in order to make meaningful progress on each of the tensions by December 2026. As part of this, we were asked to identify some enabling conditions – WWHTBT or “what would have to be true” for the shift to take place. We found ourselves wondering, “what if the thing that would need to be true, did not seem possible or feasible?” – like having regulatory certainty or people having the ability to discern misinformation. After some debate (and a bit of mental spiraling) one Fellow reminded us to be optimistic, and not limit ourselves to what we perceive as possible right now. We may not be able to shift the entire system, but maybe we could nudge it. The FSSD'S SOCIAL PRINCIPLES Sarah Brooks closed the day out with a pointed and impactful overview of the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development ’s (FSSD) social principles that made many think deeply about what social sustainability really means in practice. She reminded us that social systems are living, adaptive networks, made up of people connected through relationships, interactions, and shared experiences. These systems are constantly evolving, finding new ways to organize and maintain balance even amid uncertainty and change.   Together, we reflected on how this adaptability depends on nurturing five essential conditions: health , ensuring people have access to safety and basic needs; influence , creating space for all voices to shape decisions; competence , supporting learning and skill development; impartiality , upholding fairness and justice; and meaning-making , helping individuals and communities find shared purpose.   The discussion reminded us that sustainability isn’t just about managing resources, it’s also about strengthening the social fabric that allows people and systems to thrive and adapt over time. This exploration of the FSSD social principles set the stage beautifully for the next part of the off-site, where we turned our focus toward systems mapping and the collective capacities needed to navigate complex change. WINDOWS OF OPPORTUNITY Day 2 started off with imagining our energy future via arts and crafts. We were challenged to visualize what the future might look like if the shifts we identified the previous afternoon came to pass and then build a Lego model or draw it. What can we do? And how? What are the initiatives already taking place that Fellows may leverage to bring these shifts about? The use of creativity was a great way to usher the Fellows into the long awaited “solution space”. And boy, did we get creative: there were some great stories, and even an AI generated, Titanic-esque image of certain, nameless politicians that stayed in the mind for a few days! Windmill models and model windmills INTERVENTIONS & CHAMPIONS And now, given everything we’d learned about the issue spaces – the events, observed patterns, the mental models, existing systems and structures, windows of opportunity, what should  we do to close the gap between today and the future? In complex systems, strategy rarely unfolds in linear plans. We talked about “opening moves” as the first, intentional steps that allow learning and adaptation to guide what comes next in a journey of learning, discovery, and potential influence in these tension spaces. Fellows were then challenged to identify the moves they believed were feasible, flexible and visible enough to build momentum and make progress towards shifting narratives and behaviours and resolving the tensions in the energy system. After an afternoon of brainstorming, reflection and dot-mocracy, Fellows were invited to identify initiatives they were interested in championing and/or supporting. And just like that - our 2025 portfolio of initiatives was born! We identified an initial portfolio of fourteen interventions in response to each of the four system tensions, many working across multiple tensions. Dot-mocracy in action Initiatives (or interventions) launched with committed initiative teams, an initial definition of the solution, draft problem statements and ideas for initial steps to be taken in the coming weeks. Utilizing a variety of approaches and tactics, collectively the portfolio works across 4 key leverage points for shifting the system and utilizes 5 basic mechanisms. 4 Leverage Points for System Change Empowering people and communities Strengthening actors and networks Reforming structures and processes And shifting culture and mindsets The four leverage areas loosely mirror Donella Meadows’ leverage points , spanning from feedback loops and information flows to the deeper rules and paradigms that shape systems. 5 Tension-Allieviating Mechanisms 1. Capacity Building & Education Mechanism:  Strengthening skills, literacy, or competence to enable better participation, decision-making, and collaboration. Change logic:  Equip actors with knowledge, tools, and relationships → reduce friction and perceived risk → unlock collaboration and investment. 2. Institution Building & Governance Mechanisms Mechanism:  Creating or strengthening enduring structures, associations, or frameworks that shape how actors interact or make decisions. Change logic:  Institutionalize collaboration, reduce fragmentation, create neutral third spaces to co-learn, and explore and standardize approaches → improve efficiency, transparency, collaboration and legitimacy. 3. Narrative Change & Public Communication Mechanism:  Shifting shared stories, frames, and public meaning to influence norms, legitimacy, and motivation. Change logic:  Reframe mindsets and narratives → shift the perceived “centre of gravity” in decision-making → enable more inclusive and future-fit policies and investments. 4. Financial & Policy Innovation Mechanism:  Creating incentives, instruments, or policies that directly influence capital flows or investor confidence. Change logic:  Align market and policy signals with social and environmental values → increase capital flow toward credible, inclusive projects. 5. Convening & Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration Mechanism:  Bringing diverse actors together to co-create understanding, identify shared goals, and prototype joint actions. Change logic:  Enable trust and mutual understanding → coordinate experimentation and policy → accelerate system learning and legitimacy. System Leverage Focus Capacity Building & Education Institution Building & Governance Narrative Change & Communication Financial & Policy Innovation Convening & Collaboration Empowering People & Communities - Indigenous Invest! - Guiding Questions for Communities & Developers - First Nations Advisory Fund - Major Projects Narrative Reloaded - Indigenous Partnership Incentives - Creating Opportunities for Indigenous Knowledge Keepers StrengtheningActors & Networks - Upskilling Developers in Investor Language - Rural Energy Development Community of Practice - Association of Pore Space Operators - Investment Community Engagement Barriers and Gaps in Alberta - Rural Energy Development Community of Practice - Investment Community Engagement Reforming Structures & Processes - Pre-Approved Rural Project Location Pilot  - Canadian Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism Equivalent  - Testing Ideas for a National Industrial Strategy - Independent Free Prior and Informed Consent & Sustainability Assessment - Pre-Approved Rural Project Location Pilot Shifting Culture & Mindsets - Indigenous Invest! - Major Projects Narrative Reloaded  - Indigenous Knowledge Keepers in Pore Space Leadership - Indigenous Knowledge Keepers Dialogue It was great to see people raise their hands to lead so many initiatives, and to take initial steps towards action. And while it was uncomfortable to sit with the “problems” for so long, the interventions we identified seem a lot more promising than anything we might have suggested following the first workshop in the spring. Much credit to the EFL team for helping us navigate the journey thus far, and to the Fellows for their openness and willingness to explore. FELLOWS IN THE WILD We were fortunate to have a few days of incredible weather while in Canmore, and many fellows took the opportunity to go for a hike.  Any hike is a great metaphor for the Fellowship – a reminder not only to trust the process, but to enjoy the journey as well as the destination.

Fellows in the Wild: 2025 Fall Fellowship Workshop Recap

Lab Fellows gathered in September for the 2025 Fall Fellowship Workshop to continue to unpack investigations into cross-cutting tensions dampening energy transition efforts and put insights gleaned into action. Fellows Demetria Zinyemba and Jennifer Young recap the workshop's highlights and provide a summary of the processes that led to the creation of the Fellowship's 2025-26 portfolio of initiatives.

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SERIES: PART 3 of 3 When a range of opportunities is on the table, spreading bets can lead to big wins — but success relies on the strategies used. Alberta can hedge across a number of emerging energy and resource sectors, yet the real challenge is where to place those bets to maximize future success. In the   first   and   second   parts of this series we introduced 16 low-emission opportunities and scratched the surface on ways to evaluate them, focusing on the potential size of their market share and whether they’re primarily domestic or export-oriented. But there’s more than one way to slice the pie and applying the right set of lenses can sharpen focus on the ones that make the most strategic sense. The opportunity landscape   Alberta has traditionally been an export economy and is very likely to stay that way. But today’s geopolitical and industrial context demands a more nuanced approach than in the past. Trade volatility, shifts in U.S. policy, and changing investment trends require opportunities to be assessed not just by size, but by how well they jive with regional strengths and advantages. When matched successfully, these opportunities can also help solve for some of Canada’s broader challenges: navigating trade uncertainty, addressing infrastructure constraints, and building resilience to policy shifts.   That’s where lenses come into play — a way to gauge what can work well, and where. In this study, we introduce a set of lenses designed to evaluate sectoral opportunities. When looked at together, the lenses provide a wide-angle view and a useful tool for comparative assessment showing where Alberta’s strengths can be leveraged, and offering relevant insights that might otherwise be overlooked.  Lenses provide a wide-angle view and a useful tool for comparative assessment, offering relevant insights that might otherwise be overlooked And when applied individually, each lens provides a more granular way to evaluate an opportunity — soon to be further demonstrated when the full report is released. Like real lenses, they can be used to zoom out to reveal the bigger picture or zoomed in to bring specific opportunities into focus. These lenses provide a way to explore potential opportunities from multiple angles, capturing nuance, and supporting more informed decisions even amid uncertainty. And similar to how not all opportunities will work in all places, not all stakeholders will be shared on which ones to pursue.  Visualizing the opportunities The heat map brings insights from the lenses together in a visual snapshot, showing how these opportunities stack up. It highlights potential across a range of key factors and shares a high-level view of each sector's value proposition, offering perspective rather than definitive recommendations. Heat map of 16 resource-based low-carbon economic opportunities by lens Lenses Providing the detail behind the heat map, looking through each lens can prompt considerations that may not traditionally factor into investment and policy decisions. And while people and players may disagree on which opportunities to pursue, the lenses not only provide a relative scale, but a means to assess both competitive potential  and  potential trade-offs. When combined with regional fit, these lenses help to take the analysis from what looks promising on paper to what makes sense in the real world. Lenses help to take the analysis from what looks promising on paper to what makes sense in the real world Domestic vs. export  In the   first part of this series   we introduced this lens to examine whether an opportunity primarily serves Alberta’s domestic market or is positioned for export to North American and/or global markets. The study findings emphasize how each sector contributes to a broader low-carbon economy. Even though the Clean Energy Enablers identified in the study primarily serve the domestic market, they play a critical role; the accessibility and proximity of reliable clean energy can underpin investment in many of the export-oriented sectors. Without these enablers, the case for prioritizing other export opportunities becomes less clear, making them a foundational element of any sectoral strategy. Market potential In the   second part of this series   we introduced the forecasted potential of key markets for each opportunity in the decade ahead based on the market that each sector is likely to be able to sell to.  A rating of  ‘high ’ means the annual market size is greater than $25 billion;  ‘low ’ means it is less than $1 billion, and ‘ medium ’ falls in between. It is important to note that the rating reflects only the size of the market and not the extent to which Alberta companies are likely to be successful in capturing market share.  While this offers insight into where markets are heading, political and economic shifts could alter these projections. Comparative advantage This lens looks at how well Alberta is positioned for success in each sector compared to other jurisdictions competing for similar markets. Critical factors for assessing Alberta’s advantage include natural resource availability, sectoral experience and existing infrastructure. Other supporting considerations include the availability of skilled labour, research and development (R&D), incentives, regulatory frameworks, and sector roadmaps, along with the extent to which these exist or could be developed over time.  Ratings reflect Alberta’s relative strengths — providing a view of where the province holds an advantage and where it doesn't presently stand out from the pack.  I ndependence This lens considers the extent to which a sector’s success relies on other parts of the energy system. Some opportunities are relatively independent, for example solar which requires limited coordination beyond grid connection. Others, such as hydrogen, are dependent on parallel infrastructure being developed i.e. carbon capture, transportation, and customer adoption.   While high interdependence does not necessarily mean an opportunity should be avoided, it highlights the complexity and potential delays involved in building a viable industry. In this context, a rating of ‘ high ’ indicates less dependence on other parts of the system or sector.  Location flexibility How easily can sectoral projects be sited across the province? This lens considers geographic, infrastructure, and resource requirements. Some of the opportunities have high flexibility with minimal constraints, while others face more limitations e.g. needing access to water, rail, CCS infrastructure, or specific geologic conditions.  Investment environment  A way of evaluating the maturity of the investment environment, this lens reflects how easily private capital can be mobilized to support growth in the sector. Ratings range from  early-stage  to  well-established , indicating whether investment pathways are emerging or already proven. While primarily focused on Alberta, relevant national or global investment dynamics are taken into account. Understanding the investment environment helps to gauge the speed at which sectors can scale. And while a well-established investment environment doesn’t guarantee project funding, it does signal that established pathways have successfully connected investment with project opportunities in the sector. For instance, investment in alternative proteins demonstrates a pathway for connecting capital with projects; whereas Alberta has seen fewer investments in minerals and metals processing to date, the sector is familiar to investors and the market potential is immense.  Resilience to US policy It’s important to assess how sensitive each sector is to changes in U.S. policy or market conditions given that the United States is both a key market and a competitor. Sectors with high resilience, like Clean Energy Enablers, are less affected by U.S. policy actions such as tariffs, incentives, or production demands. In contrast, product export sectors, like green chemistry, are more exposed due to heavy integration with U.S. markets — for example, 87% of Alberta’s chemicals are sold to the U.S.  Ratings reflect the degree of vulnerability and identify where Alberta businesses can operate with relative stability versus where external policy shifts could have a significant impact on competitiveness. Sharpening the focus Applying the lenses makes it possible to zoom out and get a 30,000 foot view of the landscape, revealing where opportunities make strategic sense. Where they intersect with regional strengths, interests, and priorities can point to what’s worth pursuing — and where.  But this is about more than spotting potential. It’s about taking deliberate action while the opportunities are still within view. This hinges on making strategic choices while simultaneously recognizing – at the risk of sounding like a broken record – that what works in one region may not work in another. Regions will have differing priorities: job creation, resilience to policy shifts, emissions reduction, and more. For some, priorities will be influenced by a mix of factors and require “stacking” multiple lenses to get the clearest picture. Layering these lenses with regional insight brings the opportunities that matter into sharper focus, helping to see the board more clearly before placing any bets.  It highlights where Alberta’s real comparative advantages lie and surfaces insights that can strengthen the province’s future economic competitiveness.  #Albertas_Future_Competitiveness #Future_Economy #Regional_Pathways #2025

Coming into Focus: Lenses to Gauge Alberta’s Future Growth Opportunities

SERIES: PART 3 of 3 When a range of opportunities is on the table, spreading bets can lead to big wins — but success relies on the strategies used. Alberta can hedge across a number of emerging energy and resource sectors, yet the real challenge is where to place those bets to maximize future success. In the   first   and   second   parts of this series we introduced 16 low-emission opportunities and scratched the surface on ways to evaluate them, focusing on the potential size of their...

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Originally published on LinkedIn  | July 3, 2025 Contributors: Keren Perla , Ailsa Popilian SERIES: PART 2 of 3 Driving competitiveness as markets shift In the first part  of this series, we made the case that in today’s landscape diversification into low-carbon opportunities is a no regret move for Alberta and identified three categories of opportunity where Alberta has a potential edge: clean energy enablers, exportable business solutions, and low-emission product plays. But when it comes to markets right now two things are clear: the global race to form value chains for these emerging opportunities is underway, and bumpy market conditions are very much a reality. The economic race is heating up and while there’s points to be won, race conditions matter. Policy shifts, trade alliances, and investor confidence are all shaping the track ahead. The U.S. Inflation Reduction Act  spurred $132 billion in clean energy investments, but threats of rolling back or revoking incentives have already led to $15.5 billion in cancelled projects  this year, and capital may start racing to other jurisdictions willing to fill the gap. Canada is eyeing new trade deals beyond its usual teammate south of the border. The 2025 defence and trade pact  with the EU signals a push to diversify, while Ottawa positions the nation as a strategic supplier of critical minerals. As Canada looks outwards, others are looking inwards. China’s tightening grip on critical mineral exports shows how fast trade winds can shift, even as calls grow  for diplomatic negotiations to deepen ties . The One Canadian Economy Act  is laying the track for emerging national priorities like energy infrastructure, critical minerals processing, and hydrogen hubs to name a few. But these long-term commitments must co-exist with short-term uncertainty. As necessity is the mother of invention, could opportunity lie in the midst of this tension? With 16 opportunities at play, will Alberta get in the race or watch from the sidelines? It bears repeating that global low-carbon investment reached a record  2.1 trillion USD last year and is set to increase  by $100 billion this year alone. As part of this study, we looked at the market projections for the 16 sectors and industries outlined below. Together, they offer a glimpse of where momentum is building and a view of something bigger: how and where Alberta could compete in the global economy through to 2035. "To compete Alberta needs to be locally minded, globally ambitious, laser-focused, and ready to put the pedal to the metal" Getting on Track We can think of Alberta’s ability to compete, and win, in emerging low-carbon opportunities like Formula 1. Everyone knows the big name teams like Ferrari because they’re consistently on the podium, and in Alberta, the biggest industries take pole position. But every team is there to compete, and those racing for “best of the rest” can reap real financial rewards, score points, and climb up the standings. That’s the play for emerging sectors too. Some are already pulling ahead in their class and others are gearing up to make their move. But the decade ahead means running at least 10 long laps around the sun — that takes long-term vision and looking beyond the next stretch. Given the runway to develop these opportunities, Alberta can't idle in the pit lane. While market potential does not guarantee market share, it does give us a way of sizing up the  track and the scale of the opportunities in the decade ahead. The 16 opportunities are sorted into three categories by potential market demand: High : >$25B annually by 2035 Medium : $1–25B Low : <$1B Alberta’s low-carbon, resource-based opportunities can be assessed through multiple lenses, and our study offers ways to do just that. And while scale matters, it’s not the whole story. Even sectors in the “mid-pack” can create jobs, drive investment, and strengthen Alberta’s standings in the low-carbon economy. On top of this are spin-off benefits like revenue and energy security or reduced energy bills which are important factors not captured in the projections. Zooming in The market potential of 16 low-emission resource-based opportunities is outlined in the tables below and grouped into three categories segmented by market focus: provincial (Alberta market potential), North America, and global. Clean energy enablers Clean energy enablers can play an important role in decarbonizing industrial activity and meeting rising electricity demand across the province. While their markets are local, their impact is system-wide. Like the backbone of a high-performance team, these can form the foundation for Alberta’s broader economic and emissions-reduction opportunities — one of the reasons why the Lab launched Alberta’s Electricity Future  as an innovation challenge. With Alberta’s growing interest in data centres and AI, alternative fuels, and broader decarbonization, clean energy enablers underpin nearly every emerging sector while also being drivers for Alberta’s economic engine. They also enable industrial users to reduce their emissions, which could increase the value of Alberta’s exports in markets with carbon tariffs or carbon border adjustment mechanisms, or where investors, lenders, insurers or consumers pay attention to embedded emissions. Strategic clean energy projects can attract new industry to a region looking for accessible low-emission power, and customers need a power system that encourages innovation to minimize the rising cost of electricity. Zooming out Alberta has serious potential to compete in international markets as outlined below. These include business opportunities abroad  where Alberta companies bring world-class expertise in resource-based technologies seeing rising demand, and product export opportunities  that tap into high-growth sectors and integrate into global supply chains. Business opportunities abroad: CCS tech/services export With Alberta’s increasing reliance on CCS for large-scale decarbonization in its heavy-emitting industries, there’s more to be seized upon than capturing and storing carbon dioxide underground. Precisely because of this decarbonization potential, the Energy Futures Lab has supported the ecosystem since 2016 to develop the conditions needed for projects to get off the ground. This includes: advocacy for a tax credit that helped inform the 2021 federal Investment Tax Credits and one of four subsequent Clean Economy Investment Tax Credits; convening CCUS expertise to identify barriers  and coordinate pathways to progressing projects; and a policy framework to attract investment into CCS and other future-fit hydrocarbon opportunities. Given the groundwork industry has laid, it’s no surprise that other jurisdictions can benefit from Alberta’s know-how. Additionally, Canada is one of only 13 countries with operational CCS projects and is right behind China and the U.S. in terms of project count. The province boasts technical expertise across subsurface, infrastructure, and pipeline logistics with that expertise being spread across engineering firms and service companies as well as oil & gas producers — a competitive edge in exporting this know-how. Investment in R&D has paid off with testing facilities like the Carbon Management Centre (CMC) bolstering the province’s credibility and global standing for ‘made-in-Alberta’ solutions. Beyond oil and gas, capturing, storing and sequestering CO₂ is a critical linchpin for steel, cement, chemicals and other heavy-emitters to meet climate targets. Product export opportunities: minerals and metals production & processing All eyes are on the critical minerals file at the moment, and Canada has signed onto key alliances to make sure we’re in the race. With interest growing around Canada’s reserves, the next few years will be pivotal to catalyze the opportunities beyond production, and build out a robust and highly-integrated value chain, with midstream processing and refining a priority. Canada’s alliances with the EU, U.S., Japan, and Australia are positioning Alberta as a trusted, conflict-free supplier in critical minerals and materials supply chains. This translates into export potential; Canada's (and by extension Alberta’s) high-standards could be a strategic advantage for markets seeking a sustainable and secure supply. Canada’s potential as a critical minerals powerhouse has been something the Lab has been supporting for years through our work on establishing Canada’s battery value chain . From novel technology extracting Lithium from subsurface brines in Alberta, to refining BC ores, to recovering and repurposing metals and mine waste, the potential is immense. And the power train of this emerging value chain would come from growing the midstream to process raw minerals in-province/in-country. These different production methods can be mutually reinforcing, and Alberta’s expertise in turning raw commodities into refined, high-value products can seamlessly integrate into global supply chains. The playing field In the era of ‘nation-building projects’ there's a tendency to focus only on the front-runners, but this isn’t a winner-takes-all sprint. Alberta’s competitiveness depends on what we choose to enable, harness and accelerate, and the province must play to its strengths. Being in the race means having the agility to seize emerging opportunities, a chance to score points today, and build position for the bigger wins ahead. This series, culminating in a final report, will offer multiple ways of gauging these opportunities: market potential, regional fit, competitive advantages, investment alignment, and resilience to policy shifts. While we can’t back every opportunity, we can catalyze those that make the most strategic sense. To compete Alberta needs to be locally minded, globally ambitious, laser-focused, and ready to put the pedal to the metal.

Gearing up to compete: Alberta’s market potential in the decade ahead

Originally published on LinkedIn  | July 3, 2025 Contributors: Keren Perla , Ailsa Popilian SERIES: PART 2 of 3 Driving competitiveness as markets shift In the first part  of this series, we made the case that in today’s landscape diversification into low-carbon opportunities is a no regret move for Alberta and identified three categories of opportunity where Alberta has a potential edge: clean energy enablers, exportable business solutions, and low-emission product plays. But when it comes...

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Originally published on LinkedIn  | June 4, 2025 Contributors: Keren Perla , Ailsa Popilian SERIES: PART 1 of 3 Energy is having a surprisingly unifying moment in the Canadian public discourse. The talk of becoming an “ energy superpower ” is getting serious and inevitably, Alberta will have skin in the game. In the era of energy co-existence, where traditional and low-carbon solutions develop side-by-side, Alberta’s mix of resources, talent, and infrastructure should put it on the leaderboard. But while Canada debates the friction points for this national vision, global markets are scouting for who’s ready to compete. In 2024, global low-carbon investment increased 11% to a record 2.1 trillion USD. Across the Pacific, companies in Asia are making multi-billion dollar investments  in low-emission energy – including in Canada. Across the Atlantic, the EU is forging clean energy trade deals  with jurisdictions around the world. Many of these markets see Alberta as a “growing supplier of both traditional energy and clean technologies”, as recently noted by ambassadors  from the EU, the UK, and Germany. While turbulent US energy and trade policy has created unprecedented market uncertainty, this wake-up call also emboldened the strategic necessity to diversify Canadian trade. And regardless of whether tariffs stick around or not, carbon competitiveness will remain a defining factor going forward – especially for markets prioritizing low-carbon energy. If Canada wants to compete it needs to play well both at home and  away – by streamlining interprovincial trade and expanding its reach east and west. Alberta’s emerging portfolio of low-emission, resource-based industries has immense growth potential, and can offer economic diversification opportunities to meet growing domestic and global interests. A no-regret move In today’s landscape, diversification is a no-regret move. It hedges against geopolitical tensions, trade disruptions, and economic turmoil. Putting more eggs into more baskets is just smart policy. It’s about building out industries that match our strengths, and for Alberta this must include fast-growing low-emission industries. With its strong industrial base and proclivity for energy innovation, Alberta has what it takes to be a real contender. When it comes to future energy competitiveness, how much of this opportunity will the province claim, and how quickly can it act? To compete – and win – in the new global economy, the province will need to evolve the playbook. As the world reshapes industrial strategies, global value chains are forming and realigning  and nations are jostling for supremacy. As a result, there’s an economic imperative to: Explore the demand for low-carbon supply chains Scale new technologies and support for their related products, services, and expertise And, secure market share in sectors with high growth potential. These moves unlock some of the key ingredients of forward-looking industrial strategy – agility, optionality, and resiliency – but we need more goals in more nets. That's why the Energy Futures Lab is digging deeper into Alberta’s resource-based, low-emission opportunities and studying their market potential as part of the future energy system. Through a study, we’re exploring where Alberta is positioned to compete. But seizing these opportunities means looking beyond what’s ‘tried and true’ and leaning into innovation, not simply waiting to be asked to play. Competitiveness is a matter of regional fit A number of industries are emerging as promising plays and these fall into three strategic buckets: Clean Energy Enablers: these are industrial opportunities that not only support emissions reduction, but can also drive regional and rural economic development in key regions across the province and act as jobs creators, including: Carbon capture and storage (CCS) Hydrogen production Direct air capture (DAC) Geothermal energy production Waste-to-energy Solar and wind energy Nuclear energy (including SMR) Business Opportunities Abroad: Alberta-based companies have a long history of industrial innovation and bring world-class expertise in areas that are rising in demand globally. Alberta can export expertise and solutions, as well as products. These include: Agricultural technology IP CCS technology and services Geothermal technology and services Product Export Opportunities: Other supply chain opportunities exist in industries with high growth potential that leverage Alberta’s industrial base and resource strengths, including: Minerals and metals production and processing Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) Green chemistry Carbon utilization Ammonia-as-a-fuel Alternative proteins Many of these industries have already laced up and are beginning to skate, with some really picking up speed while others are still earlier in development. While each offers a viable path to diversification, not every opportunity will be a good match. The key is in knowing how to unlock them; opportunities must align with regional interests and build on existing or transferable skills. Importantly, the play needs to involve stoking the right opportunities in the right places, because what makes sense in the Peace region may not make sense in the badlands or along the eastern slopes. Given not all actors have the same priorities, it often comes down to the best fit. The days of telling regions and communities what they should do are behind us, knowing that approach has rarely worked. Pulling in the same direction is less ‘elbows up’, and more ‘all-hands on deck’ to shape what comes next. These efforts are a shared process of discovery: facilitating generative conversations, understanding what matters to communities, and seeing where alignment can be built. It’s also about asking what’s possible here? How do we make it happen? and what does success look like? The study offers multiple lenses as ways to assess which opportunities are the right fit, highlight where interests converge, and where there’s willingness to catalyze these opportunities. But it will take more than interest. To play to its strengths the province must lean into innovation and  take steps to secure its place in emerging global value chains. To this end, the Energy Futures Lab will be working in conjunction with ecosystem actors to align behind the most promising opportunities so they can take their best shot. Developing robust ecosystems around these promising industries will be key. Having support from both the public and private sector, and built upon a foundation of Indigenous participation and leadership, it can be done. Making the play Alberta’s next moves can help or hinder its position in the shifting global energy landscape. Place-based strategies that leverage regional strengths can put it on the scoreboard in more sectors, and on the radar of the scouts. Canada has the building blocks to be an “energy superpower” but to ‘get it built’ means turning potential into performance. For Alberta, this means aligning strategy with global demand and advancing the emerging low-carbon industries that have a real shot at building long-term economic competitiveness. Does Alberta have what it takes to catalyze these opportunities and truly be an energy all star? The opportunities are real and the market signals are strong. The economy isn’t waiting. And neither should we.

Capturing competitiveness: unlocking Alberta’s low-emission industries

Originally published on LinkedIn  | June 4, 2025 Contributors: Keren Perla , Ailsa Popilian SERIES: PART 1 of 3 Energy is having a surprisingly unifying moment in the Canadian public discourse. The talk of becoming an “ energy superpower ” is getting serious and inevitably, Alberta will have skin in the game. In the era of energy co-existence, where traditional and low-carbon solutions develop side-by-side, Alberta’s mix of resources, talent, and infrastructure should put it on the...

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A lot was on the line back in May of 2024. A small conference room on Tsuut’ina lands to the west of Calgary was filled with anticipation. Industry leaders, Indigenous knowledge holders, representatives from Indigenous and non-Indigenous governments, lawyers, policy makers, and energy innovators had gathered, ready to explore the future of Canada’s battery value chain. The conversations ahead were not just about business or policy – they were about relationships, responsibility, and reconciliation. But amidst the nervous energy there were signs of things to come – handshakes, hugs, smiles and welcomes. By the time the workshop wrapped these were flowing freely. Friendships had been deepened, and new connections had been forged. A Partnership for Meaningful Dialogue The Energy Futures Lab partnered with the Battery Metals Association of Canada (BMAC) to bring together these diverse voices. The goal? To ensure that as Canada builds its battery industry, Indigenous perspectives and rights are not just considered but are foundational to its development. One of the biggest questions was how to set this up in a good way when so much could go wrong, especially given the history of industry impact on Indigenous Peoples and lands. We knew there was an opportunity and a window to do this well, and through thoughtful design and consultation we established a convening question could help frame these efforts. We would ask a diverse set of participants to convene around this question: How might the battery value chain respond to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action 92 for Corporate Canada, in light of the legal adoption of UNDRIP, in a way that recognizes the inherent ancestral and Treaty rights of Indigenous peoples in Canada? A Gathering at Tsuut’ina Nation A year in the making, the first big step on this journey was a full-day workshop in May, held at the Grey Eagle Resort & Casino on Tsuut’ina Nation. Guided by members of an Indigenous Advisory Circle (IAC), the event was designed to foster open and honest dialogue, knowledge-sharing, and bridge perspectives between Indigenous and industry leaders. Facilitators Pong Leung and Danielle Mitchell created a space where participants could reflect, challenge assumptions, and build understanding together. Tsuut’ina Spiritual Leader Hal Eagletail opened the day with prayer, song, smudge, and his notorious heartfelt humour. Within the group there was a shared recognition that Canada’s critical minerals sector is at a turning point. The metals and materials needed for batteries are essential to the energy transition, but the industry itself is still developing. This presents a rare opportunity to do things differently and build strong relationships with Indigenous peoples from the start, and to highlight the imperative to address environmental and social impacts across every part of the value chain: mining and mineral extraction, materials processing, manufacturing, all the way through to recycling and circularity. During the workshop, industry representatives expressed a deep desire to learn. Many were grappling with questions about Indigenous rights, legal frameworks, and the importance of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent. Indigenous leaders, in turn, shared their perspectives on governance, economic participation and reconciliation, and the importance of long-term relationships built on trust and gained deeper knowledge of the emerging battery value chain from the people working to establish it. One key takeaway became clear: meaningful partnerships are not about checking boxes – they require ongoing dialogue, shared decision-making, and a commitment reconciliation as relationship, an approach that was shared with the group by Indigenous Advisory Circle member Leoni Rivers (Gitxsan) who gave a memorable presentation. For Leoni, it’s important that “We need to start looking at the reconciliation space as developing reconciliation as relationship from an Indigenous worldview within a western worldview”. “We need to start looking at the reconciliation space as developing reconciliation as relationship from an Indigenous worldview within a western worldview” She goes on to say that “there was so much diversity in the room, but the balance was towards equity for First Nations and Indigenous Peoples and to me it felt like respect was being reflected. Bringing that balance is what we need to focus on, and shifting from biases to being more objective and respecting each others perspectives because we need to do that even if we agree to disagree. I like to think full circle, including about measures of success, and this provided an opportunity for individuals to tell their stories and share experiences in a way that was culturally safe for us Indigenous Peoples in the room”. Participants were able to ask each other questions, and get peer feedback on their current work or challenges they face and perceive within their respective industries and communities. As the day wrapped up, they were asked to reflect on what they had learned and to make personal commitments to reconciliation. Some committed to deepening their knowledge, others to changing how they engaged with Indigenous communities in their work. There was a palpable sense that this was just the beginning. Expanding the Conversation Building on the momentum from the May workshop, we co-hosted a second session within BMAC’s Charged! Conference on October 29 in Calgary. This session brought these critical discussions to an even wider audience, opening the conference with a conversation on Indigenous partnerships. Setting this tone early ensured that Indigenous voices and perspectives were woven throughout the conference rather than treated as an isolated topic and we saw this in real-time as people began to ask tough questions, and Indigenous perspectives were discussed at length and in depth within other conference sessions. Building upon the learnings of the first session, seven opportunities and seven conditions for successful partnerships were identified. These were then tested with the nine members of the Indigenous Advisory Circle who helped to refine and define them to shape the design for the second session. The Charged! session presented these opportunities and conditions to wider audience. The May workshop, while impactful, was a smaller group. This was an opportunity to get a wider cross-section of the value chain to reflect on and consider these. Conference goers were asked to reflect on the opportunities for partnership, but also the barriers to helping them fulfil the conditions for success. As one of the lead facilitators, Danielle Mitchell (Cree/Métis) recalls “the room fell silent. Looking around, every single person was heads down writing their reflections. That rarely happens in this type of facilitation, and it showed that people were taking this seriously and were genuinely engaged. It was an opportunity to structure conversation, design, and collaboration in a way that centers relationality and that has significant potential to translate into real impact, and a real shift in people’s perspectives on how to work together”. The industry’s future depends on collaboration, and it was clear that those in the room were ready to take steps toward stronger, more equitable relationships. “It was an opportunity to structure conversation, design, and collaboration in a way that centers relationality and that has significant potential to translate into real impact, and a real shift in people’s perspectives” A Path Forward As this sector continues to grow, we hope that this journey continues, and that we see Indigenous rights and knowledge(s) reflected in and leading decision-making as the value chain continues to form. The commitment to reconciliation must go beyond just words and obligations; it must be reflected in actions, policies, and partnerships that honour shared governance and seven-generation thinking. These workshops are just one step in a much longer journey. But the connections made, the lessons learned, and the commitments voiced all signal a shift in how the industry approaches its future. The work continues, and we are committed to ensuring these conversations turn into tangible change. This is how transformation begins, through listening, learning, and walking the path forward together. #Future_Economy #Regional_Pathways #Clean_Technologies #Indigenous_Knowledge_Insight_and_Leadership #Western_Canadian_Critical_Materials_Alliance #Battery_Metals_Vision_and_Roadmap #Batteries

Bridging Industry and Indigenous Perspectives in Establishing Canada’s Battery Value Chain

A lot was on the line back in May of 2024. A small conference room on Tsuut’ina lands to the west of Calgary was filled with...

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The Energy Futures Lab is kicking off a year-long celebration of its 10-year anniversary with the announcement of the tenth cohort of its iconic Energy Futures Lab Fellowship . The 49 Fellows signing on for the two-year program running from January 2025 to December 2026 will face notably strong headwinds to their objective of empowering Canadian businesses and communities to lead and thrive amid shifting energy paradigms. Turbulent domestic and international political situations, threats of tariffs on exports by the incoming US government, polarization, and misinformation are adding to the complexity surrounding urgent decisions and investments required to ensure the stability of Canada’s regional economies in the face of climate change, shifting trade agendas, and growing global energy needs. “The messiness of this moment requires a complexity savvy approach,” says Alison Cretney, Managing Director of the Energy Futures Lab. “Canada needs to move quickly and decisively while also enabling unprecedented levels of collaboration at a moment of intense polarization. This makes the Energy Futures Lab the ideal partner to lead the creation of solutions that can help Canada navigate more quickly towards a secure and prosperous future that leverages our strengths as energy leaders.”  The members of the 2025-26 Energy Futures Lab Fellowship are: Aaron Foyer – Orennia Aidan Bodsworth – MEGlobal Canada ULC Alison Thompson – Borealis Geothermal Aurelio Zanni – Shell Canada Barbra Korol – Peitho Group Bill Whitelaw – geoLOGIC Systems Brad Nickel – EQUS Bronwyn Hyland – Suncor Cameron Brown – Global Public Affairs Chelsea Donelon – TransAlta Chris Brown – Calgary Economic Development Christina Kehrig – Alberta’s Industrial Heartland Association Christophe Owtrimm – Emissions Reduction Alberta Dani Hansen – BMO Capital Markets David Ghoris – DMG Events Demetria Zinyemba – Independent Donald Jantz – Strategic Sustainability Consulting Duncan Mundell – AltaML Eric Pelletier – Battery Metals Association of Canada Ericka Rios – Alberta Innovates Gabriela Wilson – ATB Geoffrey Tauvette – Canadian Council for Sustainable Aviation Fuels Jacob Rao – InnoTech Pioneers Inc. Jennifer Young – Independent Jolaine Healy – Blood Tribe Employment & Skills Training Kari Hyde – Pembina Institute Kelty Latos – ConocoPhillips Kim Welby – Progressive West Consulting Krystal Northey – Canadian Climate Institute Lacy Brooke Gielen – Stantec Consulting Ltd. Lauretta Pearse – ATCO Leoni Rivers – Leoni Rivers Consulting Mark Hopkins – Human Venture Leadership Martin Boucher – NorQuest College Matt Toohey – Modern West Advisory Inc. Michael Benson – Canada Energy Regulator Michelle Goodkey – Good Synergies Morgan Rodwell – Fluor Canada Ltd. Nic Raytek – GLOBE Series Paola Casillas – Prairies Economic Development Canada Patricia Bailey – Pathways Alliance Peter Casurella – SouthGrow Regional Initiative Rory Wheat – Varme Energy Inc. Sascha D’Souza – FortisAlberta Inc. Sheila Schindel – Innovate BC Sinmi Adeoye-Esene – Daniola Suzanne Life-Yeomans – First Nations Women’s Council on Economic Security Tristan Walker – Massif Energy Winona Lafreniere – Steel River Group This carefully curated cohort of influential leaders includes economic development experts, Indigenous and non-Indigenous business and community leaders, engineers, geologists, researchers, policy specialists, analysts, technology leaders, entrepreneurs, social workers, utilities administrators, communicators, finance professionals, artists, philanthropists and government representatives. Among their ranks are Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal and Governor General’s Medal recipients, several Top 40 Under 40 (and 30 Under 30 ) honourees, a Toastmasters champion, an Ironman Athlete, and a member of the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency’s Nuclear Innovation 2050 project. Together, Fellows will serve as an “in-house” representation of Canada’s broader energy system, including leaders and experts from different sectors, regions, cultures and technologies, primarily focused in Western Canada. Utilizing their collective insight, Fellows will anticipate and analyze implications of the shifting global context for Canada’s energy system, and identify windows of opportunity for Lab intervention to influence outcomes aligned with its 2050 vision . They will also lead and shape initiatives that help identify and resolve barriers impeding greater progress in select industrial growth pathways.  “It’s hard to imagine a more accomplished or diverse group that’s ready to roll up its sleeves in taking on this challenge,” continues Cretney. “Of any group that can guide the inspiring and productive places that Canada’s future energy system may take us, I believe in this one. I can’t wait to see the advancements their work together will generate over the next two years.” #Future_Economy #Clean_Technologies #Electricity #Culture_Shift #Regional_Pathways #Fellowship #2025

The Lab celebrates its 10th anniversary with launch of ‘All-Star’ Fellowship

The Energy Futures Lab is kicking off a year-long celebration of its 10-year anniversary with the announcement of the tenth cohort of...

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As we stand at a critical juncture in the energy transition, our work as a non-profit committed to collaborative, future-oriented systems change has begun to feel more essential than ever.  In both Alberta and across Canada, the energy dialogue is once again fraught with political tensions and polarization. This has only been exacerbated by the complex and shifting geopolitical landscape of a post-pandemic world. Despite the challenges of the day, the Lab is steadfast in our mission to bring people with diverse voices together in a non-partisan way to work together to seek out and implement solutions that make real impact. Even as our approach is needed more than ever, we’re facing significant hurdles to securing the funding needed to sustain our efforts. The current funding landscape is shifting beneath our feet, and while challenging, we’re drawing on our strengths and community to help us navigate this challenge with hopeful urgency. A Shifting Funding Landscape Some of our long-standing funders have been unable to renew their commitments for reasons beyond our control. For instance, we see energy companies pivoting operations away from Canada and refocusing efforts in other jurisdictions, and others restructuring their charitable arms – creating serious  uncertainty for the organizations counting on their ongoing support. While we remain hopeful about the possibility of future collaborations, these changes have created an impending gap in our funding that we must urgently address . Why Our Work Matters The Energy Futures lab does something unique as a space where individuals, communities, and organizations come together across divides to co-create solutions. And while we increasingly see organizations speaking about issues in a similar way, it’s not just that we bring people together, but in what we do together and how we design our work to make real, lasting impact when people go back to their daily lives. While we’re known for our impactful convening, our ongoing Innovation Challenges and initiatives are intentionally structured to create durable solutions and drive system-level change and our team is tenaciously working on these day after day. Alberta is at the heart of Canada’s energy economy and where our role as a convener and innovator is especially critical. We have seen firsthand how depolarizing dialogue and creating shared purpose can lead to transformative outcomes. From fostering Indigenous leadership to driving economic opportunities in emerging industries, we are laying the groundwork for a net-zero future that works for everyone. The Path Ahead While the challenges we face are real, so too is our resolve and we’re actively pursuing all avenues to close the looming funding gap from exploring new partnerships to deepening our relationships with existing supporters. However, we can’t do this alone. This is where you come in. If our mission resonates with you, we invite you to be part of our journey. Whether it’s through direct funding, connecting us with potential partners, or amplifying our work within your networks, your support can make a tangible difference. Together, we can ensure that this critical work continues and grows, creating the conditions for a thriving, sustainable energy future. A Call to Action Creating our future energy system is more than just a technical or economic challenge, it impacts all aspects of society. In a time of polarization and uncertainty, we offer a hopeful path forward. If you share our vision for a future that’s built collaboratively, inclusively, and equitably please reach out. Together, we can overcome these challenges and seize the opportunities that lie ahead. Now, more than ever, the work we do matters. And with your support, we can ensure it continues.  #Culture_Shift #EFL_Platform #Future_Economy #2024

Bridging the Divide: Navigating Funding Challenges in the Energy Transition

As we stand at a critical juncture in the energy transition, our work as a non-profit committed to collaborative, future-oriented systems...

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Early October is a good time to catch a shooting star. As the Draconid meteor showers streaked across the night sky, another group of shooting stars were being hailed for their outstanding contributions to sustainability in Canada and Alison Cretney, Managing Director of the Energy Futures Lab, was among them.  Joining a standout field of honorees, Alison was recently named one of Canada’s Clean50 award recipients for 2025 and we couldn’t be more thrilled for her to receive recognition for her dedication and leadership in accelerating Alberta’s energy transition. From the early days of the Lab her strategic insight, commitment to collaboration, and propensity for bold action have made the Lab a dynamic force for change. Over the past decade under Alison’s guidance, it’s become a trusted hub for multi-stakeholder innovation across the energy sector in Alberta and beyond. With her driving force at the helm, the Lab hasn’t just kept pace with the energy transition – it’s been instrumental in setting the course and expanding our impact. Not only has the Lab tripled in size, in the last two years alone it’s launched over 35 groundbreaking projects. From roadmaps for Canada’s sustainable aviation fuels and battery metals industries, policy projects on novel markets for hydrocarbon assets, to the modernization of Alberta’s electricity grid, no challenge has been too complex to undertake. The Lab has become a powerful enabler of change, engaging hundreds of energy leaders each year and inspiring thousands of Albertans and Canadians to embrace the opportunities of a low-emission future.  This was the basis for Alison’s selection as a Canada’s Clean50 ho noree. The awards honour 50 exceptional sustainability leaders driving environmental and economic impact across the country. On October 10th, Alison joined other recipients – both past and incoming – at the Clean50 Summit in Toronto to celebrate this accomplishment and connect with other leaders, innovators, and changemakers. This milestone is not only a reflection of Alison’s contributions to the field, but also builds on the Lab’s history of creating system-level impact. The EFL is no stranger to Clean50 recognition, having received a number of accolades for innovative, high-impact projects driving sustainable change. A Legacy of Clean50 Awards 2024: C-SAF Roadmap for Sustainable Aviation Fuels Last year, the EFL was honoured with a joint Clean50 Top Project award for its role in convening stakeholders and publishing the C-SAF Roadmap: Building a feedstocks-to-fuels SAF supply chain in Canada in partnership with C-SAF and the Transition Accelerator. This project provided a shared vision and action plan for advancing sustainable aviation fuels in Canada. The roadmap identified priority actions and investments required to position Canada as a leader in sustainable aviation, shaping the path forward for both industry and government.  2022: LEAD Project In 2022, the Lab’s Leveraging our Energy Assets for Diversification (LEAD) initiative earned a Top Project award. This project, in partnership with the Canada West Foundation, united 25 participants from 16 organizations to develop a non-partisan bill focused on repurposing inactive oil and gas infrastructure. LEAD aimed to unlock entrepreneurial opportunities by closing regulatory gaps, encouraging the reuse of brownfield sites, and addressing Alberta’s challenge with orphaned wells. The project exemplified how thoughtful collaboration can align policy, regulation, and innovation to solve complex energy challenges. 2018: Social Innovation in Energy Transition The Lab’s first Clean50 recognition was in 2018 for championing a social innovation approach to the energy transition and highlighted EFL’s ability to shift polarized energy conversations into collaborative dialogue – harnessing tensions and leading to system-level impact. Recognized for creating a platform for innovation and experimentation and also for reframing narr atives about energy in Canada, the early success of what we now call the ‘EFL way’ laid the foundation for many of the current innovation areas we’re actively working in today. A Bright Future for Energy Innovation Alison’s recent Clean50 award win is a nod to her personal achievements as an outstanding leader, and also a reflection of the impact the Energy Futures Lab continues to strive for. Having been consistently at the forefront of a system in transition for close to a decade, making impact through co-creation and innovation towards achieving our shared energy future has been a remarkable journey.  On behalf of the entire Lab team and our community, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to Alison for this well-deserved honour. As we celebrate this win, we are reminded of the opportunities ahead. May each of us be inspired and endeavor to face the road ahead with the same unwavering boldness and zeal. #Culture_Shift #EFL_Platform #2024

Bold Leadership, Big Impact: Alison Cretney Among Canada’s Clean50 Honourees

Early October is a good time to catch a shooting star. As the Draconid meteor showers streaked across the night sky, another group of...

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Electricity experts & community leaders will lead multi-stakeholder solution prototyping to accelerate vision-driven modernization of Alberta’s electricity system The Energy Futures Lab (EFL) is announcing the imminent start of Phase 3 of its Alberta’s Electricity Future (AEF) initiative. This phase of the project marks a significant milestone in the second year of its three year arc: the start of a sprint series focused on solution prototyping. SOCIAL INNOVATION’S ROLE IN ELECTRICITY SYSTEM MODERNIZATION While innovation is often thought of as purely technological, innovation in business models, policies, resources and investments, relationships and narratives (known collectively as social innovation) is also required to smooth paths to commercialization and mass adoption of new technologies as well as the transformation of associated policies, processes, and paradigms. What, for the industrial revolution, took centuries, must now be accomplished in a matter of decades in order to avoid the worst effects of climate change, which makes these often-overlooked social dimensions of change management critical. Grid modernization is just one of the innovation areas where the EFL is applying its award-winning expertise in social innovation-focused solution prototyping. ALBERTA’S ELECTRICITY FUTURE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL This latest phase introduces a new governance structure to the project: the Alberta’s Electricity Future Leadership Council , that will provide strategic advice to the project delivery team, surface emerging opportunities or barriers to the solutions in development, and identify high-leverage opportunities to explore new solution areas. The council includes electricity leaders and experts representing diverse perspectives from within the system and regions within the province. Founding members include: Cameron Brown – Vice President, Energy, Environment and Resources with Global Public Affairs Cayla Saby – Vice President of Government Relations & Commercial with AltaLink Graham Halsall – Director of Sustainability & Risk Management with ONE Properties Jesse Row – Executive Director of Alberta Energy Efficiency Alliance Kevin Dawson – Vice President, Strategic Integration at Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) Matthew Davis – Director, Regulatory with Capital Power Megan Gill – Executive Director of Alberta Direct Connect Consumer Association Peter Casurella – Executive Director of SouthGrow Regional Initiative Riley Georgsen – Executive Director External Affairs and Communications at Alberta Utilities Commission Rishikesh Kumar – Director, Emerging Customer Solutions with FortisAlberta Steve Saddleback – Partner with Opimoyaso Group Vicki Zinyk – CEO of Alberta Cooperative Energy WORKING GROUPS & SOLUTION AREAS The council will also provide guidance to the project’s Working Groups, teams of subject matter experts responsible for hands-on solutioning, launching in October 2024. The Working Groups will initially focus on the following solution areas: Incentivizing Optimization: creating novel mechanisms for utilities to prioritize optimizing the grid Decentralized Future : exploring new ways to harness the benefits of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) Enhancing Demand Participation: exploring wholesale market opportunities for demand-side solutions and participation PROJECT HISTORY These solution areas were selected by the AEF Coalition, a group of 60+ representatives from Alberta’s electricity system engaged through Phase 1 of the initiative, as well as additional project contributors. Phase 1 also convened these groups to develop, test and enhance the co-created vision and principles for Alberta’s Electricity Future: Leading the Charge: A Vision for Alberta’s Electricity Future . The final version of the document, originally released publicly in draft form on March 4, 2024, is now available for download . In Phase 2 of the initiative, the Energy Futures Lab conducted a review of over 60 studies, reports and electricity system modernization plans spanning 5 countries to uncover both regional and universal barriers to electricity systems change. The barriers were then assessed using an Alberta lens to unearth the top 10 systemic barriers to advancing grid modernization in Alberta. Briefs on each of the 10 systemic barriers are now available for download on the Energy Futures Lab website. PHASE 3 Through its solution prototyping in Phase 3, the Energy Futures Lab aims to develop actionable and scalable solutions that help orient the province’s electricity landscape towards a system that is customer-driven, innovation focused, attractive to investors and which enhances Alberta’s future competitiveness by supporting regional growth industries and jobs they create. “Technology alone will not be enough to solve the challenge of electrifying Alberta’s economy quickly and affordably,” says Alison Cretney, Managing Director of the Energy Futures Lab. “Change at this scale requires coordination at the highest levels of our electricity system. Supported by industry and policymakers seeking actionable, impactful and lasting solutions, Alberta’s Electricity Future Phase 3 utilizes the Lab’s trusted leadership in innovation to unlock the most promising collaborative solutions for a reliable, affordable and sustainable electricity system.” “Electricity is the lifeblood of a modern economy, “ comments Peter Casurella , AEF Leadership Council member and Executive Director of SouthGrow Regional Initiative. “As a rural economic developer, I have a vested interest in ensuring that rural perspectives are considered as we determine how to prepare Alberta’s grid for significant growth in demand. I believe the Energy Futures Lab’s unique approach offers the greatest opportunity to create, implement and scale workable solutions that fairly represent everyone connected to the system—from rural economic regions, to transmission system owners, to residential electricity customers.” CONTEXT OF THE WORK Notably, this next phase begins as the Government of Alberta, Alberta Utilities Commission, and Alberta’s Electric System Operator (AESO) continue or commence their own consultations and processes for modernizing the province’s electricity system. The Energy Futures Lab’s process is not intended to be duplicative of existing efforts underway, but rather complementary and additive to ongoing work, contributing additional perspectives and analysis to the conversation. #Electricity #Albertas_Electricity_Future #Indigenous_Knowledge_Insight_and_Leadership #2023

Powering Progress: Energy Futures Lab Launches Electricity Leadership Council

Electricity experts & community leaders will lead multi-stakeholder solution prototyping to accelerate vision-driven modernization of...

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Building on three decades of impact and growth, The Natural Step Canada, the parent organization of the Energy Futures Lab, is rebranding with a new name, new look, and new approach to surfacing the solutions Canada needs now. On July 3rd, the Natural Step Canada is becoming Generate Canada . Its mission, in partnership with the Smart Prosperity Institute , is to connect problem-solvers to tackle the most complex challenges at the heart of econo my, environment, and society. By working together, we will generate solutions for a strong and inclusive economy that thrives within nature’s limits. Why the rebrand? While The Natural Step Canada’s vision has stood the test of time, our way of achieving it has evolved. The focus has shifted from influencing single organizations to influencing whole value-chains. By bringing together problem-solvers across the solutions ecosystem and putting all the tools of change on the table (policy, business practice, technology) we can achieve this. The new name speaks to this new approach – generating collaboration, innovation, and solutions. The Energy Futures Lab is proud to be a solution space of Generate Canada. Learn more abou t it at GenerateCanada.ca and follow them on LinkedIn . #Culture_Shift #Generate_Canada #2023

The Natural Step Canada gets a New Name, New Look

Building on three decades of impact and growth, The Natural Step Canada, the parent organization of the Energy Futures Lab, is rebranding...

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Driving through central Alberta is quintessential prairie. The big skies, aspen groves, golden wheat fields and sunlit canola crops are reminiscent of a W.O. Mitchell novel. It’s a landscape that’s intentional — shaped, cultivated and nurtured by the people and communities that are inevitably intertwined with it regardless of whether they were raised in the region or drawn there by the promise of a good life.  Beyond their picturesque nature and agricultural roots, Alberta’s rural communities are a hive of both industrial activity and community-minded innovation that make them well placed to adapt through changing times and economic conditions. The province has experienced its share of energy transitions. From the relatively late adoption of electricity (which came when the urban centres grew large enough to afford it) to the coal mining boom, to the discovery of natural gas fields that became the affordable energy option of choice, Alberta is again in the throes of an energy transition. Along with the rest of the world, we’re in a race to produce as much energy as possible to meet demand while simultaneously searching for ways to make that energy less carbon intensive. The energy transition is also following many different routes, and some of those routes lead us outside of the cities to more rural and remote parts of the province where new ideas around energy are being cultivated. Cultivating Innovation in Alberta’s Rural Communities At the Energy Futures Lab, we work to identify the big challenges that require innovation. One of the questions we want to answer is how can we build near and long-term resilience in rural communities as the world transitions towards a low-carbon future ? With the echoes of boom/bust cycles still ringing throughout the province, how can we ensure a prosperous future that benefits communities and doesn’t leave them behind?  Our Innovation Challenge, Rural Community Resilience in a Low-Carbon Future , takes us into the heart of rural and remote communities asking those same questions. Collaboratively delivered with host communities across Alberta that want to learn more about the energy transition, our Energy Futures Roadshow is a mechanism and a space where they can lean into opportunities and generate solutions to strengthen both community and economic resiliency. To date, our Roadshows have  partnered with the communities of Brooks, Rainbow Lake, Grande Prairie, Hinton, Devon, Crowsnest Pass, Drayton Valley, Red Deer, Whitecourt, and Athabasca. The Roadshows “explore what energy transition means in their local context, what the unique opportunities are and they come up with initiatives that are tailored to their area,” explains Juli Rohl, Lead Animator and Director of the Energy Futures Lab’s Impact Studio. Up until this point, we’ve worked with multiple communities per year in a Roadshow season that typically runs from October to March. Last year, we pivoted that approach and took a new strategic direction to work exclusively with one municipality for the year, allowing us to get to know the Roadshow participants and organizers on a deeper and more personal level, expand and deepen community connections, and provide dedicated support to emerging community-led initiatives. In 2022 we put our new model to the test as we started a year-long journey when the Roadshow took us to the Town of Innisfail. Innisfail’s Arable Land Innisfail had long hoped to bring the Energy Futures Roadshow to the town. With a longstanding, rich agricultural history and thriving agricultural and industrial sectors, the community had already been branching out and diversifying through supporting and adopting clean energy initiatives like Elemental Energy’s 25 MW Innisfail Solar Farm north west of town.  This economic diversification had been strategically positioned through the municipality’s Community Economic Development Strategy, The Power of Place . In addition, the town is home to local industries that are proving their ability to pivot and adopt new technologies and innovations. All of this, combined with a visionary and forward-looking Town Council and Administration, set the groundwork for a partnership that allowed us to dig deeper and nurture the seeds of community resilience.  Innisfail’s Town Council, Administration and local business members warmly welcomed the EFL team and workshop participants. “Energy can be polarizing. But for Innisfail, it is proving to be a chance to bring people closer together where they can discuss the challenges they are facing and their hopes for the future. In coming together, people are able to brainstorm solutions for the community’s future” says Todd Becker, Chief Administrative Officer for the Town of Innisfail.  Cultivating Ideas for a Rich Harvest The Roadshow included a total of four in-person workshops, a virtual workshop, and a series of three online Learning Journeys co-led by Energy Futures Lab Fellows and Ambassadors. Between September 2022 and March 2023, the engagements reached 104 people from across Alberta, including Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer, and previous Roadshow communities such as Rainbow Lake, Grande Prairie and Athabasca, while primarily engaging Innisfail and area local businesses and community members, and government. Throughout the workshops and Learning Journeys, the Energy Futures Lab facilitation team prompted participants to think about both the long term and short term vision for the town’s energy future. Through facilitated exercises, participants created, shared and iterated their ideas, and strengthened them from peer feedback and through group discussion.  From the seeds planted, an abundance of initiatives sprang forth. The Innisfail Roadshow generated many ideas but focused on actioning and further exploring six initiatives including: hosting a series of  community conversations on energy, youth energy education, an Energy Fair at the local Trade Show, a local Hydrogen Strategy, Waste to Heat project, and the development of a government relations strategy for the community.  The Innisfail Energy Hub is Launched From the early planning stages, Innisfail’s community members, Town Councillors and Administration, and business owners demonstrated a keen enthusiasm to organize and co-host the Roadshow. Discussions led to the creation of a new community initiative, the Innisfail Energy Hub (IEH). According to Todd Becker, the Innisfail Energy Hub is a collective that was co-created by participants of the Energy Futures Roadshow. The identity of this collective focuses on enabling community conversations about energy to bring in diverse voices to focus on the town’s resiliency and economic strength. The Innisfail Energy Hub has been gaining momentum and has already begun to host several in-person activities including initiatives that emerged from the Roadshow workshops.  In December, The Town of Innisfail collaborated with St. Marguerite Bourgeoys Catholic School to deliver a “Youth Energy Day” complete with booths, presentations and learning resources about energy production, consumption and innovation.   Two community conversations on energy have taken place, at Dark Woods Brewpub and Coffee Roasting and at the Innisfail Legion. These engagements aim to bring together members of the community, local business, service organizations and members of the Innisfail Energy Hub to learn, debate and discuss the community’s energy future over casual food and drinks.  Finally, the Innisfail Energy Hub hosted an “Energy Fair” at the Innisfail Trade Show from March 31 to April 1, 2023. In collaboration with the event hosts, the Innisfail Chamber of Commerce, the Innisfail Energy Hub was able to secure space to showcase electric vehicles, utility providers, and exciting energy innovation opportunities for the community. A highlight of the event was a speaker presentation by local entrepreneur Robert Bilton of Bilton Welding and Manufacturing Ltd. who spoke about the hydrogen locomotive engine retrofits they have been completing at their Innisfail facility.   In addition to the great work of the Hub, the Energy Futures Lab connected with Bilton Welding and Manufacturing and supported them in getting out the word about their game-changing innovation and the transformative potential it has for the decarbonization of the transportation sector by providing strategic advice on narrative building, a mainstay of our social innovation practice.  Modeling Community-Driven Action The IEH opened their arms to having others join the Roadshow workshops to build literacy and excitement around what’s happening within the energy transition, both within the region and across Alberta. The IEH attracted some heavy-hitters.  Leaders in the field attended and presented at the Roadshow workshops. Robert Bilton, from Innisfail-based Bilton Manufacturing and Welding gave a talk at the November workshop and shared the news that the company is prototyping and manufacturing hydrogen locomotive engines for CP Rail. Dave Van Den Assem from Alberta Innovates spoke at the January workshop on the Edmonton Region Hydrogen Hub and was keen to energize what was happening with innovations local Innisfail businesses like Bilton Manufacturing and Welding.  In-between Roadshow workshops, community members benefited from online learning journeys where speakers from British Columbia and Alberta shared their knowledge with the community. For example, Wendy Hutchins from FIRST Robotics Alberta and IndigeSTEAM presented along with staff and participants from the Howl Experience (including Adam Robb, Daryl Kootenay, Shauna Kelly, Sneha Rose Jigo) and shared insights on engaging youth in energy innovation. HOWL staff also met with Innisfail Town staff to explore the development of a youth engagement plan.  The IEH was also keen to engage with demographics who may not always get a say in the energy transition. A highlight of this year’s Roadshow occurred at the November workshop when organizers engaged with the Indigenous-owned Sweetgrass Cafe in nearby Trochu who provided a special meal and offered prayers at the second workshop in November. Attendees were able to enjoy traditional stew, bannock, berries and juice. Elder John also engaged the group by sharing stories and providing space for questions.  Engaging youth was another top priority for the Innisfail Energy Hub. This was demonstrated in the first workshop where the shop class from the Innisfail High School joined the Zoom meeting and participated in identifying desired future energy narratives for Innisfail.  In engaging with diverse community participants, the IEH gained rich learnings and developed projects that consider energy futures from different lenses. Fellowship Sets the Stage for a Successful Roadshow  Our 2023 Fellowship is fortunate to include three participants from the Innisfail Roadshow who were inspired to apply, and who bring their knowledge of working within diverse industries and sectors in rural Alberta and Canadian municipalities. New Fellows include Innisfail’s Chief Administrative Officer Todd Becker, Rory Wheat from Varme Energy, and Leanne Kubiseski from Fortis Alberta. Furthermore, this Roadshow owes much to the support of EFL Fellows Brad Nickel, Maggie Hanna, Victor Del Valle, and Winona Lafreniere, as well as previous Fellows Pat Bourne, Sean Collins and Megan Lohmann.  Fellows helped to shape the Roadshow by leading Learning Journeys , offering office space to meet, providing expertise for initiatives and workshops, and continuing to make connections with others in their networks to further support for the Innisfail Energy Hub initiatives.   Building Community Through Conversation One of the goals of hosting a Roadshow is to convene a cross-section of community members to have conversations that lead to tangible plans and actions. The IEH initiative to host “community conversations” achieves just that. This initiative offers a holistic approach to community engagement through informal energy discussions at community gathering places around Innisfail. While the Roadshow workshops have concluded, the community conversations around energy will live on and give Innisfail community members a space to generate ideas for the future of their community.   In his own words, Todd Becker feels that “the Roadshow has been instrumental in bringing members of our community together to work hard and build our confidence to host community conversations about energy. The beauty of the Roadshow has been to leverage the community to come together and learn new language about energy and also understand what is possible”. As Juli Rohl eloquently puts it, “working on climate change and energy transition can be overwhelming, and it can be lonely. When we sit with our friends and neighbours, sticky notes, and Co-op donuts, we co-create our future together, and this makes us want to roll up our sleeves and get involved”.  Preparing the Harvest The Town of Innisfail has plowed the way for an energy future that is certain to grow community resilience. The Innisfail Energy Hub is planting the seeds and nurturing ideas to life. With the momentum and resiliency they have cultivated, they’re sure to have an abundant harvest – putting the town squarely on the map of places leading Alberta’s energy transformation today for a brighter tomorrow.  P.S. The Co-op donuts are worth the drive. #Regional_Pathways #Future_Economy #Culture_Shift #Innisfail_Roadshow #Community_Resilience #Hydrogen #CCUS #The_Newtonian_Shift #Fellowship #Radical_Middle #2023

Impact: Innisfail Energy Futures Roadshow Cultivates Community Conversations on Energy

Driving through central Alberta is quintessential prairie. The big skies, aspen groves, golden wheat fields and sunlit canola crops are...

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Accelerating Investment in Emerging Net-Zero Aligned Energy Industries a Clear Priority Budget 2023 offered a much-needed response to legislation in both the US (Inflation Reduction Act) and Europe (the Green Deal Industrial Plan), increasing investment in Canadian industry and new value chains emerging in a global drive to decarbonize energy systems and shore up energy security. With numerous reactions to the budget and informative explainers already in circulation, we approached the budget with a lens on what we feel matters most for Alberta’s energy transition and how the proposed funding, credits and incentives can help the province focus in more sharply on the areas in which we’re best positioned to compete, mobilize our existing and emerging ecosystems and industries, and make the most of what’s on offer. With it all on the table, now feels like the moment for us to collectively lean into this work. The budget has provided some of the foundational financial tools required to maintain competitiveness and gain market share within the rapidly evolving global economy. The budget orients priorities towards industrial strategy and value chain development, along with the announcement of numerous Investment Tax Credits (ITC) aimed at closing the gap between the bankability of investments in Canadian net-zero aligned industries and their US competition . The Energy Futures Lab sees a central role for our function as trusted convenors and enablers of collaboration in helping forge a shared understanding of Alberta’s most strategic opportunities in emerging value chains, and informing supportive policy and investment conditions tailored to the unique needs of the province. This budget also recognizes the necessity to provide long-term certainty for investors, businesses and innovators to be able to integrate sustainability measures into their long-term plans and goals as new, net-zero energy system aligned markets that are now only at a nascent stage begin to mature. The budget’s focus on cleantech innovation may for some suggest limited relevance for Alberta. Yet in actuality, for businesses here, there are many place-based opportunities to be leveraged. Here’s a breakdown of the ITCs and the opportunities they represent for Alberta: Clean Electricity ITC – will help Alberta modernize its grid and unlock the abundant, affordable, reliable energy we will need to power Alberta’s economy. It now extends to abated natural gas, batteries and other forms of energy storage, and applies to both new projects and facility retrofits. Critical Mineral Exploration ITC – expands the eligibility criteria and empowers innovative companies seeking to utilize existing well infrastructure in Alberta to produce lithium-from-brine, which has been much anticipated. Additionally, enabling these producers to issue flow-through shares will increase the attractiveness of lithium-from-brine projects as investments. Clean Hydrogen ITC – acknowledges the potential of being able to transport Alberta-produced clean fuel to global markets via ammonia. CCUS ITC –  an enhanced CCUS ITC expands eligible projects and will allow the province’s energy sector to repurpose its abundant subsurface data, expertise, and engineering know-how to decouple industrial development and growth (e.g. the refinement of battery materials) from increasing emissions, not to mention drastically reducing existing emissions from heavy emitters.  Clean Technology Manufacturing ITC – rather than extracting minerals and metals for export, and buying back batteries for EVs, home, and grid storage from the US at a markup, this ITC enables us to leverage Alberta’s chemical processing expertise to refine and produce the base materials that are necessary to unlock the exponential value in the creation of a Canadian battery value chain. What does this mean for the Energy Futures Lab’s work and our community?  First, we’re pleased to see the recognition of the need for grid modernization and the announcement of a clean electricity tax credit. With eligibility extending to publicly-owned utilities as well as Indigenous-owned corporations coupled with a commitment to deliver clean energy to northern, rural and remote communities there is a commitment to ensuring that all Canadians will have access to safe, reliable and clean electricity. With our newest Innovation Challenge, Alberta’s Electricity Future, focused on modernizing Alberta’s grid we’re hopeful that making this a clear national priority and utilizing the accompanying budget mechanisms will help bolster the system’s capacity to successfully engage in and make headway on the important work of electrification that’s central to so many net-zero aligned energy solutions. Building from our previous work on CCUS, our recent initiative seeks to establish a CCUS ecosystem that will identify and address the barriers to implementation currently faced by industry. The budget recognizes that many investments involve high upfront costs and will stretch over decades, but doesn’t directly address the urgency (and long timeframes) to get CCUS projects online and brought to scale. To be sure, with the previously announced investment tax credit coupled with a commitment in this budget to begin consultation on a broad-based approach to using contracts for difference, there’s a path for large investments in CCUS to be less risky for many Alberta-based companies striving for net-zero. And with the role of CCUS in the hydrogen economy, abating hard to decarbonize sectors and the emerging utilization industries, CCUS continues to be a critical opportunity for the province that is in need of more immediate acceleration. The Government of Canada has expressed a strong desire to lean into the formation of a value chain for battery materials and manufacturing. In our June 2022 report, A Roadmap for Canada’s Battery Value Chain , along with our partners we identified that battery metals and critical minerals processing presented a significant opportunity for Canada in an emerging and exponentially growing global market, through the creation of a domestic battery value chain with a focus on midstream manufacturing. It’s gratifying to see recognition for the Lab’s early work in bringing together system players and formalizing disparate industries into a cohesive value chain now being recognized with strong incentives, and we are confident that we’ll see Alberta companies continuing to step forward with innovative technologies. Having championed the potential for a lithium industry for years and worked closely with the Battery Metals Association of Canada, we are also pleased to see the expansion of the Critical Mineral Exploration Tax Credit eligibility to lithium-from-brine (a potential boon for Alberta), something which has been long advocated for and was excluded from the previous budget. We’re also encouraged to see a commitment to support the development of an Indigenous Economic Reconciliation Framework that can be used to increase Indigenous economic participation in the energy transition. It feels like Indigenous communities and businesses are finally starting to have access to economic supports for infrastructure, cleantech and resource development projects – a barrier that has been in place for too long. One nod to this is the mechanism of using the Canada Infrastructure Bank to provide loans to Indigenous communities for purchasing equity in infrastructure projects, albeit only those in which the Bank is also investing. Coupled with the $3 billion earmarked for Natural Resources Canada to “Recapitalize funding for the Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program to support critical regional priorities and Indigenous-led projects”, we hope to see meaningful action towards economic reconciliation along with continued recognition of Rights and Title, and equity partnerships with Indigenous Peoples.  All in all, the budget makes strategic efforts to spur Canadian competitiveness in net-zero aligned industries and even the playing field with the US for critical minerals, hydrogen, carbon capture, utilization and storage, electric vehicles, and sustainable aviation fuels (by way of biofuels investment).  Perhaps what’s most promising is the recognition of the need to provide long-term certainty for investors, businesses and innovators. With many of the ITCs and incentives extending past 2030, there’s now breathing room to integrate sustainability into long-term planning as emerging, net-zero aligned industries begin to de-risk and reach the tipping point of commercial viability.  As others have pointed out , some of the budget’s mechanisms for distribution are novel, but importantly offer a chance to sidestep the mistakes of the past. Decentralizing decisions and the rollout of programs to regionally-situated departments who have a clearer, more in-depth understanding of the context and knowledge of regional ecosystems and players would benefit regions of the country further removed from Ottawa’s sphere, Alberta included. By leveraging the financial tools laid out in Budget 2023, Alberta has an unmistakable opportunity to chart a course to a thriving and prosperous position as a global player in a net-zero aligned energy economy. But the hardest work to realize the potential of this moment still lies ahead. As stakeholders and Rights Holders in this sector, we must be ready to collaborate towards developing a shared understanding of Alberta’s most strategic opportunities in emerging value chains, and utilize it to inform supportive policy and investment conditions tailored to the province’s unique context.  Only with some alignment and mobilization can we quickly and efficiently capitalize on the momentum created by the convergence of these top economic opportunities, energy security, and the acknowledgement of the need for sustainable Albertan jobs. This is work in which the Energy Futures Lab is highly-experienced and well-positioned to do effectively and we are actively pursuing opportunities to partner with other organizations to ensure both Albertans and Canadians can seize this moment to their greatest advantage. #Future_Economy #Culture_Shift #Clean_Technologies #Sustainable_Finance #Federal_Policy #Community_Solar #Rooftop_Solar #Electricity #Commercial_Wind #Batteries #Electric_Vehicles #Battery_Metals_Vision_and_Roadmap #Lithium_from_Brine #Indigenous_Knowledge_Insight_and_Leadership #2022

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...

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Dear Lab Community, Over the past nine years the Energy Futures Lab (EFL) has been hosting innovation processes and supporting collaborative solutions to create the energy system the future requires of us.  Throughout that time, we’ve been working within a dynamic energy system in a constant state of change – one that looks vastly different than it did even just a few years ago. Over the years, the ground has been readied and we are now seeing the seeds planted by the EFL over the years grow into opportunities in need of further acceleration, and solutions requiring our support to scale.  Announcing a Strategic Shift In response, the EFL is evolving our approach to accelerating the energy transition in Alberta. This responsiveness is a part of our nature as a social innovation lab, and one of the  collective strengths we have been cultivating together over the last nine years. The EFL model, established in 2015, was created in response to widespread polarization on the subject of energy transition in Alberta and Canada. Together with our incredible network of Fellows, Ambassadors, partners and advisors, we have achieved collaborative action and policy impact on many fronts critical to the energy transition: battery metals value chain alignment, sustainable aviation fuels, digital innovation solutions, transition finance policy, engaging rural communities, and Indigenous economic reconciliation, to name just a few. We have also contributed to culture and strategy shifts in key organizations and deepening our shared journey and commitment to truth and reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples in Canada. Over that time, we’ve also undertaken a number of strategic pivots – adapting our way of working to meet the evolving needs of the system in order to make the most impact.  Most notably, this next transformation involves changing how we convene our core community of diverse innovators, leaders and energy transition champions, while ensuring that we carry forward the essential characteristics that make the EFL and its community so unique and special. Where are we going now? In part because of the work we’ve done together in the past nine years, the challenges we’re responding to now are different, and require an update in approach. Broadly, it’s now less about addressing the questions of “why do we need an energy transition, what it means and how should we work together?” and more about moving on to the challenge of “what are the top priorities and how do we get there at the pace and scale required?”  FOCUS Given this context, beginning in January 2024 the Lab will focus its resources (and capacity for multi-stakeholder engagement) on enabling new growth industries that will position Alberta’s economy to thrive in a net-zero future. Our emphasis on doing this in a way that is inclusive, equitable, and in alignment to the spirit of Truth and Reconciliation with Indigenous people, partners and communities will continue. EVOLVING THE LAB STRUCTURE In service of this direction, the Lab will convene around a maximum of two-to-three Innovation Challenges at any given time. These are multi-year, multi-phased, deep-dive explorations of urgent and “wicked” challenges undertaken with coalitions made up of industry and subject matter experts, partners, communities and Rights Holders.  By focusing our efforts in concentrated areas, we believe that we can better mobilize our resources and our network to achieve outcomes that will have a significant impact toward creating the future energy system. An Innovation Challenge will result in smaller, specific scoped initiatives that will be supported by the EFL in ways that are required for their success (e.g. design and facilitation, fundraising, partnership brokering, communications, evaluation). Our initial confirmed Innovation Challenge is Alberta’s Electricity Future , with others to be identified and added over time. Alongside the Innovation Challenge stream, the Lab will also undertake a series of Strategic Inquiries. These will be time-bound projects of a smaller scale, designed to explore the possibility of establishing an Innovation Challenge. To identify, prioritize and scope the challenges the EFL will work on, we will undertake research as well as convening the broader network to help sense what is most important to address in the energy system at the time. FELLOWS, AMBASSADORS AND OUR LAB COMMUNITY Since the Lab’s earliest days, the heart of the EFL has been its Fellowship. As we keep an eye to what role the system needs the EFL to play now, we are evolving how we engage this exceptional network of leaders. As of September 2023, the Lab will no longer be accepting applications for its Fellowship and will evolve to a hyrbid model Ambassador program, designed specifically for past Fellows, partners, and strategic advisors. The 2024 hybrid EFL Fellowship and Ambassador Program is designed to accommodate different needs and engagement preferences within our community. Open to all current and past Fellows, this program provides participants with the flexibility to apply either as a Fellow or an Ambassador. EFL Fellows and Ambassadors, collectively, continue to be a group of innovators and influencers working in today’s energy system who explore and hold the significant tensions inherent in our mission. We will continue to leverage the network built over the past nine years to system sense, contribute to Innovation Challenges, and show leadership in mobilizing others to advance toward our shared vision. This hybrid approach offers a singular cohort and program with roles tailored to individual preferences. The program aims to provide a dynamic and inclusive platform for all past Fellows, Ambassadors, and Alumni, fostering continuous learning, collaboration, and organizational support. While we are not currently accepting applications for intake to our core Fellow & Ambassador community from the general public for 2024, we are committed to ensuring that our wider community is able to continue to contribute their ideas, knowledge, and skills to our mission in meaningful ways. We encourage you to stay informed and connected by signing up for our quarterly EFL Newsletter . This newsletter is your gateway to receiving updates and discovering opportunities for learning and active participation in our initiatives. It’s an excellent way to stay closely connected to the Lab and engage with our work. The EFL Way We attribute much of the Lab’s success over the past nine years to our co-creation and nurturing of a unique organizational DNA, informed by the strength of the commitment, lived experiences and hearts of those who have shown up to contribute to this incredible community. In particular, the emphasis on intentional and thoughtful approaches to convening diverse perspectives, our attention to equity in our work, as well as our commitment to continuously improve how our work includes and benefits Indigenous people and communities, and contributes to advancing their priorities and perspectives. These principles have emerged as important cornerstones of ‘The EFL Way’. How these shape our work and our collective achievements is core to the value we bring to the system, and will remain so going forward. #Culture_Shift #Fellowship #EFL_Platform #EFL_Vision #Fellowship #Radical_Middle #2023

Announcing the Energy Futures Lab’s Strategic Shift

Dear Lab Community, Over the past nine years the Energy Futures Lab (EFL) has been hosting innovation processes and supporting...

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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 natural resources, but also resourcefulness with a storied history of energy leadership, the folks up north are poised to lead the energy transition. Yet it still feels like Canada is on the starting line waiting for the gunshot. There’s growing interest in both public and private opportunities and investment, especially pertaining to critical minerals, but is it accelerating enough to make Canada competitive on a global scale? But with the race far from over what will it take to put Canada in pole position? The transition to a low-carbon economy is unlikely to be a gentle affair, and like all ‘wicked’ problems it’s one that faces many challenges. As we speed towards 2030, with lofty climate goals to reach, efforts in decarbonization are accelerating. As they speed up, we’ll need stewards to keep the car on the track. Changing the lens on energy transition The energy transition requires more than just technological advancement. It involves a multi-faceted approach that recognizes the complexities between our social systems and our energy system. As a convenor, connector, and catalyzer of innovative energy system initiatives and solutions, the Energy Futures Lab supports change-makers in collaboratively exploring how to leverage Canada’s assets and innovation capacity to accelerate an inclusive and equitable transition to a prosperous net-zero future. As with all complex challenges, there’s no simple answer but the actions being taken today have a tangible impact on the energy system of the future. As Canada’s minister of Natural Resources, Jonathan Wilkinson, boldly stated recently “there is no energy transition without critical minerals, and this is why critical mineral supply chain resilience is an increasing priority for advanced economies.” Lithium’s role in a net-zero future In today’s global energy and climate reality everyone is speaking about energy security. What does that mean for Alberta and Canada? The answer lies in the opportunities before us. It will mean developing net-zero energy sources that are close to home, reliable, and predictable in cost. There’s no shortage of homegrown opportunities when it comes to producing products for emerging markets such as battery metals. Innovative technologies are poised to turn raw resources into the commercially-viable reserves required to create a national, or north-American supply chain for critical minerals like lithium. The discovery of lithium isn’t new, but our relationship with lithium is rapidly changing. Canada has set ambitious zero emission vehicle (ZEV) targets and the demand for electric vehicles (EVs) is reaching critical mass. Scientists began working on lithium-ion batteries in the 1970s, but the first commercial lithium-ion battery didn’t hit the market until 1991 . Fast-forward thirty years and batteries are set to play an integral role in the transition to net-zero by midcentury. Thanks to factors including improved battery technology, policy support and a wider availability of charging infrastructure EV sales are surging. The Alberta advantage The need for responsibly-sourced lithium has never been greater. Most lithium today originates from either Australia’s hard rock deposits or South America’s salt flats. Alberta’s oil fields hold abundant, yet low-grade deposits of lithium in subsurface brine, but so far it’s been overlooked as industrial waste. With new processing technologies and growing concerns about the security of global supplies, this is set to change. In 2017, few people knew about this untapped opportunity. It took individuals like Liz Lappin, who joined the Energy Futures Lab Fellowship, to help spread the word. Lappin was well aware of Alberta’s potential having joined E3 Lithiu m during their start-up phase. The company was proposing a creative solution to a long-standing challenge, setting out to demonstrate how Alberta could lean on its existing oil and gas industry to support the creation of a globally-competitive, and less environmentally-intensive lithium industry. The need for an industry organization to champion responsible development of a Canadian value chain emerged from a series of workshops hosted by the Energy Futures Lab. A group of first-movers combined reso urces and eventually sparked the formation of the Battery Metals Association of Canada ( BMAC ), which developed rapidly in collaboration with the Energy Futures Lab team and Fellowship. Today, Lappin is the current President of BMAC and firmly believes that this technology is on the cusp of market viability, “Extraction from existing wells in lithium-rich formations can put Canada on the map. With a number of projects in development, several with later-stage TRL technology, Alberta lithium could supply domestic battery producers and Canadian lithium producers can benefit from preferred trade partnerships to export to European markets”. When asked what’s needed to get there, Lappin acknowledged that “commitment from both the private sector and government will be needed along with the deployment of policy instruments. There’s a perception that this technology won’t be commercial until after 2030, but piloting is expected well in advance of that timeframe and there are already a number of companies bringing it closer to viability”. Mentioning investments from Alberta Innovates and the Government of Canada in piloting lithium technology as a solid starting point, Lappin was disappointed in the recent exclusion of brine-produced lithium from Canada’s Critical Minerals Exploration Tax Credit but has plans to advocate for its inclusion. The case for Canada’s battery value chain To truly grow this industry, however, Canada needs to move beyond its comfort zone. Rather than produce lithium as yet another raw-commodity export, Canadians should be pushing to develop the entire value chain, including manufacturing end products, such as cathodes, anodes, and batteries, for the electrified economy. BMAC has recently released a living ecosystem map showing the volume of activities already underway and outlining the opportunity for a robust domestic value chain. Canada must aim for a larger piece of the supply chain. According to a recent clean competitiveness roadmap report produced by BMAC, Ene rgy Futures Lab, Transition Accelerator and Accelerate Alliance, automotive parts and vehicles are the second biggest Canadian export behind oil and gas which makes for a clear economic imperative to develop an EV ecosystem in Canada. Given that the internal combustion engine (ICE) and the oil and gas industry will be disrupted by the energy transition, Canada needs to act fast to replace the value these exports bring to our economy . Developing an EV ecosystem is a once-in-a generation opportunity to support long-term prosperity in Canada . The report, A Roadmap for Canada’s Battery Value Chain , outlines priority actions in a national industrial strategy to get the ball rolling and position Canada as a global competitor. The race is truly on to forge a homegrown ecosystem — one that integrates seamlessly into the North American auto sector. Paving the way To capitalize on this opportunity however, the government must step up the way they did a generation ago for the oilsands. “Canada will have to go from producing a few thousands EVs to producing 1.3 million EVs in 8 years and 2.3 million EVs in 19 years. To provide a supply chain that meets these objectives will require mining and processing of approximately 200 kilotonnes per annum (ktpa) of elemental lithium” writes the report’s lead author, Bentley Allan. Despite the compelling long-term economics of lithium for batteries, some industry investors need help to balance the risks of pioneering a nascent industry. One of the calls to action from the report is the creation of public-private-Indigenous partnerships. The Energy Futures Lab held a series of working groups with the BMAC community, which according to Allan, validated “the industry believes we can achieve these battery and EV supply chain goals — and industry is ready to work in partnership with the government, Indigenous communities, civil society, and finance”. In light of recent supply and demand issues, North American lithium-battery suppliers should be looking to reliable, local sources. The moment is at hand for Alberta and Canada to capture the abundant economic opportunities of lithium and battery metals in the clean-energy future. Future-fit hydrocarbons in the energy transition That future looks promising, but it’s contingent on securing the right catalytic investments, and getting the right policy levers in place. Alberta’s energy industry faces significant challenges relating to global investment due to the growing emphasis on transition investment opportunities. To address this challenge, the Energy Futures Lab is exploring opportunities for financing future-fit hydrocarbons — products and industries that build on Canada’s hydrocarbon assets in a way compatible with meeting climate targets such as battery metals, but also technologies like clean hydrogen, bitumen beyond combustion, geothermal energy and carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) . Along with an array of partners, the Lab has created and shared a set of guiding criteria that establish a starting point for collaborative future-fit hydrocarbon development for a net-zero world and attracting sustainable investment through their Energy Futures Policy Collaborative (EFPC). The EFPC framework identifies strategic areas where governments need to align and accelerate policy development to amplify climate action while continuing to reap the economic benefits of hydrocarbon activity. These proposals can support the sector as a whole — not just companies — to attract investment to projects aligned with net-zero emissions goals, as well as meet evolving expectations for energy development. Focusing on Alberta, it’s an approach that views new development as a source of future growth, job creation and community resilience. Viewing the full picture helps to put the opportunities into perspective, and viewing opportunities beyond the emerging technological innovations requires us to look with the lens of social innovation. What is needed to remove the remaining barriers to an evolution in energy already underway in the province? The global energy transition offers a huge opportunity for Alberta but capturing this requires careful coordination and navigation of provincial, federal, Indigenous, municipal, and other stakeholders to ensure the energy system of the future can benefit a wide array of interests. The ambition of growing future-fit hydrocarbon industries, such as battery metals, has the potential to bridge a number of these divides, in that it acknowledges a new reality for the energy sector stands as an invitation for those connected with resource development to imagine new possibilities; efforts are underway to ensure that battery metals contribute to Canada’s prosperity and the global supply required to advance the energy transition. #2022 #Regional_Pathways #Clean_Technologies #Battery_Metals_Vision_and_Roadmap #Batteries #Lithium_from_Brine #Electric_Vehicles #Energy_Futures_Policy_Collaborative #FutureFit_Hydrocarbons

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...

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The Energy Futures Lab’s Grid Sandbox Innovation Platform  The evolving grid  In 2022 it’s easy to take the flip of a light switch for granted. For the most part, people are accustomed to a dependable grid, meaning the intricate systems that provide access to safe, uninterrupted, and affordable electricity are often obscured. But uninterrupted power isn’t a given; it’s the result of a careful balancing act that can be tipped off kilter by any number of different factors.  That the grid is subject to disruption is nothing new. For example, if you look at Calgary, Edmonton and Lethbridge in the late 1800s,  you’ll learn that these cities were the first major urban centres to provide electricity in Alberta. By the turn of the century, however, existing electricity systems were becoming strained by a steadily growing population. A population boom was all it took to tip the scales. Today, our electricity system is facing new disruptions, disruptions that must be addressed if uninterrupted access to safe and affordable power is to remain the norm. While population growth may be a factor in some regions, the rapid expansion of distributed energy resources (DERs) is quickly altering traditional electricity distribution.  DERs include a wide array of electricity-producing resources, such as solar panels, electric battery storage, electric vehicles and controllable loads like heat pumps, air conditioners and electric water heaters. DERs are significantly altering the way energy is produced and distributed, but to understand this disruption, it’s worth remembering how our traditional electricity system is set up. In the past, we’ve primarily followed a centralized model wherein electricity is produced at large generating stations, often near the loads they serve. The electricity is delivered to end users through transmission and distribution systems, enabling a clear relationship between customers’ energy consumption and the services delivered by utilities. Today, DER technologies can be built at smaller scales and can be co-located near the loads they serve. This also allows for the creation of microgrids, most simply defined as decentralized groups of energy resources. So instead of electricity being generated solely at large generating stations, it can instead be generated at smaller stations or even at people’s homes. This begs many questions. For example, what does it mean for customers who are now producing their own power using solar PVs, but who remain connected to the grid? How might we manage a strained electricity supply as electric vehicle (EV) adoption begins to skyrocket? Furthermore, how might utilities adapt their business models and relationships to customers as these systems continue to evolve? The bottom line is simple: as DERs continue to impact our existing electricity system, the delivery of utility services is becoming less straightforward. Furthermore, the current distribution system is overloaded, meaning that it cannot accommodate any more DERs without either massive upgrades to the grid or distributed energy resource management systems (DERMS). As one can imagine, new innovations are required, creating massive opportunities for Alberta. Distributed energy resources management systems (DERMS) are systems developed to manage grid loads as DERs continue to change the way electricity is produced and distributed. There is a growing market for electric utility software applications, allowing digital innovators such as those involved in the Energy Futures Lab’s Grid Sandbox Initiative to come forth with unique solutions. As an innovation space for artificial intelligence (AI) innovators, utilities and homeowners to seek solutions for electricity demand management, the Grid Sandbox Initiative is working to identify new ways for utilities and consumers to gather better data for decision makers today (in our current grid system) as well as for the future system, in a way that supports a clean, affordable and distributed electric energy system.  Leveraging digital innovation to create the energy system the future requires of us  The Grid Sandbox initiative was inspired by the following question: “how might we leverage digital innovation to create the energy system that the future requires of us?” With artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) beginning to play an even more integral role in shaping our evolving energy system, developing software applications using Alberta-led AI/ML offered a logical next step. In a proposal to the RBC Foundation, the project team described their idea. The concept involved creating “virtual neighborhoods” to act as a Grid Sandbox and was developed under the umbrella of the EFL’s Energy.AI initiative . The platform would group participating homeowners from across the province into at least three “virtual neighborhoods.” AI/ML innovators and utilities would also participate as solution providers by developing an interactive online platform featuring virtual DER technologies and/or communications aimed at changing homeowner behaviours.  The goal of this project is therefore to set up a virtual “data sandbox,” allowing participants to test new utility business models and energy services in a safe environment, but using real-world data in a way that benefits utilities and consumers alike. “The Grid Sandbox is unique because it allows you to pilot something in a virtual space while still engaging with real people and real utilities” – Barend Dronkers, Project Lead for the Grid Sandbox initiative.  But what exactly does it mean for participants to “test new utility business models and energy services in a safe environment”? What might this look like for consumers? Or providers? An apt example, offered by the Grid Sandbox project team, draws connections between this work and the platform developed by major streaming giant, Netflix. Think of it this way. When a subscriber logs into Netflix to watch any given movie or TV show, Netflix gathers this data and in turn curates tailored suggestions for that specific viewer. New recommendations often highlight movies or shows that the viewer may never have known about, and that may have taken hours of scrolling or searches to eventually discover. In this sense, the consumer both saves time and learns about the suite of “products and services” offered by the company, while the company learns more about their customers’ preferences and behavioral patterns while also ensuring their “products and services” are recognized by the consumer as available options. Furthermore, AI algorithms developed as part of the Grid Sandbox would provide tailored recommendations not only about available products and services, but also about how the customers might change their behaviour to, for example, lower their overall energy consumption. With the delivery of utility services becoming less straightforward as a result of DERs, clear communication between utility providers and consumers can help both parties make more thoughtful decisions, while allowing for a better understanding of how DERs are changing the rules of the game. As Canada strives towards net-zero by midcentury, another direct benefit may be improved energy efficiency as the consumer becomes increasingly aware of incentives or programs aimed at reducing emissions. The Grid Sandbox platform provides an opportunity to capture and make sense of “behind the meter” data. For example, instead of simply understanding how much energy is being consumed, the project strives to help utilities gain insight into how efficient their consumers’ appliances or DERs are. This data, then, is something of a golden egg. Without it, the gap between what producers can offer and what their customers need or want may widen.  “How can we make policies for hitting climate targets in Edmonton if the incentives are based on poor data?” asks Barend Dronkers.  With available data, transforming the grid becomes all the more feasible. Furthermore, if producers are able to tap into their customers’ needs, a whole suite of benefits may be unleashed, including more knowledgeable and responsible “energy citizens.” The “Rules of the Game”  For a sandbox or “solutions space” to work, boundaries must be established. In other words, a framework is required. The Grid Sandbox project team sometimes refers to this framework as the “Rules of the Game,” a set of rules mimicking regulations imposed by the Alberta Utilities Commission within the confines of the Alberta Electric Utilities Act. In the same way that there are rules capping what a telecommunications company can charge on a monthly basis, there are rules regulating what utilities can charge and the kinds of activities they may engage in.  As the energy sector evolves, so too will the regulatory frameworks governing utilities. The question is how will they change?   Because the grid sandbox is ultimately a planning tool for utilities, the data they receive can help them make key decisions about what to incentivize and how to navigate a changing energy landscape. With live data, they can better understand the implications behind regulatory changes and shifting consumer preferences. The customers, which will eventually interface with the utilities through an app, are also given an opportunity to assess potential implications. If they adopt a DER such as solar, for example, they can gain further insight into how their energy bills might be affected.  All hands on deck: developing foundational partnerships  The importance of collaboration and partnerships in developing the Grid Sandbox cannot be overstated. In June 2020, the Energy Futures Lab and the City of Edmonton co-hosted a workshop focused on identifying the role of AI/ML in supporting the City’s of Edmonton Transition Strategy. Particular emphasis was placed on rising demand for electricity due to a greater adoption of DERs such as heat pumps and electric vehicles. In essence, workshop participants were exploring how to balance demand, while also avoiding a costly revamp of the city’s infrastructure. Digital innovation could help do both, but the challenge would still require a diversity of expertise to solve.   “No one party is going to own the solution,” explains Prageet Nibber, an EFL Fellow and CEO of ReWatt Power, a project partner. “The energy system is so complicated, meaning a bunch of different parties will all have to contribute their bit. The collaborative approach needed in this work is definitely aligned with the EFL’s convening strategy.”  As expert conveners, the Energy Futures Lab stepped in to support system-wide collaboration. As a result, the Grid Sandbox was born. The project quickly snowballed as new project partners were onboarded, beginning with Energy Efficiency Alberta (EEA) and the City of Edmonton, followed by ReWatt Power, Braintoy and ENMAX Power shortly thereafter.  While ReWatt Power, a dedicated climate accounting and monetization platform, has worn many hats within the Grid Sandbox, their expertise in data collection and building financial incentive programs has proven invaluable. Furthermore, as the Grid Sandbox will ultimately be distributed as a ReWatt product, the company will provide the code behind the final application. In particular, as utilities begin moving towards leveraging what metering can do, the ability to tap into “behind the meter” data (as ReWatt is doing) becomes particularly important. With increased access to data, utilities can begin building “homeowner profiles.” For example, a homeowner profile can show what the average profile of a homeowner might look like based on the type of home they live in, the number of people in the dwelling and the square footage of that particular building. But first, to create these homeowner profiles, data must be processed and with large volumes of incoming information, this could prove to be an exhaustive task. This is where Braintoy comes in, an AI/ML company who’s produced a machine learning platform called mlOS. Describing mlOS as a platform that “empowers developers, teams, and businesses to build, manage, and monitor models at scale,” their product emerged as a valuable asset in this data intensive project. By deploying machine learning to sort through the data, homeowner profiles can be designed more efficiently.  The data collection, meanwhile, serves to benefit utilities by providing them with insight into customers’ interests and behaviours. The project, then, would need to engage a utility to help test the platform, so in 2021, when Terri-Lynn Duque joined the Energy Futures Lab as a Fellow, she became an important liaison between the project team and ENMAX Power. Leveraging her position as the Director of Strategic Innovation with ENMAX Power, she became excited about the Grid Sandbox and worked to support the EFL in navigating a possible relationship with one of Alberta’s largest energy providers. While ENMAX Power is currently the only utility partnered  in the Grid Sandbox, ongoing discussions indicate future interest from other utilities in the province. The project is now in its first phase, with approximately ten ENMAX Power employees having signed on to create a “virtual neighborhood.”  RBC Tech for Nature Program  “RBC Tech for Nature is our multi-year commitment to preserving the world’s greatest wealth: our natural ecosystem. We work with partners to leverage technology and innovation capabilities to solve pressing environmental challenges.” Dedicated to funding technology-driven programs focused on data, the innovation ecosystem and communities of action, the RBC Tech for Nature Program helped to give birth to the Grid Sandbox Project within the Energy Futures Lab’s broader stream of work known as “ Energy.AI ”.  Moving Forward  Today, the Grid Sandbox initiative is well underway thanks in large part to the Energy Futures Lab. Playing an instrumental role in facilitating cross-sector relationship building, the EFL helped establish some key partnerships that have helped bring this work to fruition. References : http://www.history.alberta.ca/energyheritage/energy/electricity/the-early-history-of-electricity-in-alberta/default.aspx#page-1 https://www.ieso.ca/en/Learn/Ontario-Power-System/A-Smarter-Grid/Distributed-Energy-Resources #Electricity #Future_Economy #Clean_Technologies #Grid_Sandbox #DERMs #NonWires_Solutions #Rooftop_Solar #Batteries #2022 #Electric_Vehicles #Heat_Pumps

Impact: Leveraging digital innovation to power Alberta’s energy future

The Energy Futures Lab’s Grid Sandbox Innovation Platform  The evolving grid  In 2022 it’s easy to take the flip of a light switch for...

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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. With energy security once again at the forefront of our minds, it’s time to consider what that really means. The current energy landscape has come a long way from the energy crises of the 1970s and 1980s. There are certainly parallels — geopolitical uncertainty, embargoes, reactive domestic policies — yet those events catalyzed a shift in the way energy was produced and used, propelling us to where we are today. We should learn from the past but keep looking ahead. While the race is still on, in recent years, rapid progress has been made towards a net-zero future. And if anything, it’s about to pick up speed — with Alberta and Canada well positioned to compete. Now’s not the time to take our hands off the wheel. 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. Meanwhile, our country’s framework for reducing emissions and incentivizing companies who do it well gives us a global advantage. Now, we just need the resolve to combine those two things, while resisting the temptation to double down on business as usual. Past paths to finding energy security will likely differ from those needed now. The concept of energy security is going to mean something very different in the future, both here in Canada and around the world. It’s time to update our conception of energy security based on 21st century principles. It will be about developing net-zero energy sources that are closer to home, are both reliable and affordable, and more predictable in cost. It will take a thriving innovation ecosystem, resourced for long-term goals not just short-term needs. It will mean building value chains and supporting emerging industries and technology to capitalize on homegrown opportunities. It will take both clear policy signals and catalytic investments. And it can’t ignore the complexities between our social systems and our energy system. We have a role to play in supporting the energy security of our allies and peers, but if we hit the brakes on our own energy transition, it would only put us further behind in the race to net-zero. In the process, we would forgo emerging market opportunities that the energy transition presents; future-fit hydrocarbon markets that include commodities such as hydrogen, uses for bitumen beyond combustion, and the expanding demand for critical minerals and battery metals. Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson boldly stated “there is no energy transition without critical minerals, and this is why critical mineral supply chain resilience is an increasing priority for advanced economies.” With the federal government committing $3.8-billion towards the critical minerals strategy and the demand for electric vehicles surging, investment — if properly directed — can position Canada as a global competitor. In a recent report , the International Energy Agency highlights that minerals’ “rising importance in a decarbonizing energy system requires energy policy makers to expand their horizons and consider potential new vulnerabilities. Concerns about price volatility and security of supply do not disappear in an electrified, renewables-rich energy system.” With mounting concerns about global supply, Canadians could — and should — be manufacturing end products, such as batteries, for the electrified economy and building a secure, responsible, less carbon-intensive value chain. To truly grow this industry, however, Canada needs to move beyond its comfort zone. A future-fit hydrocarbon sector, including battery metals, will grow exponentially as opposed to the diminishing returns a business as usual approach will produce. But delaying investments in future-fit hydrocarbons will only make them more expensive to build and deploy in the coming years and dwindle capacity to capture global market share. Now, more than ever, we need political and business leadership that’s willing to bet on the future instead of the past. What does that look like? It means finding solutions to the challenges of energy security, affordability, and climate change at the same time rather than pitting them against each other. Recognizing that standalone solutions won’t provide energy security, it means supporting a thriving technological and social innovation ecosystem to get us there. Above all, it means making brave and bold bets on the transformative technologies and ideas that will define the economy of the future. On this one, slow and steady will not win the race. First published in Hill Times Aug 11, 2022 Alison Cretney is the managing director of the Energy Futures Lab , an Alberta-based coalition of diverse innovators and leading organizations working to accelerate the transition to a more sustainable, prosperous, and inclusive energy future. #2022 #Regional_Pathways #Clean_Technologies #Battery_Metals_Vision_and_Roadmap #Batteries #Lithium_from_Brine #Electric_Vehicles #Radical_Middle #Fellowship #Energy_Futures_Policy_Collaborative #FutureFit_Hydrocarbons

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. With energy security...

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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 heart of progress lies an important reminder: the planet and those who inhabit it are ever-evolving. We continue to adapt in the face of new challenges, such as those emerging as a result of climate change. In recent years, rising greenhouse gas emissions have pushed us towards electrification at an unprecedented rate, inspiring us to diversify our relationships with a wide array of natural resources. In today’s world, lithium has emerged as a critical resource that will once again change the course of human history. The discovery of lithium (the lightest metal on the periodic table) isn’t new, but our relationship with lithium is quickly changing. Scientists began working on lithium-ion batteries in the 1970s, but it wasn’t until 1991 that the first commercial lithium-ion battery hit the market. Fast-forward thirty years and batteries are set to play an integral role in the transition to net-zero by midcentury. Thanks to a myriad of factors, including improved battery technology, policy support and a wider availability of charging infrastructure, electric vehicle (EV) sales are surging. In fact, EV sales rose by 43% in 2020. Consider the fact that overall vehicle sales dropped due to the global Covid-19 pandemic and this figure becomes all the more impressive. While lithium has made quite the splash as a poster child for battery technologies, there are many other critical metals and minerals required to support the transition and build out a domestic supply chain. In fact, the World Bank Group estimates “that over 3 billion tons of minerals and metals will be needed to deploy wind, solar and geothermal power, as well as energy storage, required for achieving a below 2°C future.” Making sense of the complexities within our changing energy system, however, as well as the opportunities and challenges therein, is no easy task, but it was one the Energy Futures Lab came to embrace with curiosity and commitment. Thus, the story of the Energy Futures Lab’s contribution to an emerging battery metals sector is ultimately a story that speaks to the power of collaboration and social innovation. Lithium and a Unique Alberta Opportunity In Alberta, where the Energy Futures Lab (the Lab) anchors much of its work, lithium-rich brines exist in the Devonian formations around Fox Creek, Leduc and Swan Hills. In 2017, few people knew about this untapped opportunity. It took individuals like Liz Lappin, who joined the Lab as a Fellow in February of 2017, to help spread the word. Liz was well aware of Alberta’s potential and eager to share these opportunities with the rest of the Lab’s Fellowship. She joined E3 Lithium (E3) during their start-up phase and proposed the launch of a collaborative initiative with the Lab to develop a lithium project in Alberta. An elegant solution to a long-standing challenge, E3 demonstrated how Alberta could lean on its existing oil and gas infrastructure to support the creation of a globally-competitive lithium industry. As “a lithium resource and technology company working towards the production of lithium products to power the growing electrical revolution,” E3 was looking for opportunities to build awareness and with Liz as a Fellow, E3 was granted a unique opportunity to connect into Alberta’s innovation ecosystem. Since Canada’s reserves already include many of the raw materials required for lithium-ion batteries, such as graphite, cobalt, nickel and sulphur, the country is well positioned to contribute to this rapidly expanding market as a stable and secure source of low greenhouse gas raw materials. But as E3 pointed out, Alberta has more to offer than just energy. For example, many of Alberta’s oil and gas wells produce saline waters “dusted” with lithium. With concentrations between 50 and 140 parts per million, this source of lithium is low compared to global sources. In Alberta, this lithium was discovered thanks to existing infrastructure built by the province’s long-established oil and gas industry, thereby saving lithium companies millions of dollars in exploration costs. “It [the lithium ion battery supply chain] will be built on the backbone of oil and gas, putting Albertans back to work and revitalizing legacy infrastructure,” a team of Energy Futures Lab Fellows described in an original project brief. “Lithium is just one example of a natural resource that can be added to Alberta’s energy mix to boost our resilience.” “This is more than just about coming together. It’s about coming together with a purpose.” — Pong Leung, Energy Futures Lab Senior Advisor Wanting to build upon the Fellowship’s keen interest in E3’s work, the Energy Futures Lab began exploring how it could support these endeavors while simultaneously acknowledging that its role in the system was not as a start-up incubator. Instead, the Lab sought to support the industry more broadly. Through conversation and collaboration, they came to see an even bigger opportunity. Rather than support individual companies’ business development goals, the Energy Futures Lab would support this budding industry by bringing together key players from across the system, thereby tapping into the power of diverse expertise and perspectives, helping to establish credibility, weaving together a compelling narrative and demonstrating how a battery metals supply chain could contribute to an evolving energy system. “[The] whole idea of lithium, the development of a lithium industry from oilfield wastewater, [is] a great example of what the lab was all about, in the sense of leveraging our existing assets from our legacy energy industry to set ourselves up for success in the future energy industry.” — Chad Park, Energy Futures Lab Founding Director Growing the Lithium Industry With time, it became clear that the Fellows alone could not steward this work. Players from across the value chain needed to join the conversation, so in November of 2018, the Energy Futures Lab hosted an accelerator workshop, Mobility in a Low-Carbon Future , to help advance these efforts. E-mobility was becoming a hot topic, defined by numerous streams of work connected into a highly complex and evolving system. As such, the 2018 workshop was multifaceted and worked to accelerate several Lab initiatives, including Lithium on Tap. Liz, alongside collaborators such as Amanda Hall, presented on the opportunity for Alberta to grow its own lithium industry, thereby capturing participants’ interest and imagination. The notion that this opportunity was bigger than any individual player became all the more clear during the workshop when the group coalesced around the idea “Energy Storage Association Creation in EFL” on a yellow sticky note under “Most Important + Needed Next Actions.” This signaled a significant challenge: as a nascent industry, there was an increased need for stakeholder engagement to support the creation of partnerships across the supply chain as well as a stronger, more united industry voice. In essence, attendees identified the need for a new industry association. Under “Strategic Partnerships,” they scribbled on pink sticky notes, highlighting other key players whose voices would need to contribute to the development of an Alberta lithium industry. These partnerships included mid to junior oil and gas companies, EV manufacturers, chemical companies, upstream partners and more. The hope was that by establishing an industry association home to such diverse players, the lithium industry could improve its credibility and attract investment. What came out of this workshop ultimately laid the foundation for the creation of the Canadian Lithium Association. “One of the things that I heard from a lot of people — not just in the lab, outside of the lab as well — was, you need to start an industry association; nobody knows about lithium, nobody knows that there’s so much in Alberta; that we have this big opportunity. You need to start something that helps you with amplifying that as a larger opportunity.” — Liz Lappin, Energy Futures Lab Fellow The Canadian Lithium Association was founded by three companies: E3 Lithium, Prism Diversified and LiEP Energy. Together, these then junior lithium developers focused primarily on addressing the industry’s immediate needs. At the time, Liz sensed a tension emerging between the work of the Lab, which focused on the broader opportunity, and the work of this newly established industry association. “Our attention was focused on the major pressing issues,” she explained, reflecting on how members came together to discuss a number of shared challenges. A long-term vision would become important, but first, there was an even more immediate need to explore significant issues facing the lithium industry, such as regulatory barriers, a lack of public awareness, technological challenges or the inability to build out necessary infrastructure at a fast enough pace. In 2019 the idea of looking beyond lithium, to the broader battery market, began to crystalize and gain momentum. Jeff Bell, another of the Lab’s Fellows working for Alberta Economic Development and Trade, championed the industry, while simultaneously recognizing that lithium could be integrated into this broader value chain. With strong connections, Jeff played a critical role in bringing together key stakeholders from across the broader battery metals supply chain as part of a 2019 workshop: Alberta’s lithium-ion battery supply chain opportunities workshop . The workshop was the result of the collaboration and leadership of a number of Fellows who participated in both its design and delivery. “This is an opportunity for the province. Every time I had a chance, I’d be like, ‘we should be thinking about battery metals,’ because that’s where the world’s going and we can play in that space.” — Jeff Bell, Energy Futures Lab Fellow Capturing the Canadian Battery Metals Opportunity In 2020, around the time that the pandemic hit, the Canadian Lithium Association underwent some leadership changes. The idea of expanding the association to include the broader battery metals supply chain had been steeping since the 2019 workshop, and with the Canadian Lithium Association evolving, it became the perfect time to launch a rebrand. The foundation was laid for the Battery Metals Association of Canada (BMAC) , which would ultimately allow for greater collaboration across a growing sector. During this growth period, the Energy Futures Lab’s direct involvement waned, but its commitment to supporting the battery metals industry remained strong. While Fellows including Liz and Matt Beck worked with other BMAC board members off the sides of their desks to grow BMAC, the Energy Futures Lab continued to demonstrate its support through amplification and thoughtful storytelling. While much has changed in recent years, common anxieties and assumptions pervaded many of the early narratives defining the sector, including a fear that this new industry would threaten oil and gas, leading to lost jobs and economic instability. The Lab defied these assumptions, instead showcasing the numerous ways in which our “legacy assets’’ could be leveraged by drawing on existing workers, infrastructure and resources to enable the transition to a low-carbon economy. “That’s really important framing overall, because it helps avoid the us-against-them kind of framing: … clean energy versus dirty fossil fuels kind of thing. And that doesn’t really get us anywhere” — Chad Park, Energy Futures Lab Founding Director Through publications including Five Big Ideas for Alberta’s Economic Recovery written by the Energy Futures Lab founding director, Chad Park and current Managing Director, Alison Cretney, as well as Alison and Liz’s article on How Alberta’s lithium-laced oil fields can fuel the electric vehicle revolution , the Lab helped legitimize the industry’s potential, integrating lithium into a “suite of energy transition solutions’’ that spoke to the interconnected potential for Alberta to both thrive and lead in the transition. With time and coordination, the Battery Metals Association of Canada found its footing, built on many of the learnings and connections arising from the Lab’s convening. As a national non-profit association, the Battery Metals Association of Canada connects industry players from across the supply chain and aims to ensure Canada “fully captures the abundant economic potential of its massive resources through the responsible and sustainable growth of Canada’s battery metals supply chain.” Bringing together industry leaders from across a broad, growing and new supply chain brings forth both opportunities and challenges. As a diversity of expertise and perspectives found space to collide, the need for a “unified industry voice” became all the more apparent. Without alignment, progress would be stalled. While it remains important for these key players to bring forth their own unique understandings of the industry, a shared vision would establish some common ground to allow an otherwise diverse group of leaders to advance and accelerate the industry’s growth. In the winter of 2020, Wendy Ell, who at the time was a Fellow joining from JWN Energy, helped get the ball rolling by assisting BMAC in securing sponsorship for a grant from Western Economic Development. The funds would be used to support the Lab’s work with BMAC, including workshops in 2021. By this point, the Energy Futures Lab had re-emerged as an important partner in this work, supporting BMAC in convening the industry to develop a shared vision. In October 2021, the Lab hosted a series of workshops to explore “A Bold, Transformative Vision for the Industry.” As a result of these collaborative sessions, BMAC landed a shared vision , allowing its members to begin moving forward together. In early 2022, they hosted another series of workshops, Building a National Battery Strategy, in which participants worked together to create a roadmap for the battery metals sector. “The EFL has played a major role in supporting BMAC to meet the needs of this emerging sector. We couldn’t have done this work at the pace we have without the Lab’s support.” — Liz Lappin, Energy Futures Lab Fellow While there is still much work to be done, the last five years have resulted in incredible progress. The Energy Futures Lab continues to champion this emerging industry, while bringing together a diversity of perspectives to explore how Alberta can leverage its assets to thrive in a net-zero future. Roadmap to Success In 2020, when Bentley Allan, currently a Fellow with the Transition Accelerator, and Stewart Elgie from the Smart Prosperity Institute participated in a workshop together, they quickly found themselves speaking the same language. Their shared vision and interest in Canada’s battery metals supply chain led them to scope out a new and collaborative roadmapping project, later coined Canada’s Future in a Net-Zero World . To Bentley, a roadmap provides the foundation for a national strategy, so their work together focused on identifying key stepping stones that could help guide Canada in creating a successful battery metals industry. Meanwhile, David Hughes, CEO of The Natural Step Canada, introduced Bentley to the Energy Futures Lab’s Managing Director, Alison Cretney. Shortly after, Bentley was invited to share his work to the Lab team in the fall of 2021. His talk was very well received, and as a result, Bentley was invited to offer a talk to the Creating a Bold Transformative Vision for Canada’s Battery Metals Industry workshop series hosted by BMAC and the Energy Futures Lab in October. “Usually I’ll receive one email and a few LinkedIn connections after my talks,” Bentley explained, “but this time, I received five emails from members of the audience and I thought ‘Oh that really struck a nerve with that particular audience.’” When he reached out to one participant asking for 30 minutes of their time, he was instead met by a strikingly positive and enthusiastic response. You can have 300 minutes if you need, they wrote , a response which arguably encapsulates the passion and buy-in from a wide range of industry leaders. In part, Bentley’s talk at the BMAC workshop resonated with the audience because BMAC had already identified the need for a federal strategy. In this sense, many of the workshop’s participants were already bought into Bentley’s roadmapping efforts on a conceptual level, and they viewed this work as a critical next step in establishing the industry’s supply chain. By the end of the first workshop series, BMAC had developed a shared vision. While this was indeed a step worth celebrating, bringing the vision to life would involve a lot of rigorous work. So when Bentley, along with the Lab’s Juli Rohl and Pong Leung, approached Liz Lappin and described an opportunity to backcast from the recently created vision, the foundation was laid for yet another set of workshops to be hosted in January. “The industry’s top level leadership was engaged and understood the need for a federal strategy” — Bentley Allen. Between fall of 2021 and January, work moved quickly. Bentley began meeting with technical experts, mostly CTOs and CEOs, to develop a working version of the roadmap, meanwhile, Juli and Pong focused on laying the groundwork for the second workshop series titled Goals and Priority Actions and Going Forward Together. Everyone was working on a short timeline, which was unusual as this kind of roadmapping exercise would typically take upwards of four or five months to complete. These efforts, however, were tremendously accelerated by a desire to engage the Government of Canada in early 2022 to inform mandate letters and the Federal budget. So by January, Bentley had managed to craft a “straw dog” of sorts, which he shared with workshop participants who helped refine and assess the roadmap. “There’s a huge demand for this work,” Bentley said, which reinforced the team’s desire to speak with both leaders at the federal and provincial levels. The roadmap, which will be delivered in the form of a report, is therefore a timely contribution to a growing industry. Driving Forward By bringing together diverse players in the industry, the Energy Futures Lab was able to facilitate conversations and connections which played an important role in the genesis of what evolved to be the Battery Metals Association of Canada. In the spirit of collaboration, BMAC and the Energy Futures Lab believe that through cross-sectoral efforts, Canada can capture significant value along the entire electric vehicle supply chain. Through a series of workshops the seeds of a pan-Canadian approach were sown, the fruits of which are now being materialized in the development of a national strategy to capitalize on regional strengths and align industries. There is a compelling value proposition for the battery metals industry that integrates seamlessly into existing Canadian markets with a growing value-chain industry ecosystem already in place, and efforts are underway to ensure that battery metals will be “ a significant contributor to Canada’s prosperity and the global energy transition” as per BMAC’s shared vision. Sources : Reddy, Mogalahalli V et al. “ Brief History of Early Lithium-Battery Development. ” Materials (Basel, Switzerland) vol. 13,8 1884. 17 Apr. 2020, doi:10.3390/ma13081884 World Bank. Climate-Smart Mining: Minerals for Climate Action , 2020, International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/ The World Bank.Alberta Energy Regulator. Critical Minerals in Alberta Brown, Michael. U of A spinoff company could help unlock a lithium industry for Alberta . University of Alberta Folio, 25 May 2021. #2022 #Regional_Pathways #Clean_Technologies #Battery_Metals_Vision_and_Roadmap #Batteries #Lithium_from_Brine #Electric_Vehicles #Radical_Middle #Fellowship

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...

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By Guest Contributor Matthew Rygus   Gathered together at the beautiful Ampersand building in downtown Calgary, attendees at the Energy Futures Lab 2022 Youth Innovation Jam devoted an entire Saturday to the energy transition. With the intention of driving equitable and sustainable solutions for our world’s energy issues, the event started off on a passionate note with a speech that literally brought tears to eyes. It set the tone for the rest of the event, making it clear that the attendees were there to do more than simply discuss energy issues and possible solutions. They were there to collaborate for real change; to uproot current ways of doing in a manner that prioritizes inclusivity and sustainability. “The day was filled with passion, energy and growth. Three themes that speak to the event itself, every one of its attendees, and act as the very keys to realizing an inclusive energy transition in our lifetime.” – Matthew Rygus Fueled by scientific truths and morally grounded aims, the attendees of various backgrounds participated in activities that enhanced everyone’s knowledge and capacities to drive such change. From the panel of veteran industry professionals and entrepreneurs who provided both inspiring stories and pragmatic tips on leading change, to the many discussions led by Indigenous attendees on the value and methods of including Indigenous perspectives, to the innovation sessions where project developers acquired precious ideas that would help advance/enhance their endeavours related to the energy transition. The day was filled with passion, energy and growth. Three themes that speak to the event itself, every one of its attendees, and act as the very keys to realizing an inclusive energy transition in our lifetime. Acting as more than just a day to show awareness, the 2022 Youth Innovation Jam set a clearer path forward for attendees and anyone else willing to help with the energy transition. We need continuous collaboration, consistent empathy, and a strong mix of knowledge with perseverance to take actions that will support this transition. And from these actions we need to influence and inspire ever more people to join the movement, until it becomes the new status quo for a world in desperate need of adjustment in the Anthropocene. With the end of this innovation jam comes the beginning of a renewed sense of direction. All that’s left is for us to carry the torch forward, ensuring that its handle is touched by anyone and everyone who has a stake in energy on Earth. Matthew Rygus is a Sustainability Analyst and Project Coordinator who is currently completing a Master’s in Sustainability Management. Outside of these ventures, he is an avid creative writer (currently working on a screenplay while continuously writing original songs) and a hiker.  #Future_Economy #Culture_Shift #Clean_Technologies #Youth_Innovation_Jam #2022 #Radical_Middle #EFL_Platform #EFL_Vision

Intergenerational Inspiration at the Youth Innovation Jam

By Guest Contributor Matthew Rygus   Gathered together at the beautiful Ampersand building in downtown Calgary, attendees at the Energy...

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How can Alberta’s economy continue to attract investment in a net-zero future? Over the last year, great minds in finance, policy, advocacy, and systems change have come together through the Energy Futures Policy Collaborative to answer this question, and Smart Prosperity Institute has been both a participant and an advisor on the process. One key finding has been that decades of extracting oil and gas has given Alberta the tools to excel in other sectors, if the right policies are put in place. Alberta’s hydrocarbon industry has developed a host of companies specialized in supporting all aspects of oil and gas extraction, processing, transportation and refining whose skill sets and assets combine to form an  economic cluster . Clusters are made up of groups of companies and institutions located in a given region, and they are often drivers of innovation and prosperity. History tells us that clusters can take on a life of their own and even renew themselves after the original industry declines. This blog explains what clusters are and what this lens can tell us about Alberta’s economic prospects in a net-zero future, summarizing a recent brief on economic clusters by Smart Prosperity Institute that was authored by Aline Coutinho, Una Jefferson and Mike Moffatt. What is an economic cluster? Clusters are groupings of companies, institutions and infrastructure that emerge in a given region around a particular economic opportunity. What separates a cluster from an industry is that the players in the space are located close to one another, and are deeply interlinked; they depend on each other for different aspects of their businesses, and often operate at different stages of the same value-chain. This proximity and interconnectedness means that rates of information sharing, idea combination and knowledge transfer are higher within the cluster than outside of it, which is part of the appeal of clusters: Companies within a cluster have easier, or low-cost, access to other companies and information that improve their business, making the cluster a more attractive place for companies in that industry to operate. The region in which a given cluster occurs can vary in size, but it is always defined by a place. Silicon Valley in California, the Pearl River Delta Economic Zone in Southeastern China, North Italy’s shoe manufacturing hub, Hamilton, Ontario’s health technology research centre, and Taiwan’s semiconductor/ITC sector are all examples of successful clusters, which have also been referred to as “business hubs”. Alberta’s hydrocarbon sector can be thought of as a cluster because it meets this definition nicely: Within the province, there are a host of companies, institutions and organizations that support oil and gas extraction, refining and processing directly and indirectly whose success depends on both themselves and others. These include a range of manufacturers and engineering, legal, financial, project management, and environmental services, many of whom have specialized knowledge, and who play a critical role in the overall oil and gas industry. What does thinking about Alberta’s energy sector as a cluster offer? Policy should have an aim of supporting both companies creating jobs today, and the growth and emergence of companies who will create jobs for tomorrow’s workforce. Thinking about Alberta’s hydrocarbon sector as a cluster can help with these objectives in three ways: One, using a cluster lens shows that there is a clear role for policy to support the  building blocks  firms need to develop and thrive, including capital, a skilled workforce, a supportive regulatory environment, IP protections and access to new markets, to name a few — necessary for firms to develop and thrive. Two, the cluster lens illustrates that there is a need for more than a handful of companies to drive forward the future of Alberta’s energy sector. The presence of companies engaged in specialized niches in a given value chain makes it more attractive for newcomers to set up shop in the region, and can create a sector that attracts new companies because of its inherent advantages. Three, a clusters lens can offer useful lessons to policymakers about how success has been achieved elsewhere, especially in regions or environments where large industries have faced uncertain economic futures. Clusters are more than capable of reinvention, but their success in pivoting towards future opportunities is never guaranteed. The revitalization of a cluster, which can occur either before or after a decline starts, can occur in  three different ways : A cluster can adopt frameworks and approaches from elsewhere slowly, and integrate them over time (“Adaptation”); A cluster can suddenly adopt new technologies that open up new markets immediately (“Renewal”); A cluster can take its existing internal skill sets and products and develop its own innovations to drive future growth (“Transformation”). The ultimate path a cluster takes to support revitalization will depend due to a number of factors, many of them internal to a particular cluster, which include: The ability of companies, institutions and groups within the cluster to absorb, adopt, adapt and use external knowledge; The ability of companies to move around within the cluster, either geographically or within the value-chain; The similarity between new and old technologies adopted; and, The dynamics and relationships between the companies and institutions within the cluster itself. There are other factors as well, detailed in the policy brief, that influence whether a given cluster can revitalize itself using any of the three methods outlined above. What lessons learned from other clusters help identify policies suited to help Alberta’s hydrocarbon cluster moving forward? Clusters around the world offer a number of lessons that could be useful in helping the province navigate this period of economic change. While the policy brief details a number of lessons, here are three points worth sharing now: two points about best practices, and one important caveat. Governments have a role to play in promoting change when clusters start to enter decline:   One of the most famous clusters is California’s Silicon Valley, where a risk-tolerant culture was paired with major investment in the building blocks that companies and their workers need to engage in the kinds of entrepreneurial activities that create jobs. To promote the growth of new companies, governments need to support reskilling and retraining, investment in affordable housing and transportation solutions, and ensure that the data needed to run modern businesses can be accessed. These policies and supports can help to create an environment where taking risks does not lead to bankruptcy for innovators. Companies working close to each other need to learn from one another:  The Norwegian Centre for Excellence, a program aimed at supporting clusters in Norway, developed a program to try and help its companies learn from international examples by linking them into global value chains. Overall, the success of the program was modest and short-term, since it was not aligned with the sources of competitive advantage that clusters rely on to survive: interconnection and collaboration among the companies who are in geographic proximity within the cluster itself. Without these connections, local innovation does not thrive as readily, and it is difficult for clusters to remain competitive over time. Supporting technologies alone is not enough to create regional economic success stories:  Northern Sweden’s forestry cluster was once supported by a government program to grow its biorefinery and biogas sectors. The program offered support for companies to use new technologies and enter new value chains, in an effort to support renewal and adaptation in a high-employment cluster. However, even though governments supported technologies, other factors inhibited their uptake, including low levels of tolerance for disruption, lock-in to old production methods where capital had been invested, and markets that were not yet large enough to prove attractive. For policies that support clusters to succeed, they need to offer support that address the actual challenges companies face and the concerns they have, beyond simply offering support for the specific technologies governments would like to see adopted. Building something from something Thinking about Alberta’s hydrocarbon sector as a cluster highlights the wealth of assets that have grown up around oil and gas extraction, including infrastructure, skills, intellectual property, supply chains, and social capital. Policymakers should learn from past instances of cluster renewal to ensure that these assets are leveraged towards a prosperous net-zero future in Alberta in a way that leverages the province’s strengths, and allows it to set the course for its own future. John McNally is a Senior Research Associate and the Manager of the Clean Growth team at the Smart Prosperity Institute. He is a member of the working group for the Energy Futures Policy Collaborative. #Future_Economy #Culture_Shift #Regional_Pathways #Workforce_Readiness #Youth_Innovation_Jam #2022 #Radical_Middle #EFL_Platform #EFL_Vision

Working with what we have got: Why economic clusters are a useful frame for thinking about Alberta’s energy transition

How can Alberta’s economy continue to attract investment in a net-zero future? Over the last year, great minds in finance, policy,...

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Innovators . Entrepreneurial. Ambitious. This is how Albertans have long described themselves, a story often centred around our successful development of the oil sands, Alberta’s most consequential bet. But now the province is faced with a difficult question to reconcile: is this who we are or just who we were? This question will be answered one way or the other, whether we respond to it directly or not. Quite simply, some forces are bigger than Alberta. The question we should be asking ourselves is, do we want to dictate our future, or have our future dictated to us. Climate change and the global focus on emissions and sustainability is one of those forces. The recent  UN Climate Change Conference  (“COP ‘26”), where delegates from all over the world came to set a path of action to decrease emissions, serves as just one reminder. While Alberta doesn’t get to decide whether or how other jurisdictions, investors, or consumers move forward, we  do  get to decide how we respond. Are we the innovators and problem-solvers we claim we are, ready to lean into the next great challenge or are we spectators in a game we would prefer not to play? To be sure, there is and has been great work taking place across Alberta on climate action, especially in the traditional energy industry. The oil and gas industry has made major headway to decrease its emissions intensity; it is the largest investor of clean technology in Canada and has built the world’s largest Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (“CCUS”) transportation network which, in essence, captures harmful carbon emissions and safely transports and stores them to limit their consequences. While this is important and essential work, there is a much bigger opportunity on the horizon for Alberta. The global challenge Decreasing emissions quickly enough to stave off the most harmful effects of climate change will require reducing emissions from activities that produce them (e.g. driving a car; heating our homes; producing energy; and raising cattle)–an enormous challenge, of which few truly appreciate the scope and complexity–as well as direct air capture, which involves removing emissions from the atmosphere (like a giant air filter). This latter strategy, sometimes called “negative emissions”, is considered increasingly central to beating the clock, yet little progress has been made to enable it in a way that is scalable or cost-effective enough to move the dial. As  The Economist  recently noted, “If negative emissions are to play a role in policy, much more needs to be done to make them practically achievable.” As they put it, emissions removal technologies remain “at best, embryonic.” The opportunity for Alberta Now is the time for Alberta to be very Albertan once again. We need to take bold steps to solve the world’s most pressing challenge–the need for food, goods, and energy on a planet that cannot withstand the emissions currently associated with them. We could easily rationalize our way out of it– the risk, the cost, the unknown. Or, we can recognize the possibility of leading the charge to transform the irrational into the practical. What is often forgotten in retelling the story of Alberta’s oil sands is how ridiculous the idea sounded at the time–and the staunch opposition to the project received from many. First it was thought impossible, then cost-prohibitive, and now oil sands production is not only feasible, but offers some of the only oil on earth with a path to net-zero. A similar story could prove true for negative emissions. Revolutionary ideas rarely sound practical. Burt Rutan said, “Revolutionary ideas come from nonsense. If an idea is truly a breakthrough, then the day before it was discovered, it must have been considered crazy or nonsense or both–otherwise it wouldn’t be a breakthrough”. Developing the oil sands was the epitome of revolutionary nonsense: “ a daring venture into an unknown field ”, a field which at the time could have been described as “embryonic”. This time, Alberta is not starting from square one. We already have the experience and agility to become competitive in negative emissions technologies: familiarity and use of existing technologies like CCUS, individuals with deep knowledge of energy, emissions, and clean tech, as well as vast amounts of land for carbon storage and a strong underlying incentive–an abundance of valuable hydrocarbon resources to tap into in new ways that limit emissions. In fact, many oil and gas facilities today already employ a version of emissions reduction technology on a smaller scale. To tackle the global challenge, and enact real, world-changing progress on negative emissions technologies, we’ll require a full-systems, all-of-the-above, approach. As such, this is far bigger than any individual business or even industry. This is about building a province-wide culture, and the policy framework, required to propel breakthrough change in this space. A big idea So what exactly could this look like? One “big idea” that would match the spirit of this ambition: Alberta could become the global centre for excellence for negative emissions technologies, processes, and tracking and authentication, carving our own path so that while the world focuses on net-zero (i.e. remaining emissions are “cancelled out” by emissions removal), Alberta sets its sights on enabling net-negative (where remaining emissions are  more than  cancelled out by emissions removal). This could be game changing for the discussion around our natural resources as well. This big idea–or “moonshot”–would both signal to the world Alberta’s investment in the broader economic transformation taking place, and establish the province as a leader within it. Furthermore, policies that drive not just fewer emissions but net-negative emissions opens up a differentiating factor for Alberta as a destination for energy investment. This would anchor Alberta at the heart of Canada’s “living lab” for the next wave of technological advancement. What it will take While good policy will be essential, equally so will be our willingness, as a province, to be a little “nonsensical.” To define ourselves as entrepreneurs means we must embrace the other side of the coin–the discomfort, grit, and failure–required to make a crazy idea into a no-brainer solution. The first and most essential component of progress is to create the environment–physical spaces, political norms, and the ambitious spirit–necessary for big ideas to be raised, collaboration to be commonplace, and an endless loop of trial-and-error to be accepted. It is about making space for the big, bold, and risky–that very foundation upon which Alberta was, in many ways, built and defined. Second is speed. Building and improving upon negative emissions technologies should be tackled with the urgency of an election cycle but with the foresight of future generations. The clock is ticking. Ultimately, Alberta should be the place where nonsense ideas are made into reality so often that it becomes a part of the fabric of who we are as Albertans. Perhaps with this, ,when we look back one day on previous breakthroughs, we will have once again forgotten how crazy any of these big ideas once were. Alicia Planincic is an Economist at the Business Council of Alberta. She plays a crucial role in policy research and advocacy to make Alberta a better place. She brings experience in data analytics, a passion for effective prose, and a fresh perspective of economics. #Future_Economy #Regional_Pathways #Clean_Technologies #Culture_Shift #CCUS #International_Policy #Emissions_Removal_Technologies #2021

Alberta’s future: turning nonsense to common sense

Innovators . Entrepreneurial. Ambitious. This is how Albertans have long described themselves, a story often centred around our...

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As members of the Energy Futures Policy Collaborative, we spend a lot of time thinking about the future (it’s right in the name!). One way of thinking about policy is as a stated direction for how we might collectively  be  in the future, alongside the boundaries and incentives that we think might help us get there. To carve out a successful path using policy, we try to imagine and understand what pitfalls and opportunities might be just over the horizon. To help us figure that out, we use models: technological adoption models, climate models, energy system models. Of course, that’s easier said than done. The last 18 months of pandemic policy-making have been a powerful lesson in both the fallibility of models and the challenges of interpreting them correctly and acting. Does that mean we should consign models and modelling to the waste bin? No! But we need to be thoughtful about the kinds of models we’re embracing and how we use them. First, it’s important to differentiate between two kinds of models at play in the climate and energy space. Most commonly when people think of models, they think of predictive models. These are models that aim to predict the trajectory of a set of factors. Typically, predictive models work better with physical systems (like the rolling of a ball down a hill, or the operation of a machine) than they do with sociotechnical systems. Given what we know about the inputs, outputs, and processes related to global climate, as well as the variety and robustness of the modelling that has evolved around it, we can feel fairly confident about the predictive quality of climate models. Energy system modelling, on the other hand, is much more closely bound up in a myriad of (often irrational) human decisions, from consumer behaviour to political movements to the decisions of financial elites. Some energy system modellers opt to look at the rate of tech adoption and improvement as the solution here. However, change in the technology space may not be linear: technologies may lurk beneath the surface for years before sudden changes in their affordability or uptake. For many technologies, the shape of the graph is a longer period of time in plateau, then sudden inflection points. Solar and wind are a great example here, where the rate of cost decline outstripped the consensus predictions; on the inverse, the decline of coal has outstripped predictions. How do we make sense of this unpredictability? Here’s where our other kind of model comes in: scenario modelling. Rather than attempt to predict the unpredictable, we instead look to models for a range of possible futures, or scenarios. Smart scenario work covers a wide range, including outlier, unlikely scenarios as well as a set of more-likely possibilities. There are two watch-outs we need to be careful to avoid. First, there’s a human cognitive short-cut that encourages us to assume that things will continue in the way that they have before, what we might call our “business as usual” scenario. It’s a common short-cut because it’s often the case! However, while business-as-usual is a useful starting place for scenario work, it can’t be our end point: we need to look at outlier signals and possibilities as well. The second pitfall we need to be aware of is playing “pick your favourite scenario”; it can be tempting to anchor on the scenarios that look best for our particular mix of assets and stakeholders. As planners and policy makers, working with a variety of scenarios enables us to put boundary markers around the decisions we’re considering, reckoning with a gradient of plausible and possible outcomes while avoiding these two cognitive traps. So, by predicting what makes sense to predict and leveraging scenarios for those things that are too complex or variable, what does that enable us to do? In industry, it allows decision-makers to hedge their bets, building a portfolio that covers the range of possible outcomes while considering the timing of emerging opportunities. For government, its utility is twofold, allowing governments to understand the potential impact of their policy choices, while also enabling policy-making that is more flexible and durable to external forces for a wider variety of stakeholders in a more diverse set of futures, encouraging the development of policies that enable adaptation rather than path dependence. It’s in the middle space between these two kinds of model-based decision-making that the EFPC aims to sit, with the goal of answering the question: how might we use the levers of policy to enable industry and citizens in Alberta to achieve good outcomes across a range of climate and energy futures? Models help us do that, with both greater confidence and a deeper appreciation for the risks and opportunities that might lie ahead. Dr. Sara Hastings Simon is Assistant Professor Department of Physics and Astronomy, and the School of Public Policy Director MSc in Sustainable Energy Development (SEDV). and Director MSc in Sustainable Energy Development. #Future_Economy #Culture_Shift #Regional_Pathways #Clean_Technologies #Energy_Futures_Policy_Collaborative #Modelling #Sustainable_Finance #2021

Harnessing possible futures for better policy outcomes

As members of the Energy Futures Policy Collaborative, we spend a lot of time thinking about the future (it’s right in the name!). One...

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A just transition to net-zero won’t be easy and anyone who claims it will be is either kidding themselves or ignoring the complexities of this challenge. The truth is, net-zero by 2050 is a tall order. Pair that with the need to enable a just transition and there’s a challenge spanning whole new heights. But that’s not to say that creating a more inclusive and equitable net-zero future is out of reach. With government and business leaders getting ready to converge in Glasgow for the global climate conference, it is a relief to see that the majority of countries are committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. Meanwhile, the Paris Agreement not only embedded net-zero as the target for 2050, it also included the concept of “just transition”: a shift to net-zero that is equitable, inclusive, and prosperous. In other words, we can’t leave anyone behind. This implies that  how  we achieve this challenge is about more than just technology or the right policies. It’s about  people. With this in mind, a just transition must reflect the voices of those who will be impacted most. Why? Because, while ultimately everyone will be impacted by the transition to net-zero, some people are likely to be harder hit than others, including youth, women, BIPOC communities, and fossil fuel workers. For example, here in Canada, approximately 140,300 people were employed in Alberta’s upstream energy sector alone in 2017. In addition, an Indigenous worker is three times more likely than the average non-Indigenous worker to be employed in extractive industries. These communities will likely experience out-sized impacts as the world moves away from traditional resource extraction. Many of these same groups have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic and accompanying economic crisis. Without conscious intervention, these social inequities will likely be exacerbated even further by the transition to net-zero. The question is, how do we support a just transition while also accelerating the race to net-zero in Canada? The Government of Canada recently released its  People-Centred Just Transition Discussion Paper , to which many companies and organizations across the country responded. Through numerous conversations with Fellows of the  Energy Futures Lab, we came to a relatively simple conclusion: a top-down approach to deploying policy is a good start, but isn’t enough to enable a just transition. We are in a “yes, and” moment, where the urgency and complexity of the crisis calls for both government intervention  and  community-level engagement and policy co-creation. It’s essential for policymakers to hear directly from the individuals, communities, and industries who will be most impacted, and to understand their unique skill sets, needs, and value systems. Only then can we identify and co-create solutions and opportunities that will not only help these individuals survive the energy transition, but thrive in a net-zero economy. This means adopting an on-the-ground, community approach so that we go beyond the usual suspects and empower communities to co-create solutions that address their specific needs and issues. In addition, rather than spending time trying to achieve “strong social consensus,” as described in the proposed federal principles, it may be more effective to meet people where they are. A just transition is not solely a transition of “the willing.”  More than two-thirds of Canadian fossil fuel workers are interested in jobs in a net-zero economy, 58% see themselves thriving in that economy, and nearly nine in 10 want training and upskilling for net-zero employment . To minimize harm while maximizing opportunities for as many as possible, an approach could be to create opportunities for these under-employed oil and gas workers while  also  designing social and economic safety nets for those who are struggling with the transition. For example, deploying both rapid upskilling programs and early retirement incentives. Direct funding for projects and programs that support workers won’t be enough to realize a just transition. New economic opportunities, enabled by supportive policy, are critical. Government can play an essential role in enabling investment opportunities that build upon our existing assets and infrastructure, as well as supporting the  development of new opportunities  that are aligned with net-zero ambitions. We have so many built-in advantages here in Canada, as a stable democracy with some of the most highly skilled workers in the world. Let’s not miss our moment. There’s a lot to think about. However, policymakers don’t need to do this thinking alone. By seeking out diverse community and industry perspectives, Canada will have a much higher chance of hitting something akin to a homerun. At the end of the day, we believe that decentralizing policy development through co-creation is an essential step towards enabling a truly just transition. It’s time our actions and policies reflect the voices of those who will be impacted most. Alison Cretney is the managing director of the Energy Futures Lab, a coalition of innovators working together to advance solutions to create an energy system that is ‘fit for the future.’ As a sustainability consultant, social innovator and former oil and gas engineer, Cretney has worked at the intersection of energy, environment and collaboration for nearly 20 years. Elizabeth Shirt is the managing director of GLOBE Series, which designs signature and client events that bring together the innovators and changemakers who are accelerating the clean economy. The conversation on how we enable a just transition to a net-zero future will continue at  GLOBE Forum 2022  | February 15–17, 2022. #Future_Economy #Culture_Shift #Regional_Pathways #Workforce_Readiness #Alberta_Energy_Narrative_Hearts_and_Minds #2021 #Federal_Policy #Provincial_Policy #Sustainable_Finance

A just transition must reflect the voices of those who will be impacted most’

A just transition to net-zero won’t be easy and anyone who claims it will be is either kidding themselves or ignoring the complexities of...

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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 activities that are more competitive in a decarbonizing world, from  lithium  to  geothermal energy  to  clean hydrogen . These assets — including workforce skills, infrastructure, intellectual property, and natural resources — could give Alberta a competitive edge in some of these new markets. The  Energy Futures  Policy Collaborative (EFPC), in which the Smart Prosperity Institute (SPI) is a research partner, has begun referring to this set of opportunities as future-fit hydrocarbons. The federal and provincial governments have helped to build up these assets. For example, Alberta has world-class infrastructure and expertise in carbon capture and storage (CCS) thanks to billions of dollars in public RD&D and financing support and the double TIER credits granted to some CCS projects. Even so, CCS is still only economically viable for a handful of projects that receive direct public support. This support needs to be paired with policies to drive down the cost of financing and running CCS projects and help them earn revenue. How can Alberta move from piecemeal support for specific projects to broad support for strategic low-carbon markets? What is missing is a framework for selecting and coordinating policies. SPI, as part of the EFPC, has published a  framework  to guide policymakers in designing a suite of policies to support investment in future-fit hydrocarbons. The private sector can’t do this alone Critics of past Alberta governments’ economic diversification efforts have  argued  that “if a project were economically viable […] the private sector would already have done it”. It is true that governments should avoid competing with the private sector in established markets. But markets for future-fit hydrocarbons are far from established. Markets don’t work without public assets like the rule of law, basic science, education, and a low level of risk around pricing and demand. Governments have the ongoing task of ensuring that this foundation exists for economic activities that are in the public interest. And right now, this foundation is incomplete for future-fit hydrocarbons. Take clean hydrogen as an example. Clean hydrogen suffers from an unfortunate quadruple whammy of characteristics that deter investors: it is a capital-intensive, early-stage, environmental technology that only makes economic sense when used by many people (or in large quantities). Private investors can’t capture all of the value associated with less climate change or more knowledge, because these benefits are also enjoyed by the public. And, like railroads or pipelines, hydrogen systems require considerable up-front capital and coordinated allocation of that capital. This is why Canadian governments have a long history of supporting railway and pipeline construction. Markets are great at incremental improvement, but they need government leadership for big, risky changes motivated by the long-term public interest. For example,  Premier Lougheed began investing in exploiting Alberta’s oil sands  against the advice of the oil industry, which preferred investments with more certain short-term returns. While the private sector is already experimenting with future-fit hydrocarbons, these markets will not develop without government support. To navigate the current economic and environmental crises, Albertans need government leadership with an eye on the entire province’s long-term needs. What does government leadership look like? Supporting investment in future-fit hydrocarbons will require more than a handful of incentives. Governments need to consider how technologies are developed, adopted, commercialized, and improved. SPI’s  Clean Innovation Framework , which was developed through dozens of expert interviews, identifies four types of public policy needed to encourage investment in clean innovation: PUSH policies  to spark new ideas and turn them into new technologies, processes, and business models PULL policies  to develop early markets for innovations GROW policies  to help firms commercialize innovations STRENGTHEN policies  to help innovative firms thrive and encourage learning and collaboration SPI has adapted this framework for future-fit hydrocarbons in Alberta. The result is a framework intended to maximize the impact of scarce government resources through focused, technology-agnostic public policies and public-private collaboration. It recognizes that developing technology is only half the battle and devotes equal focus to adoption and use. Avoiding a boondoggle Markets are changing quickly as the world attempts to decarbonize, and it is not yet clear which technologies, processes, and business models will succeed. Governments should expect to support some failures in the pursuit of success: governments are helpful precisely because they can tolerate more risk than the private sector. But governments should design policies carefully to minimize the cost of failure. Firstly, they   should  avoid spreading their resources too thinly . The federal and Alberta governments do not have the resources to dabble in every clean technology. Doing clean hydrogen well, for example, would require substantial, focused public investment. Federal, provincial, municipal, and Indigenous governments need to perform strategic planning to decide whether clean hydrogen is a good match with existing assets, and coordinate their decisions and policies with each other. Second, they should  lean into their strengths . Most governments do not have the specialized knowledge needed to identify commercially viable or useful projects. But they do have a high risk tolerance, deep pockets, and a mandate to identify and communicate long-term societal priorities. Governments should involve the private sector in decisions about how to allocate support and avoid competing with private investors, while filling in the gaps in private investment and providing stable signals through policies such as carbon prices and carbon intensity standards. Third, they should  balance focus with agility . The ability to recognize and act on failure early may be the  most important common feature  of successful industrial and innovation policies. When supporting investment in clean hydrogen, for example, governments risk supporting lock-in of technologies that may prove to be too dirty, expensive, or unpopular. To avoid this, they should focus on outcomes such as life-cycle carbon intensity and prioritize investments that can be repurposed. If Alberta is to remain competitive, federal and provincial governments need to provide support for investment in low-carbon industries which build on Alberta’s strengths. But support policies will be ineffective and wasteful if they are not focused and coordinated. A marketplace framework can help governments rise to this challenge. #Future_Economy #Regional_Pathways #Clean_Technologies #Culture_Shift #Energy_Futures_Policy_Collaborative #2021 #Federal_Policy #Lithium_from_Brine #Geothermal_Energy #Hydrogen #Provincial_Policy

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 activities that are...

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We are surrounded by technical achievements — often near-miraculous, even if they may get taken for granted. The electricity grid that delivers a safe, constant and predictable stream of on-demand energy. Communication systems that allow real-time conversations with people on the other side of the earth. Networks of food delivery that allows us to enjoy fresh, safe, and relatively inexpensive produce in all seasons. Each of these ‘miracles’ actually represents a complex system that came into being only through the concerted efforts of a broad range of actors. Underpinning that coordinated action is, more often than not, government policy. Now, we face a new set of challenges around energy transition, emissions reduction, and the ongoing wellbeing of our fellow human beings. Policy will be at the root of decisions made about what actions get taken in this brave new world. Policy can be used to shape behaviour: of consumers, of markets, of producers, of investors, of competing jurisdictions. It provides both a vision for the future and the set of rules to be followed in getting there. As such, it is the foundational piece that underlies decisions about the complex systems surrounding a successful energy transition. But how, exactly, does the government do that? What are the tools at its disposal? And what actions can a group such as the EFPC request the government take? To answer this question, we developed a list of government policy levers   that could be useful as part of the energy transition, and specifically in helping drive investment into innovation and infrastructure: Vision: By providing vision and direction at a high level through strategies, goals, targets, or roadmaps, government can show enduring support and provide predictability and stability. The recently published federal hydrogen strategy and the small modular reactor (SMR) roadmap are clear examples. Economic tools : The government is in a unique position to direct fiscal resources — its own or that of others — towards areas where it wants to incentivize development. Economic tools include direct financial support, procurement (the federal government alone procures over $20 billion per year of goods and services), fiscal policy measures, and making capital available to entrepreneurs — such as through the Canada Infrastructure Bank. Asset planning : The government can use its power to influence the development and deployment of different classes of assets, including people, physical infrastructure, and natural assets. In its  Healthy Environment, Healthy Economy  plan published in December 2020, the federal government promised to conduct the first-ever national infrastructure assessment to identify needs and priorities for the supportive assets and infrastructure that will underlie the energy transition. Regulatory approaches : These are the rules created by government that individuals and organizations — companies, investors, even the government itself — must abide by. They include regulation of capital markets and regulation of GHG emissions, but also land use regulations, royalty schemes, and other rules that shape market and policy agendas. Market development : Domestic and international market receptivity can be shaped by government actions and agreements, such as international trade agreements, export market development, and creating opportunities to stimulate domestic demand for certain products. Quality assurance : There is a role for government in boosting confidence in the quality and acceptability of products and technologies. These may come in the form of emissions standards (such as methane emissions standards), performance standards (such as for automobiles), or endorsement of specific certification schemes (as with Canada’s several forestry performance management certification options). Finally, there are a number of policy levers that don’t fall neatly into the categories above, including research and commercial collaboration, collecting and disseminating data and information, and convening stakeholders. These levers each have long histories of success in fostering innovation and investment, in the energy sector and beyond. With a clear sense of what options might look like, our task in the Energy Futures Policy Collaborative is a complex but essential one: to determine which levers to pull when, how hard to pull, and who should be operating those levers. To do this, we’re making sure we think both deeply and broadly about how this metaphorical machine might fit together, considering which unintended gears a given lever might turn if we aren’t careful and what unwanted outputs our machine might produce, but also which levers in combination might multiply the force we apply, delivering dividends that ripple across the system. #Future_Economy #Culture_Shift #Clean_Technologies #Regional_Pathways #Energy_Futures_Policy_Collaborative #Sustainable_Finance #Provincial_Policy #2021

Policy Levers and the Energy Transition

We are surrounded by technical achievements — often near-miraculous, even if they may get taken for granted. The electricity grid that...

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This post is part 3 of 3 exploring sustainable finance, bringing together the perspectives of three of our Core Working Group members: Patrycja Drainville (Associate Director, Sustainable Finance, Scotiabank), Chad Park (Vice President, Sustainability & Citizenship, The Cooperators), and Jamie Bonham (Director of Corporate Engagement, NEI Investments) Italian writer and philosopher Niccolo Machiavelli knew a thing or two about power, and his observations have guided politicians for hundreds of years. And while his writings have been used by those seeking to protect or preserve their standing, he had plenty to say to those who are on the side of change and progress. “It ought to be remembered that there is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things,” Machiavelli wrote in The Prince . “Because the innovator has for enemies all those who have done well under the old conditions, and lukewarm defenders in those who may do well under the new. This coolness arises partly from fear of the opponents, who have the laws on their side, and partly from the incredulity of men, who do not readily believe in new things until they have had a long experience of them.” You’d be hard pressed to find a better description of the political landscape in 2021, and that’s particularly true when it comes to the energy transition and the delicate pivot from higher-carbon energy to lower-carbon solutions. “What we’re trying to do is make something happen,” says NEI Investments’ Jamie Bonham, “and there is no guarantee of success here.” But as Scotiabank sustainability expert Patrycja Drainville says, this evolutionary process that’s currently underway in the oil and gas industry isn’t completely new. After all, one of Alberta’s other major industries went through a similar experience two decades ago. “When I think about what’s happening to our industry, a good parallel is the forestry sector 20 years ago, when they were the poster child for all these different ENGO campaigns,” she says. Those campaigns created pressure, and that pressure pushed some of the companies to adapt and improve. You could call it “survival of the cleanest” — and the forestry industry is living proof that many companies can survive. “We use paper still, and we do so much shipping with boxes. But those recycling practices emerged, and they have set a high standard for operating practices around forestry,” Drainville says. “So I think there are some very strong parallels there. The bullseye will keep moving around, and it’s our turn. But I think we can get to a place where the world feels comfortable, and we’re producing a much better product.” Capitalism, in other words, will do the work of sorting the best performers from the laggards — work that will take on growing importance and prominence as the price of carbon continues to rise. “They’ll just be a much higher standard of operating, and there will be a bit of a cleanup of the companies that just can’t meet that,” she says. “That’s a healthy thing, really.” And while it might be tempting for some people to deprive the oil and gas industry of the capital and other financial resources it needs to do that cleanup, that may only slow the progress they want to see. “I would rather see us try to leverage it into something positive, instead of just tearing it down and building something new elsewhere,” Bonham says. Drainville, who now works for one of the major Canadian financial institutions (Scotiabank) that her former company (Suncor Energy) and others like it will depend on, agrees with that assessment. “They get really caught in the idea of supporting the oil and gas sector, and they pull back when it’s actually the sector that’s doing a lot of the changing that we need. But every organization has to embrace the change first, and then move fast, if we’re going to meet our emissions target.” In other words, says The Cooperators’ Chad Park, the true acts of climate leadership aren’t ones that focus on divestment and disengagement. Instead, they’re in the messy middle — where capital can most effectively motivate companies to move in the right direction. “The whole financial industry has thrown its whole weight into this,” Bonham says, “and I think it will accelerate a lot of the change.” Or, as Park says, “in my view, climate leadership in investing should be less about what an investor won’t do with their money and more about what they will do.” #Future_Economy #Culture_Shift #Regional_Pathways #Clean_Technologies #Sustainable_Finance #Energy_Futures_Policy_Collaborative #2021

Survival of the Cleanest: Why low-carbon can equal high-success for Alberta’s energy sector

This post is part 3 of 3 exploring sustainable finance, bringing together the perspectives of three of our Core Working Group members: Patrycja Drainville (Associate Director, Sustainable Finance, Scotiabank), Chad Park (Vice President, Sustainability & Citizenship, The Cooperators), and Jamie Bonham (Director of Corporate Engagement, NEI Investments) Italian writer and philosopher Niccolo Machiavelli knew a thing or two about power, and his observations have guided politicians for hundreds...

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Transition is a sticky word for a lot of people. Add “net-zero” or “pipeline” to the mix and you might even spark a wave of public passion. But emotions are always anchored in something and those relating to Alberta’s energy transition carry no exception. Sure, through the years we’ve talked about net-zero by 2050 but these conversations have often carried an element of speculation. A nice theory, one might say, but how will we get there? While the answer to this question is neither simple nor obvious, the events of last week offer a little insight into the nature of energy transition. First, we celebrated as the province’s largest oil sands producers came together behind a shared vision for a net-zero future. Then, we celebrated some more with the announcement of a possible $1.3 billion investment into a net-zero hydrogen energy complex just east of Edmonton. It appeared things were really coming together. We felt on track. Then, in the wake of a few very big wins, a heavy steel-toed boot landed in our midst with a resounding thump . The Keystone XL pipeline breathed its last breaths somewhere in southeastern Alberta and a myriad of emotions quickly swept across the province. We continue to lament for different reasons, sure… Jobs will be lost, the fate of Alberta’s oil and gas industry grows murkier, and the loss of a $1.3 billion investment is far from digestible.  But here’s the thing: no one said energy transition would be easy. No one claimed there wouldn’t be losses- even big ones- or that there wouldn’t be fear and uncertainty. It may be human nature to crave stability, but stability doesn’t always entail a sense of certainty. We couldn’t know for sure how Keystone XL would play out, in the same way that we cannot know for sure how a hydrogen economy will unfold. Still, we place bets knowing that reward entails risk. However, while we can’t predict the future, we can make decisions with the end in mind. At the Energy Futures Lab, a coalition of Alberta innovators focused on energy transition, we lean on vision-driven innovation to help us uncover solutions for our energy future. But energy transition is about more than just innovation. It’s something that impacts each of us in different ways. This week, we not only witnessed, but also felt what it means to navigate energy transition. It means celebrating big wins while collectively acknowledging and feeling big losses. And we need to do this together.  As the energy transition accelerates, weeks like last week will become all the more common. We’ll see more big announcements, more wins and losses. This means that some days will be more hope-filled than others and to get through the tougher times, we’ll need to remain pragmatic. We’ll need to remember what’s at stake and to ensure that we leave no one behind. Energy transition entails a collective effort. It’s not for a select few to grieve the loss of Keystone while others race full-fledged towards a hydrogen economy. No, it reflects a time for us to come together as a province and accept that energy transition will never be easy. But then again, easy is not what we’re after. #Corporate_Policy #EFL_Vision #Future_Economy #Culture_Shift #Clean_Technologies  #Regional_Pathways #Pipelines #2021

Big wins and big losses will continue shaping Alberta’s energy transition

Transition is a sticky word for a lot of people. Add “net-zero” or “pipeline” to the mix and you might even spark a wave of public passion. But emotions are always anchored in something and those relating to Alberta’s energy transition carry no exception. Sure, through the years we’ve talked about net-zero by 2050 but these conversations have often carried an element of speculation. A nice theory, one might say, but how will we get there? While the answer to this question is neither simple...

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This post is part 2 of 3 exploring sustainable finance, bringing together the perspectives of three of our Core Working Group members: Patrycja Drainville (Associate Director, Sustainable Finance, Scotiabank), Chad Park (Vice President, Sustainability & Citizenship, The Cooperators), and Jamie Bonham (Director of Corporate Engagement, NEI Investments) As vaccines pour in across the developed world, jobs are coming back by the thousands to industries and sectors that were hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. There are, however, a few notable exceptions, and one of the most notable of all is the oil and gas industry. While prices have recovered to where they were pre-pandemic, the work — and the workers — have not. And as a recent report from Deloitte suggested , many of them may be gone forever as the world transitions towards lower-carbon sources of energy. That transition is irreversible, regardless of whether some people want to see it happen or not. “Canada is too small,” NEI Investments’ Jamie Bonham says. “Even if we wanted to be absolutely obstructionist, it will do nothing to stop this transition from happening. Once you have that context, you can start to think about resilience to it.” That’s where future-fit hydrocarbons can, and should, play a major role. After all, we can’t assume that everyone who currently works in the oil and gas industry will be able to transition easily — or even at all — to careers in renewables and green energy. And while governments can paper that over with support programs aimed at re-training and re-skilling, that’s not going to be an appetizing prospect for many. But with future-fit hydrocarbons, we get the best of both worlds: a bridge to a lower-carbon economy, and an economic path that honours the skills and knowledge of today’s workers. Scotiabank sustainability expert Patrycja Drainville is a big fan of the idea. “I love the future-fit concept, because I think it still indicates that the commodity as it is, and as it exists today, is a relevant commodity. What I think people want is for there to be some greater responsibility around it as it relates to what the customer wants.” And while experts will disagree on exactly when global demand for oil will peak, and how quickly it will decline on the other side of that apex, there is no question that oil will be used in substantial quantities for decades to come. By adding new uses for Alberta’s bitumen reserves, companies and governments can help lengthen the transition runway — and help Alberta’s oil sands companies take flight from it. “Those are the companies that are going to be able to attract this kind of climate-concerned investing,” says The Co-operators’ Chad Park. “But they need a little bit of support there.” That support could help the hundreds of thousands of Albertans with skills and expertise in the existing energy sector put them to work on building the new one. “We have so much to work with — it’s building from something, as opposed to building something new. And to me, that’s the most cogent argument for the future-fit hydrocarbons — the fact that we don’t have to recreate the wheel entirely here,” Bonham says. “We have a lot in place that’s going to be really critical to what we need to achieve.” There’s no better example of how today’s energy sector can help build an important bridge to tomorrow’s than with carbon capture and storage technologies. For companies, it allows them to experiment in areas where they’re already comfortable, and add value to their existing operations. Witness the recent announcement by Advantage Oil & Gas that it has developed what it calls “breakthrough carbon capture and storage technology capable of commercial profitability at a carbon price below CDN$50/tonne.” That technology will be applied at its gas plant near Grande Prairie and put into service by March 2022, but the company thinks it can be applied to a much wider range of industries. “The Modular Carbon Capture and Storage (“MCCS”) technology can be retrofitted to most point-source industrial emissions, including sectors that are difficult to decarbonize like power generation, blue hydrogen, LNG, oil and gas processing, and production of cement and steel,” it said in its press release. Advantage’s announcement is just the kind of thing that can help shift perceptions about the role that today’s oil and gas industry can and should play in helping build the energy system of the future. “The kind of technologies and solutions we’re trying to create here are going to go well beyond the oil and gas industry,” Drainville says. “I think it would be short-sighted to see it as just a lifeline for a single industry.” But in order for more of this sort of “practice” to happen, governments will have to find a way to get on the same page. “We’re still disagreeing about that,” she says. “Governments need to all get on board, and move faster before other economies leap-frog Canada.” If they do, many of the jobs that have been permanently lost in traditional oil and gas can be replaced by new ones. But the longer those governments wait, the harder it will be for them to build public support for the energy transition. And if they can’t do that, they risk missing out on one of the biggest new economic opportunities of the century. This post is part 2 of 3 exploring sustainable finance, bringing together the perspectives of three of our Core Working Group members: Patrycja Drainville (Associate Director, Sustainable Finance, Scotiabank), Chad Park (Vice President, Sustainability & Citizenship, The Cooperators), and Jamie Bonham (Director of Corporate Engagement, NEI Investments) #Future_Economy #Culture_Shift #Clean_Technologies #Regional_Pathways #Sustainable_Finance #Energy_Futures_Policy_Collaborative #2021 #CCUS #FutureFit_Hydrocarbons

Why Future Fit Hydrocarbons are the bridge to a better future

This post is part 2 of 3 exploring sustainable finance, bringing together the perspectives of three of our Core Working Group members:...

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This post is part 1 of 3 exploring sustainable finance, bringing together the perspectives of three of our Core Working Group members: Patrycja Drainville (Associate Director, Sustainable Finance, Scotiabank), Chad Park (Vice President, Sustainability & Citizenship, The Cooperators), and Jamie Bonham (Director of Corporate Engagement, NEI Investments) If there was ever any doubt that net-zero finance was the way of the future, former Bank of Canada and Bank of England governor Mark Carney cleared it up in a March 29th tweet. “Huge announcement today that the core of the global asset management industry, managing over $32 trillion in assets, is committing to addressing climate change [and] delivering the goals of the Paris Agreement.” When you start talking about that many trillions of dollars, even the most ardent skeptic is forced to sit up and start listening. Carney’s certainly not the first person to say this out loud, mind you. But his comments are just part of a growing conversation that has captivated the global financial community, as well as industries like Canada’s energy sector that depend on it to help fund their operations. “The thing I wish more people really grasped is how significant and massive the drive towards climate-concerned investing is,” says Chad Park, the vice president of sustainability and citizenship with The Cooperators. “There could be opportunity in that for Alberta, if we play our cards right.” And make no mistake: Alberta has a good hand, especially when it comes to so-called “future-fit hydrocarbons”. Its bitumen can be put to work in any number of new applications, from carbon fibre to asphalt and graphene, and these could be multi-billion dollar markets in the very near future. Its natural gas, meanwhile, can be used to create some of the most economically competitive blue hydrogen — that is, hydrogen produced using natural gas and carbon capture and sequestration technology — in the world. But, Park says, that will require everyone to put more of their chips into the middle first. “We need to signal our alignment with the net-zero emissions goal, because that’s a first principle. All of these investors are trying to align their portfolios with a 1.5 degree future, and they’re not just doing it to showcase their virtue, although there’s some of that. They’re also doing it because of the impact finance can have on achieving the goal and because they think there’s money to be made in the transition.” Before she took a new job at Scotiabank, Patrycja Drainville spent the last decade working in the energy sector on the increasingly busy intersection between sustainability and finance. And while she says the conversation about ESG (environment, sustainability, and governance) concerns used to be confined to select parts of her organization, it has now reached centre stage. “What I think has changed now is that everyone — every company, every government — has this very clear mandate to be part of climate action.” In the energy sector, that mandate clearly includes reducing emissions, and most of the large companies operating in it have made some sort of commitment to reaching net-zero emissions in the future. Those commitments are coming from the top, too. “Carbon risk has never really been accounted for at the board level until maybe two or three years ago,” Drainville says. “It’s only now at the right level of the organization, to start really making meaningful change.” But while she’s optimistic about the energy sector’s ability to rise to this challenge, she’s also clear that this transformation won’t happen overnight. “These companies can’t flip their business models on their head overnight,” Drainville says. “There’s some patient capital that’s required to get us through this change.” That’s where people like Jamie Bonham, the director of corporate engagement with NEI Investments, come in. The recent surge in oil prices of their COVID-driven lows has sparked a renewed sense of optimism in the energy sector, but Bonham says that this boom won’t be like any of the other ones that came before it. In the past, the choice faced by companies was simple: pay out their surging cash flows to investors, or invest them back into the ground in order to grow. Now, with growth circumscribed by both looming concerns about peaking demand and the increasingly heavy hand of capital markets, they face a much different one. “It’s a real inflection point here, because knowing investors, they’re going to be pushing for those dividends and getting that money back in their pockets. That’s fine, but it’s not the model that’s going to get you to long-term success. So it’s tough for companies right now to make the case to put that money into something else — which is what they need to do.” In order for them to do it, Bonham says, they need to know that the policies in place today won’t get undermined tomorrow. “If we could agree on the basic tenets of it, and say these fundamental tenets like the price on carbon are not going to change, nor is the ambition and targets that we set, then that would be a platform they could build these projects on, knowing it makes sense.” They’re also still risking a journey into the so-called valley of death, where good ideas can often get tripped up before they mature into profitable businesses. “To get from here to there takes a bit of a leap of faith. I think there’s a number of investors out there who are ready for this opportunity. We just have to create it.” This post is part 1 of 3 exploring sustainable finance, bringing together the perspectives of three of our Core Working Group members: Patrycja Drainville (Associate Director, Sustainable Finance, Scotiabank), Chad Park (Vice President, Sustainability & Citizenship, The Cooperators), and Jamie Bonham (Director of Corporate Engagement, NEI Investments). #Future_Economy #Culture_Shift #Clean_Technologies #Regional_Pathways #Sustainable_Finance #Energy_Futures_Policy_Collaborative #2021

Capital Concerns: Why big business is driving the shift towards lower-carbon capitalism (and why Alberta can be a part of it)

This post is part 1 of 3 exploring sustainable finance, bringing together the perspectives of three of our Core Working Group members:...

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We’re often told that we need to do a better job of  telling our stories.  There are plenty of  narrative opportunities  to be explored within the energy sector and yet, despite an emerging consensus around the importance of storytelling, it’s often difficult to identify and breathe life into the stories that shape our companies, technologies or relationships with energy. So in this post, I’ll explore a few practical approaches to storytelling that we can draw on to spark curiosity, empathy and action within Canada’s energy sector. For starters, developing a compelling story is no easy task. In fact, a writer must navigate difficult terrain in a way that sometimes parallels how energy companies approach resource development. On its own, the idea for a story is no more valuable than sunlight, heat from the earth’s core or a formation containing natural gas. Rather, the idea contains  potential;  there’s an inherent value, a spark that can be harnessed and transformed into something powerful. It is the storyteller’s job to recognize this potential and find ways to make use of it. As part of this process, we need to investigate the landscape, assess potential returns on investment and develop blueprints. In other words, we need to scope the idea, determine its value and storyboard our work before any shovels hit the ground. This work can begin with an initial assessment. Assess how “story worthy” an idea is by asking a few pointed questions: How might I transform this information in a way that’s useful? How will the energy I input into the work compare with the output? What are the consequences of telling or not telling this story? Who will benefit and/or suffer from the telling of this story? Where does this story fit into the broader landscape? Everywhere we turn, there are trace elements pointing to the existence of characters, dialogues and settings. So while anything  can  be turned into a story, the value of this initial assessment lies in its ability to help us determine whether an idea can be turned into a really good and impactful story. Once we’ve deemed an idea “story worthy,” we can move forward into a development phase. In the rest of this post, you’ll find some practical approaches to storytelling that you can draw on as you develop your idea. To help explain these approaches, I’ve journeyed down a somewhat nostalgic path to draw on wisdom captured in the fable of The Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf. Position your work contextually It’s common for people to do everything in their power to “prove” the side of a story that best aligns with their intentions. For example, it might be tempting to offer hope by way of omitting a reference to potential challenges. Or perhaps there’s a desire to discredit a particular technology, only to avoid discussing viable alternatives. This can result in cherry-picking at its finest. If your story truly has legs, then positioning it within a broader (and honest) context should only  add  value. Moral of the story:  If the big, bad wolf can blow your story over in just one breath, you’d best lay a more solid foundation. People care about other people At the end of the day, while new technologies are fascinating and worthy of description, a story is a place to foster connection and one of the most effective ways to do this is by focusing on the people around whom the story revolves. For example, it’s much easier to understand and relate to a technology if you first understand  who  created it,  why  they created it and  how  it’s had a transformative effect on that person or their community. You can step into their shoes and view this technology from their perspective, from the perspective of another being with whom you share commonality. Moral of the story:  While the building materials selected by the three little pigs certainly played a central role in shaping this infamous kid’s story, we’re more interested in the pigs themselves and the ways in which their lives are impacted by their construction choices. Focusing solely on the quality of building materials or the structural integrity of each home rather than the pigs themselves would never have had the same impact. Anchor visions for the future within recognizable timelines There’s a reason most futuristic stories focus on things like flying cars and space travel. While we have a certain degree of influence over the future, most of the time, the future seems a faraway place yet to be defined. But there is an interesting tension to explore between our vision for the future and our current reality. We can’t simply place all of our hopes, dreams and aspirations solely in the context of the future, and yet to incite change, we also require a sense of direction. This is why anchoring a vision within today’s context is so helpful:  it helps bridge the gap between today’s world and tomorrow’s . For example, a futuristic hydrogen economy might strike some as belonging to an ideal future, but if it remains difficult for people to see  how  we’ll get there, the idea can remain dreamlike, utopian or even hopeless. If we can  show  how today’s resources, investments and workforce have the potential to unlock these opportunities, the story begins to depict a future worth striving for. Moral of the story:   Because we bore witness to the pigs’ construction efforts, we can better understand how and why the eldest pig was able to live “happily ever after.” The pig’s future appears secure because of the decisions it made in the present. As such, we are inclined to believe in the pig’s happy future, understanding that this future was only made possible by his current efforts. Involve the community As professionals working within the energy system, our networks will play an important role in facilitating the global energy transition. Nevertheless, we can’t undertake this endeavor alone. Rather, we can engage people from other professions to assist us in creating our energy future. We can seek out artists, writers, actors, videographers and other skilled creatives to support our efforts. Sometimes we’ve got the idea for a good story, but there’s someone else better suited for its execution. Moral of the story:  The first two pigs knew they wanted to build comfortable homes but lacked the required expertise to account for the homes’ structural integrity. If we want to have a lasting impact, sometimes the best thing we can do is to seek support from those who are better equipped than we are. Slow down and give yourself permission to write with care It’s easy to get caught up in content creation. We’re expected to produce and share stories with the media and our networks, encouraging many of us to rush creative processes. As a result, we often see “quick hit” pieces that only present one side of a complex, multi-dimensional story. If we’re truly committed to good storytelling, then we need to slow down and take the time to write stories that do justice to the information we’re sharing. Moral of the story:   While transporting loads of brick might be more tiresome for a little pig, the resulting house will be much stronger than one made of straw. If we want great outcomes, sometimes we need to take a harder, more time-consuming route. Strike a balance between hope and realism Hopeful narratives are highly desirable, both for the writer and reader. But while it’s important to offer hope and inspiration, serving up overly optimistic accounts can also result in stories that lose people’s attention. They can seem less credible and driven by bias. This means that it’s our job to offer hope within realistic parameters. Moral of the story:  The story of the three little pigs would have been very different if we’d focused solely on the wolf’s failed attempts to blow down the eldest pig’s brick house. Exposure to all three of the wolf’s attempts gives us the information we need to make sense of his true potential. #Culture_Shift #Alberta_Energy_Narrative_Hearts_and_Minds #2021

Practical Approaches to Storytelling: A Guide for Energy Professionals

We’re often told that we need to do a better job of  telling our stories.  There are plenty of  narrative opportunities  to be explored...

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Alberta’s hydrocarbon sector faced an uncertain future in a world moving towards lower-carbon energy before the pandemic, with existing trends  accelerating  since March 2020. This uncertainty towards the future of the sector offers both risks and opportunities. The province’s rich natural resource wealth and highly skilled workforce have potential to capture a growing share of the clean technology market, and play a pivotal role in reaching climate targets. In order for Alberta’s oil and gas sector to play a significant role in advancing either objective, it must first address its challenge in attracting private capital. In order to do that, the province will need to advance projects that are attractive to investors. Recently, a range of standards have emerged that are used by investors to evaluate attractiveness, with criteria going beyond traditional financial returns. Investors  increasingly care  about progress towards climate targets, preventing environmental degradation, and taking a more fulsome view of the costs or investment required to realize an investment opportunity. A new  policy brief  by the Smart Prosperity Institute, as part of the Energy Futures Policy Collaborative hosted by the Energy Futures Lab, conducted an evaluation of some of these criteria and standards. This evaluation seeks to answer a specific question: What makes an investment in future-fit hydrocarbons attractive to decision-makers? This work will help provincial stakeholders identify what criteria are used to assess their performance and attractiveness to decision-makers, ensuring they can advance projects that meet those criteria. Being graded on a curve The future is an uncertain place. Investors, policymakers, and academics are increasingly trying to make it less so. This group of stakeholders, collectively referred to as decision-makers, are all thinking about which investments align with the future they (or the Boards and citizens to whom they are beholden) want to live in. These definitions of future fitness have progressed into the evaluation and assessment stage. Decision-makers globally are increasingly using established criteria to evaluate the future-fitness of investment opportunities, including investment frameworks, transition taxonomies, and transition pathways. Importantly, these criteria are based on different sets of concerns than investors have had in previous decades. As efforts to reduce emissions and adapt to climate impacts grow in ambition to match the scale of the challenge, investors are growing increasingly concerned about the risks of stranded assets and maintaining social license to operate. This concern has shifted into action, with quantifiable assessment criteria and performance metrics being developed to minimize risk and measure performance in translating historic principles into current and future practices. Any region or government wanting to attract private capital is aware of these changes. However, while a new investment framework or taxonomy pops up on a seemingly monthly basis, it is not always clear which criteria are emerging as areas of consensus across disciplines and frameworks. Yet these areas of emergent consensus matter a great deal: If Alberta wants to attract capital and support from a broad array of decision-makers, it will need to ensure the projects it advances are attractive based on the criteria they are using. Better identifying these areas of emergent consensus, in turn, can inform how the province wants to define future-fitness in its own right. A definition that aligns with that of decision-makers whose capital is desired could prove catalytic in driving greater investment into provincial opportunities, and could be substantiated by adding Made-in-Alberta criteria that advanced the province’s own goals as well. To support this discussion, Smart Prosperity is conducting analysis to identify what criteria have emerged as implicit areas of consensus between different types of decision-makers internationally, and has identified three questions that virtually all stakeholders ask when evaluating future-fitness: 1.   Does a project reduce absolute emissions in line with achieving science-based targets?  The primary metric being used to assess environmental performance is not whether emissions are reduced, but whether absolute emissions decline at a rate aligned with global achievement of science-based targets set by international bodies. Unless improvements in carbon intensity or efficiency improvements can demonstrate alignment with science-based international targets, they are not likely to meet this standard. 2.   How robust is a project against potential futures?  Robustness across potential futures is the primary lens through which investors assess risk, and policymakers and academic assess attractiveness in a low-carbon future. The primary variable investors use to stress-test projects is how much risk of asset stranding accompanies an investment across futures with different rates of decarbonization. The more aligned an investment is with a zero emissions future, the more robustness (and less risk) it offers to a portfolio. 3.   What level of specialized infrastructure is required to realize this investment opportunity?  Frameworks and taxonomies stress that evaluating the amount of specialized infrastructure required to commercialize a given investment is critical to accurately assessing risk. The less new specialized infrastructure that is required to realize an opportunity, the more likely that commercialization can occur rapidly. If new specialized infrastructure is required at scale, indications of high levels of government support can also serve to reduce risk. Each of these three questions emerges almost uniformly across decision-maker frameworks, taxonomies and pathways discussions. This highlights the need for a given project that credibly respond to all three question if it wants to be considered attractive by a wide range of stakeholders making or influencing investment decisions. Alberta needs to be net-zero aligned if it wants to attract capital Investors want evidence that projects are aligned with a zero, or net-zero, emissions future within the upcoming decades, that a given project is robust across a range of decarbonization scenarios, and that the costs of new infrastructure are being appropriately considered. If those three criteria are not met, then capital will go towards opportunities that can credibly answer these questions. It’s that simple: If a project wants to attract private capital, it needs to score well on the criteria being used by decision-makers. If not, the task is made more difficult. Any Made-In-Alberta definition of future-fitness will need to keep these criteria in mind, since attracting capital is ultimately required to drive the prosperity stakeholders seek to achieve. For a deeper dive into this topic, read the policy brief  Evaluating future fitness: What matters to decision-makers when considering whether a hydrocarbon investment is future fit? . #Future_Economy #Culture_Shift #Clean_Technologies #Regional_Pathways #Energy_Futures_Policy_Collaborative #FutureFit_Hydrocarbons #Hydrogen #Rooftop_Solar #Commercial_Solar #Commercial_Wind #Batteries #CCUS #Advanced_Materials #Bitumen_Beyond_Combustion #2021 #Sustainable_Finance

What do decision-makers care about when investing in future-fit hydrocarbons?

Alberta’s hydrocarbon sector faced an uncertain future in a world moving towards lower-carbon energy before the pandemic, with existing...

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Planning for the future is complicated. We don’t know for sure what the future will look like. That means — and forgive me for being a little nerdy here — defining “future fitness” is a  probabilistic  question: we have to assess “fitness” across a range of possible futures. At the same time, the future also isn’t entirely out of our control. Policy choices we make now can influence which futures are more (or less) likely to come to pass. Sound complicated? A new report from the Canadian Institute for Climate Choices on  net zero pathways  for Canada can help us navigate this complexity by providing a little foresight on what 2050 might look like — and how hydrocarbons might fit into that future. A net zero Canada Let’s start with Canada’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions  to “net zero” by 2050  (i.e., Canada removes as many emissions from the atmosphere as it contributes). Canada isn’t alone in this commitment: multiple countries, provinces, cities, and firms are signing on to net zero as part of serious efforts to radically curb emissions within the next few decades. In general, a global shift to net zero is consistent with what climate science tells us we need to avoid the worst  impacts of a changing climate . So, what does a  net zero  Canada look like? The report explores more than 60 scenarios, each of which achieves  net zero emissions  by 2050. Multiple possible  net zero energy systems  emerge from that analysis. Yet each system faces some big hurdles to taking hold and becoming reality. Some factors Alberta can affect via policy choices. Others depend on international markets and are outside its control. Below, I’m going to explore two very different energy systems that emerge from our analysis to illustrate the wide range of possible outcomes for the economy, and for hydrocarbons in particular. An electricity + hydrogen net zero future One possible net zero future for Canada strongly relies on emissions-free electricity and hydrogen. Massive scale-up of various sources of clean electricity can drive electrification of transportation (electric vehicles) and buildings (heat pumps). Meanwhile hydrogen can be used in heavy industry and other applications that are tricky to electrify. This future isn’t a guarantee. It would require big buildouts of electricity transmission infrastructure. Unless electricity storage become significantly cheaper, it might require grid interties linking intermittent renewables in Alberta and Saskatchewan with on-demand hydroelectricity in Manitoba or BC. Enhanced hydrogen infrastructure — from pipelines to production facilities — would likewise be required. Costs of making  blue or green hydrogen  must decline significantly. So how do hydrocarbons fit into this future? Critically, oil and gas have largely been replaced with zero carbon fuels. That’s true in Canada, but also likely internationally as well;  global  scale-up of electricity and hydrogen technologies is probably the key to driving costs down through “learning by doing.” That means that global demand for fossil fuels could decline dramatically, and with it, domestic production and the economic engine of growth it has historically provided. Yet “future-fit hydrocarbons” could go beyond traditional notions of fossil fuels. Zero-emissions hydrogen can be made from  natural gas using carbon capture and storage , as well as  other ,  emerging approaches . A range of  non-combustion products  could be made from Alberta’s hydrocarbon resources. Geothermal electricity might not be a hydrocarbon product, but it could directly  leverage hydrocarbon  industry expertise and capacity to contribute much-needed clean electricity supply. A fossil fuel + carbon removal net zero future A very different net zero future, on the other hand, sees ongoing global consumption of fossil fuels. That future only exists under very specific circumstances. Significant progress on upstream methane emissions and widespread use of advanced carbon capture and negative emissions technologies dramatically reduces emissions from producing oil and gas. And huge scale-up of  carbon removal  offsets emissions that come from consuming   those fuels. Canadian hydrocarbon industries can play an interesting role in such a future. The oil and gas sector continues to drive economic activity. Moreover,  Alberta’s geology  gives it unique opportunities to permanently store GHG emissions. Depending on the national and international policy frameworks that emerge to support carbon removal, Alberta might even have the potential to drive deep  net negative  emissions, by removing and storing carbon in return for valuable emissions trading credits. Yet this pathway is also  far from certain . It likely only comes to pass if  carbon removal technologies  dramatically decrease in costs, and both removal and carbon capture and storage dramatically scale up, everywhere. That’s the only way that long-term demand (and international market prices) for oil and gas stay high, supporting sustained production in Canada (while also achieving net zero). Yet other countries, including the United States, increasingly appear to be pushing toward electrification. Managing uncertainty Planning — and policy-making — in the face of uncertainty is tricky business. Which outcomes are more likely? Which are more desirable? What levers does Alberta have to affect outcomes? A fossil fuel and carbon removal world might seem appealing to oil and gas incumbents. Yet that future is only one of many possible outcomes and, in fact, faces multiple hurdles. Planning  only  for that future is putting all of Alberta’s eggs in one basket. Instead, solutions should be robust  across  the range of potential futures. Breakthroughs in cost-effective carbon removal and storage techniques, for example, will be valuable no matter which path Alberta, Canada, and the world ultimately walk. That doesn’t mean they’re all that Alberta needs. Other net zero opportunities can similarly build on existing capacity, infrastructure, and expertise. We don’t know what a net zero world looks like. But that doesn’t mean we can’t start planning for it. #Future_Economy #Clean_Technologies #Regional_Pathways #Energy_Futures_Policy_Collaborative #FutureFit_Hydrocarbons #Electricity #Hydrogen #Rooftop_Solar #Commercial_Solar #Commercial_Wind #Batteries #CCUS #Advanced_Materials #Bitumen_Beyond_Combustion #2021

A closer look at “future-fit”

Planning for the future is complicated. We don’t know for sure what the future will look like. That means — and forgive me for being a...

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Around the world, countries, corporations, and people are picking up the call for a net-zero future. This global rallying cry is highlighting that we need to do more to reach a lower emissions future and we need to do it at an exponential pace. We cannot close the gap between our reality today, and our aspirations for what is possible, without developing and deploying technologies that both manage our greenhouse gas emissions and add value to our economy. The transition to a lower emissions world can’t happen with the flick of a switch. It will require significant work and investment across our economy and across timeframes. The speed of reaching decarbonization goals will depend on the availability of mature technology and the ability to scale supply chains. So, how might we accelerate the pace of innovation and deployment of new technologies across all sectors to take advantage of the tremendous momentum that exists in a world that has been turned upside down? We need smart investment . To remain competitive in today’s economy, we need to invest in our existing energy systems to ensure they are as efficient and environmentally responsible as possible. And, looking forward, if Alberta is going to build off its historic strengths as an energy producer, we need to invest in the energy systems of tomorrow that have a place in an increasingly carbon-constrained world. It’s not an either-or scenario — we need to do both. We need a strong  understanding of the possible pathways  ahead of us , so that industry can develop sound business plans that lay out a future that is attractive to the flow of capital, and so that collaboration and alignment across the innovation ecosystem can flourish. We need governments to send  appropriate and consistent policy and regulatory signals   to set the foundation for net-zero and shape the incentives for the transition. Increasing alignment and coordination across levels of government will only help to create an environment where taking risks and innovating are easier to do. None of these elements on their own are enough. We will need all components in place for us to succeed. You’ve likely heard the phrase, “there is no silver bullet.” It’s true. We probably need a Gatling gun. The good news is that many, if not most, of the key technology pathways we will need to achieve a low carbon future are already identified and known. One of the inputs that Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA) is bringing to the Energy Futures Policy Collaborative is our  Technology Roadmap , a vision to help Alberta and Canada achieve this net-zero future and a key strategic document we use to guide our investments and project portfolio mix. It outlines key technology areas that will enable Alberta to build off its strengths and have a competitive economy that is contributing to a prosperous, lower emissions world. Some of the substantial decarbonization opportunities outlined in the Roadmap exist in the oil and gas industry. As it happens, there are already big investments bringing that to life. By exploring areas like partial upgrading, advanced recovery techniques, and carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS), Alberta’s energy industry is working to get the carbon out of the barrel just as it got the sand out of the oil a generation before. Since the oil sands industry is the largest and fastest growing source of greenhouse gases in Alberta, this has the potential to make a significant impact. Now, we need to achieve an even more ambitious target — not just per-barrel intensity reductions, but overall emissions reductions. CCUS  not only plays a role in reducing emissions from existing industries, it also lays a foundation for exciting opportunities on the horizon that will create new economic activity, new jobs, and new industries and markets. It is integral to developing clean hydrogen which offers a solution to lower emissions in many hard-to-decarbonize sectors such as chemical manufacturing and heavy-duty transport. The  creation and storage of low-emitting electricity  is another opportunity to tap into some of Alberta’s existing hydrocarbon infrastructure, innovation, and expertise. From extracting lithium from its oil reservoirs to power the world’s growing fleet of electric vehicles, to taking advantage of Alberta’s existing expertise in drilling wells and applying it to the province’s best geothermal sites and producing energy from those old well sites. These are just chapters in the larger story for Alberta’s energy and emissions future. Innovation can be found everywhere.  Changes to land use practices and urban planning  can help sequester or minimize carbon emissions.  Support for the province’s bioenergy sector  can also deliver some quick and important wins for both the economy and the environment. Likewise, helping large emitters and heavy industry implement  energy efficient upgrades  and improve their operational processes is low-hanging fruit, ripe for the picking. ERA’s role is to help Alberta achieve its environmental and economic goals, and our participation in the EFPC will help us shape and learn more about the road ahead. We have shared our vision of what a successful future looks like, and our Technology Roadmap is how we can get there. Crucially for the collaborative, ERA can play an essential role in the de-risking and development of technologies that help both decarbonize Alberta’s existing economy and create technologies and pathways that are critical to the economic opportunities of the future. We need to cast a wide net. We must imagine, innovate, invent, and invest, across the board. Advances and successes in one sector can benefit and create space for progress in another. Transitioning to a clean energy future is complex and will take time. It requires the right policy signals and appropriate investments to support scaling-up promising technologies and adopting new ones that will help us take us another step toward creating the low carbon future the world is demanding. #Federal_Policy #Provincial_Policy #Sustainable_Finance #ERA_Technology_Roadmap #Culture_Shift #Regional_Pathways #CCUS #Batteries #Rooftop_Solar #Commercial_Solar #Commercial_Wind #Geothermal_Energy #Geothermal_From_Oil_Wells #Bio_Fuel #2021

Tech for Tomorrow’s Alberta: ERA’s Technology Roadmap & Future-Fit Hydrocarbons

Around the world, countries, corporations, and people are picking up the call for a net-zero future. This global rallying cry is...

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A shift towards a world with drastically lower carbon emissions appears to be in the cards. The UNFCC noted that  global commitments to reach net-zero emissions  from regions, cities, corporations, and countries has doubled since September 2019, and that was before China, Japan, and South Korea  all pledged  to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 or 2060. This transition towards low carbon emission energy sources in global markets will utterly transform resource economies long-term. Canadian governments at all levels will not only need to think about diversification, but to act and invest ambitiously if they want to maintain current levels of economic prosperity in a changing world. However, they must undertake the difficult task of deciding which ideas are worth supporting in a world with a very uncertain future. For governments facing these decisions, a useful frame for thinking about change is through a “transition pathways lens”. As one of several lenses that the Energy Futures Policy Collaborative will be adopting, this blog provides a high-level of overview of what transition pathways are, how they can be considered, and how policymakers can think about selecting the “right” pathways to support the achievement of their outcomes. Pathways 101 Transition pathways are a concept used in academic and policy work to think about change through a systems lens. Pathways are, at their core, a framework for thinking about how change happens in economies. Transition pathways outline one or more “paths” that an economy, industry, or region can take to get from ‘Point A’ (the current states of things) to ‘Point B’ (a desired future state). The evolution of personal transportation from horse and cart to the internal combustion engine automobile is a historic example of a successful transition pathway. Battery-electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles have both emerged as potential pathways in the 21st century, although they have not yet displaced incumbents (and may not ultimately end up doing so). Pathways help outline the timing, scope, and scale of change necessary throughout the whole landscape for a region, industry, or economy to get from Point A to Point B. Importantly, this is not the same as a strategy: strategies are plans that outline how to get from A to B. Pathways help outline what needs to be considered, and what will matter, when assessing whether a given idea or concept is capable of getting us from A to B. Each pathway is made up of a combination of ideas and processes that shape the world we operate in. In the real world, change is influenced by a broad array of factors: technological process, social beliefs, economic ideology, mainstream cultural views, investment patterns, infrastructure networks, and more. Transition pathways are a useful framework for decision-makers because they can help outline how each of these ideas might influence the way change happens at a system-level, identifying what barriers or factors need to be considered or addressed when opting to pursue a particular goal. Change management Pathways are used to understand how interactions between different ideas create the landscape we operate in. This is important because the trajectory or direction of a given pathway will ultimately be shaped not by one idea, but by how that idea interacts with all other processes and beliefs held throughout the world. The difference between a good idea and a useful one is whether it works in practice; pathways help outline what is actually needed to help a particular idea achieve a desired outcome. Three concepts matter in discussions of pathways: the incumbent, the niche, and the landscape. “Incumbents” describe the ideas, groups, and processes that make up the status quo. They form the foundation of the world we live in today. To continue personal transportation as an example, incumbents would include oil companies who refine gasoline, networks of retail gas stations, and popular opinions about high-performance sports cars. They are the mainstream ideas, processes and beliefs that shape how we interact with technologies and each other. “Niches” describe innovative concepts and ideas whose success depends on upending or disrupting the status quo. In the case of personal transport, examples include electric vehicle manufacturers like Tesla and Rivian, global pledges for net-zero emissions, and proponents of electrified transportation. These technologies and ideas are currently considered interesting and high-potential but can hardly claim to be the dominant technology in practice today. Yet they have the potential to eventually become incumbent ideas, depending on what kind of change the world experiences in the coming years. The “landscape” is a frame for thinking about how every set of actors, processes, groups and ideas ultimately makes the world the way it is. The landscape, or the world we live in, is shaped by interactions between incumbents and niches, since each aims to influence change in their favour. The trajectory of a pathway is defined by how these interactions take place, and that contest of ideas is what shapes the landscape we operate in globally. What is a “good” pathway? Identifying which pathways policymakers want to support depends on understanding what kind of future people want to live in. A “good” pathway is one that is capable of bringing about that future and can do so even if the world shifts around it. However, there are still some foundational characteristics that any pathway must possess to be seen as legitimate. At a minimum, good pathways must be: Credible:  Pathways must be based on the realities we live in. Effective pathways have to largely rely on ideas that are technically possible and used in practice, even if only at small-scale. Compelling:  Pathways must be attractive to investors and stakeholders. This means that designing pathways must keep in mind what investors are seeking in projects, and what the public will support, and incorporate those views into their approaches. Capable:  Pathways must possess the technical potential to actually achieve their objectives. This is most obvious in discussions of emissions mitigation. Any pathway compatible with a net-zero future must be technically capable of reaching a net-zero climate target, or it will not be able to achieve set objectives in practice. Flexible:  Pathways need to be able to change as circumstance does. The world moves quickly, and any pathway developed needs to be robust and flexible enough that it can swiftly adjust to new information without incurring huge losses or needing to be abandoned. Pathways are a useful frame for thinking about how change happens. As new and established ideas compete for market share and public attention in the decades to come, Canadian policymakers will need to ensure they are supporting the ideas that drive growth and regional prosperity. For the Energy Futures Policy Collaborative, thinking about how change happens is a useful way to ensure grounded, realistic decisions are made about what is required to build the future we want to live in. #Regional_Pathways #Culture_Shift #Provincial_Policy #Federal_Policy #2021

What is a Pathway? A conceptual overview of transition pathways

A shift towards a world with drastically lower carbon emissions appears to be in the cards. The UNFCC noted that  global commitments to...

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As a second COVID wave hits the province with full force and the impacts of prolonged economic repercussions become clearer, Alberta faces challenges that will ask us to reimagine what it means to bring our ingenuity, expertise, and innovative spirit to bear. In a province already reimagining the future of its energy sector, COVID-19 has shocked demand and disrupted expectations we might have had about what the future could look like. This turbulence has been accompanied by an accelerated commitment among financial institutions to scrutinize their investment portfolios and other activity through a climate science lens. The UN Principles for Responsible Investment initiative, a leading body pushing towards low-carbon pathways, has  reported that signatories have more than $100 trillion in assets under management , and  the Bank of Canada has made recent public statements  about how we will need to decarbonize many facets of our lives in order to mitigate the worst impacts of climate change. Global investors are demanding a more stringent reckoning with an emerging consensus that prioritizes climate risk. With all of this as backdrop, several leading oil and gas companies have  reduced the reported value of their assets by more than $80 billion in the first three quarters of 2020 . The climate-concerned investment trends are frequently presented as a problem for Alberta, but they could be an opportunity instead. The flip side of having high per-capita and per-barrel emissions is that Alberta has major emissions reduction potential. It means we should be a big market for the developers of clean technology solutions. Combine that with a strong history of innovation in carbon management and the potential for new ‘future-fit’ hydrocarbon feedstocks, and Alberta should have considerable opportunities to access the capital looking to finance the transition to a low-carbon emissions economy. What’s been holding us back? First, a view that the past must be entirely left in the past, abandoning existing skills, infrastructure, and resources in pursuit of a net-new future vision. Perfect can be the enemy of good, and the prospect of stranded assets creates real uncertainty at every level of society. Second, however, is uncertainty about where the terrain of global energy systems and markets may shift to and at what pace, combined with an inability to collectively acknowledge the reality that the “good old days” may not return. Taken together, overcoming these challenges require us to look to the future while also building on the rich legacy of Alberta’s communities and the enterprises they have built. It is in this middle space of transition there is an important role for policymakers to play. Even as there is some crystallization around what should be left in the unsustainable past and what we might aim for in a low-carbon emissions future, in between there is a deep need for transition solutions, especially for resource-rich jurisdictions. Policymakers will be crucial in holding the space for better visions to evolve and attract supporters, in fostering sectoral responses, in creating the conditions for social and technological innovation to thrive, and in sending policy signals that are durable, credible, and on the scale of the challenges we face. The Energy Futures Policy Collaborative (EFPC) , an initiative of the Max Bell Foundation and the Energy Futures Lab, also involving the Canada West Foundation, Smart Prosperity Institute, Business Council of Alberta, and Emissions Reduction Alberta, aims to identify and support these possible responses. It will explore the question: How we might use public policy to help attract greater investment and talent into the innovation and infrastructure for ‘future-fit’ hydrocarbons, in light of global investors’ increasing concern with climate change and growing appetite for low-emissions and transition-oriented opportunities . The EFPC will unfold over the course of two years, casting a wide net and engaging more than just the usual suspects. This broad lens may seem perplexing to stakeholders on all sides of the convening question, who may have a laundry list of specific challenges and a portfolio of preferred solutions. It is essential, however, that we don’t zoom in too quickly. By keeping our frame broad, we aim to: Push ourselves to investigate the problem space from different perspectives, surfacing assumptions and asking better questions that open up new possibilities for solutions, Map the landscape of existing initiatives, projects, and thinking, enabling us to anchor in potent policy windows and to be additive and complementary to work quickly coming online Take a systems approach, recognizing the fact that no single actor or solution can move the needle alone and building towards a portfolio of possible solutions designed to amplify opportunities and anticipate unintended consequences. Though our process will be systematic and structured, the journey we’ll be undertaking to explore this question will not be a linear one. A developmental approach will provide the team with real time feedback on what’s working and what’s not working, in addition to raising the question of whether our work is making a difference. This policy collaborative is also taking a new approach by building time into the process to conduct small scale testing. Lastly, while the process primarily targets policy recommendations as its key deliverables, it has been designed in such a way that it offers the possibility that potential solutions and initiatives could also emerge that are not policy-focused or targeted at governments (e.g. new partnerships, projects, public engagement activities, products/services). The Energy Futures Lab is well set up as a platform to connect such additional initiatives to further testing and development through its extensive network and existing partnerships. The importance of this project being a collaborative that aims to harness the power of diverse perspectives cannot be understated. A multidimensional challenge such as this requires a multidimensional approach, one that taps into a broader and deeper variety of expertise, people, and lived experiences. Crucially, this is an opportunity to demonstrate to climate-concerned investors that there is a broader network of Alberta innovators and professionals working to bridge the gap between where Alberta’s energy sector currently sits in relation to climate change responses, and where it needs to sit for investors to feel confident investing in Alberta hydrocarbon resources, technologies, and skills. As we set off on this initiative, there’s a palpable sense, in all corners, that the status quo can’t continue, with as many root causes and possible solutions as there are stakeholders. Our aspiration is to help policy leaders respond to and map pathways in this dynamic environment, and ultimately to play a role in helping attract climate-concerned investment capital into the innovations and infrastructure that will position Alberta for success in the 21st century. #Clean_Technologies #Regional_Pathways #Sustainable_Finance #Scenarios_for_Albertas_Energy_Future #Prosperous_Transition_Blueprint_and_Campaign #Energy_Futures_Policy_Collaborative #FutureFit_Hydrocarbons #FutureFit_Hydrocarbons #Sustainable_Finance_Transition_Index #2020

Building a Policy Bridge to Future-Fit Hydrocarbons

As a second COVID wave hits the province with full force and the impacts of prolonged economic repercussions become clearer, Alberta...

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Sitting in his kitchen with a ballpoint pen and a small coiled notebook, Walter considers his expenses. With December looming around the corner, he laments the fact that his furnace, after all these years, has chosen to retire on the heels of winter. With his natural gas furnace no longer working, Walter has purchased two electric heaters to warm his home. These new additions leave him feeling unsure of how best to tackle his energy bills and this nervousness inspires him to investigate his home’s various electrical needs. In his son’s room, shelves decked with plastic dinosaurs and superhero posters adorn the walls. A small boy by the name of Brooks sits in the corner with a laptop propped over his knees. Walter approaches and unplugs the computer cord, telling the boy to finish his homework by hand. The boy’s teacher, he assures, won’t mind. Little does Walter know that the cost of powering his son’s laptop is of little significance, especially when compared to the oversized electric heaters he’s had running since the furnace died. Still, these days he hopes to divert whatever savings he can. Walter is one of the 2.8 million Canadians living in energy poverty, paying a disproportionate amount of his earnings on his energy bills. The average Albertan family will spend $2,699/yr while an energy poor family will spend upwards of $3,333. What’s even more troubling is the fact that energy poor families tend to earn 53% less than the Provincial average, earning approximately $36,914 a year versus $77,926. This combination of higher than average bills and lower than average income has resulted in a state of affairs that requires additional support.   Unfortunately, Alberta has yet to remedy the situation, to create a solution that takes into account the uniqueness of each household, homeowner and sequence of events leading a person into this kind of experience. In this energy-intensive province, where average winters are both long and cold, there are grace periods during which utilities must wave the threat of disconnection. For example, electricity cannot be disconnected from October 15 to April 15 while natural gas cannot be disconnected from November 1 to April 15. But for payment-troubled customers, this is nothing more than a temporary delay, a band-aid if you will. Eventually, bills must be paid and for people like Walter, energy bills are mentally, physically and financially taxing. While spring, in many occasions, is considered noteworthy for its heavy rains and burgeoning tulips, the season also brings with it a rise in anxiety related to housing stability, as families experiencing energy poverty are forced to pay accumulated bills, thereby diverting money for rent or mortgages. Now consider Alberta’s population as it approaches 4.5 million residents. With 237,000 of these residents living in energy poverty, one might even be willing to consider this challenge a crisis and with it, the countless health and emotional side effects that accompany energy poor individuals. These side effects are wide ranging, and include everything from increased cardiovascular and pulmonary disease to lower birth weights among infants or kids who, on average, miss 15% more days of school. For Walter, living in energy poverty came as a shock. In fact, he doesn’t even consider himself “poor,” he just knows that paying his bills involves a struggle. For all his life, he’s worked hard. Been diligent. Independent. But things are much different now, far bleaker than the day he’d signed off on this house, with its sprawling front deck and bright yellow exterior. Back then he’d felt relieved, thinking he could, at last, claim independence. That all would be well. For the most part, it had been, at least until the day he fractured his spine and totaled his truck a few Octobers past. In the weeks to follow he’d spent the last of his savings on a used vehicle. Living in a rather remote location, he hadn’t much choice in the matter seeing as neither the grocery store nor his son’s school are within walking distance from his house. Shortly after this difficult purchase, he learned the meaning of “paycheck to paycheck,” though in Walter’s case, these checks came from the government and never did they allow him to save for even the smallest of home repairs. He received a lot of skepticism, too, about the money that is. From nosey neighbours and from others who viewed his existence as nothing more than “a burden on society.” Why couldn’t he afford to pay his bills? After all, people said the government was giving him a “handout.” At a time, he might have thought the same thing but now he’s running three electric heaters to make up for the broken furnace and paying his mortgage and purchasing groceries and toilet paper and all the while he’s got a child whose school is demanding fees for an upcoming field trip and whose backpack has a broken zipper and for whom Walter is still hoping to buy a birthday present in two weeks time. Meanwhile he hasn’t a spare $5000 to spend on upgrades like a high efficiency furnace that might reduce his energy bills, even if he were to get back $1500 of that as part of a rebate program. Nor can he assume any more debt, despite the province’s financing options for homeowners seeking to improve the efficiency of their houses. With poor credit and no upfront cash, neither of these options are of any benefit to someone like Walter. Alberta is one of the last provinces in Canada to support the one in five people struggling to pay their energy bills. Energy poor individuals are in dire need of support, but in saying this, it’s also important to note that not each home or homeowner needs the exact same kind of support. Looking, for example, at a home’s single pane windows or its crumbling insulation, the broken ducts or furnace or even the size of a home, you’ll find many secrets and stories. These revelations speak to an order of priority as to how one might spend money to increase the efficiency of a home and decrease the cost of bills. New showerheads and lightbulbs won’t help Walter. In fact, looking for solutions to energy poverty is very much akin to the way a doctor assesses their patients’ health. Imagine if patients were to sit down on a bed of crinkled paper and the doctor, upon entering the room and without looking at the patient, immediately claimed to have found a solution. In no world would this make good sense. Now apply this same thinking to a home. How can a program tend to any home or homeowner’s ills without first assessing the home or even taking the time to hear the homeowner’s unique story? Prescribing LED light bulbs to a home might therefore be compared to a doctor who blindly prescribes antidepressant medication to a patient suffering from a bladder infection. While taking the time with homeowners and their houses can help build a climate of trust between energy poor individuals and those offering solutions, it also provides insight into how one might best allocate a given number of dollars to reduce energy bills. If a home such as Walter’s is suffering from a broken furnace, installing new LED light bulbs or insulation may not result in the best return on investment. Taking the time to understand what is needed in each home is called a “diagnostic approach” and recognizes that there is no “one size fits all” solution to energy poverty or to improving energy inefficient homes. Walter’s story demonstrates the need for tailored solutions to energy poverty.   There is no better way to tackle such a broad challenge than by developing programs that ensure the needs of individual homeowners are both seen and heard. In doing so, we can build a climate of trust with payment-troubled customers by taking the time to connect with their stories and the homes in which they dwell. Furthermore, investments will experience stronger returns as dollars are allocated to a home’s most pressing needs. With support from Alberta innovators, government and utility companies, we can work together to create a more prosperous future for all Albertans. By collaborating as a province, we can create an energy poverty reduction program grounded in a diagnostic approach. In doing, we can create a future for Alberta in which no person is left behind. #Future_Economy #Culture_Shift #Regional_Pathways #Energy_Poverty #2020

In Lieu of Lightbulbs: A Look at Energy Poverty in Alberta

Sitting in his kitchen with a ballpoint pen and a small coiled notebook, Walter considers his expenses. With December looming around the...

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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 temporary collapse in the broader economy will put Alberta’s community and business leaders to the toughest test they’ve ever faced — one that they cannot afford to fail. But there’s an old saying that breakdowns can create breakthroughs, and there are some very important ones that could happen in Alberta if the right decisions are made in this crisis. Investments today can help enable structural changes that unlock longer term opportunities that will be key to future prosperity. Yes, the oil and gas industry needs support to weather the storm that it’s been hit with. At the same time, efforts by the federal and provincial government can’t just focus on sustaining what Alberta already has. They should also be directed towards areas where it can build new industries and opportunities, along with the jobs and investment they could sustain. The most strategic investments of all will leverage Alberta’s legacy assets and resources to enable the economy of the future. Thankfully, a growing network of innovators and partner organizations have been collaborating for years through the Energy Futures Lab to develop a shared sense of the big opportunity areas in an energy system and economy that are fit for the future. Here are five key areas where governments looking to offer help today should be directing their attention. Hydrogen The hydrogen economy has been slow to take off around the world, and its promise has been touted for some time now. But its role in a low-carbon economy is becoming more clear with each passing day, and Alberta is well-positioned to capitalize on that by leveraging its many resources and capabilities. By combining its massive deposits of natural gas with carbon-capture technology, Alberta could be a leader in the production and export of so-called “Blue Hydrogen” — a fuel source that combines high energy intensity with low emissions. Better yet, it can be produced in Alberta at half the wholesale cost of diesel. As the University of Calgary’s David Layzell and Jessica Hof noted in a recent op-ed for the Edmonton Journal , the economic possibilities here are tantalizing. “If the province produced and exported hydrogen as a transportation fuel,” they wrote, “instead of selling an equivalent amount of crude oil and natural gas to the U.S. at discount prices, the Alberta economy could generate three to 10 times more economic activity.” And as they noted in a recent report for CESAR (Canadian Energy Systems Analysis Research) and the Transition Accelerator, Alberta enjoys cost advantages over most other potential producers of hydrogen. Image courtesy of CESAR/The Transition Accelerator Yes, the market for the hydrogen economy has been slow to take shape, but that’s beginning to change. There were more than 50 strategies and targets put in place last year, from Germany to South Korea, to enable the development of hydrogen-based systems. The 2020 Tokyo Olympics will not take place until 2021, but one thing we know for sure is that the Olympic flame will be powered by hydrogen for the first time in history. Hydrogen will also power the 6,000-unit Olympic Village, as well as the buses and cars that will move athletes between venues. According to Sam French, an editorial advisory board member with H2 View, “[The] Tokyo Olympics will provide the platform for hydrogen to pole vault into the mainstream. We’re on the cusp of a major energy transition. 2020 could very well be the year to shift public perception and unleash the global hydrogen market.” While electric vehicles are all the rage right now in many circles, hydrogen-powered ones are ready to make their move. The Toyota Mirai, which has been in production since 2014 and was recently revamped with a 30% larger driving range, is part of the Japanese automaker’s push to grow the market for fuel-cell vehicles. Then there’s the Nikola Motor Company, an American firm whose Badger is being touted as the most advanced zero emissions FCEV/BEV pick-up truck in the world. With 980 ft. lbs of torque, 906 peak horsepower, and 455 continuous horsepower, it won’t lack for muscle. Image courtesy of the U.S. Department of Energy But where hydrogen really shines is in the heavy transport space, which accounts for a large and growing proportion of our overall emissions.As Layzell and Hof noted in their Edmonton Journal op-ed , in Alberta alone freight transportation accounts for 12 million tonnes of GHGs every year, along with 70 percent of diesel fuel demand. Replacing that with hydrogen would drive huge emissions reductions in the near term and even bigger economic opportunities down the proverbial road. That’s why it’s time for the federal and provincial governments to put their full weight behind ideas that increase the use of hydrogen in the heavy transport space. That includes everything from injecting hydrogen into existing diesel engine transport trucks, which would support the build out of the infrastructure that’s needed for a wider network of hydrogen fueling stations, to the Alberta Zero-Emissions Truck Electrification Collaboration Project, a $15 million, three-year joint venture between Emissions Reduction Alberta and the private sector. Hydrogen’s moment is upon us, and Alberta can play a major role in that — and benefit accordingly. Geothermal Energy Geothermal offers some of the lowest-hanging economic fruit available right now, given Alberta’s demonstrated capacity for drilling and developing sources of energy and its rich inventory of potential geothermal sites (which includes old oil and gas wells). If Alberta companies like Terrapin Geothermics and Borealis Geopower were empowered to build out 300 megawatts worth of geothermal electricity, along with an array of geothermally-heated district energy networks, it could spark a $3.6 billion economic boom — one that would employ welders, bit suppliers, construction workers, drilling crews, pumping equipment suppliers, and a host of other people and small businesses. The Pico Alto Geothermal Power Plant on the Island of Terceira in the Azores. Image courtesy of Terrapin Geothermics By drilling 186 new wells, it would support over $900 million in new drilling activity alone — a vital contribution to a sector that is being waylaid by collapsing oil prices and the resulting decline in the number of wells being drilled. And because geothermal wells are often larger and more complex than ones looking for hydrocarbons, they tend to last up to four times longer than conventional oil and gas drilling operations. Here, that would mean 7,500 total drilling days and 750 direct jobs, along with 5,625 indirect and induced drilling-related jobs. That’s not all. By unlocking 138 million gigajoules of low-carbon baseload heat, it could support district heating systems and meet industrial demand in a way that’s good for the environment and the economy. The creation of new district heating systems could support 10,000 jobs during the construction phase and 300 for their operation, along with 6,600 indirect jobs, and create an asset that industries like pulp and paper and agriculture can put to good use. Finally, if the 300 megawatts of waste thermal heat generated by the Alberta Industrial Heartland and Strathcona Industrial Area was captured, it could both reduce emissions and create value. At present, there’s approximately 7.5 million gigajoules of heat that’s vented into the atmosphere in those two places, a figure that represents $39 million in lost value. By building a 50 kilometre district heat network that connects these two areas, the province could activate $50 million in direct construction activity, support over 300 jobs, and create $92 million in total economic opportunity. The team at Borealis GeoPower Geothermal development is low-hanging fruit, and picking it will create jobs, reduce emissions, and support a sector of the economy that will otherwise suffer more with falling global oil prices. Lithium Another opportunity to leverage Alberta’s oil and gas assets to develop a new industry highly relevant for a low carbon emissions future is with lithium. This may strike some as ironic, given that lithium is a key component in the electric vehicles that some in the oil and gas industry see as a threat to their business. For those in the province’s burgeoning lithium sector, though, like e3 Metals and Summit Nanotech, EVs are a key driver of demand for their product — one that’s made right here in Alberta. And the more of those cars that get made, the more lithium will be needed to do it. Demand for lithium is expected to start outstripping supply as soon as 2025. Most of that supply currently comes from Australia, South America, and China, where it’s produced using environmentally dubious techniques like hard-rock mining or evaporation ponds. Here in Alberta, on the other hand, it’s already being produced as a byproduct in oil and gas drilling, especially in the brine that comes out of wells in the Leduc Reservoir region. All that’s needed is a willingness to extract the lithium and refine it — a process that would require the same kind of government support that helped lay the foundations for the oil sands industry a generation ago. Image courtesy of e3 Metals Corp Doing that could create hundreds of full-time jobs in the near term, and many more as the industry reduces its operating costs and starts to scale up. Eventually, Alberta could even play host to battery manufacturing plants, and the plethora of high-paying jobs and spin off economic opportunities that would create. Most importantly, it would give the province a valuable hedge against the possibility that electric vehicles really do take off in popularity, and put a dent in global demand for oil in the process. Bitumen Beyond Combustion It’s no secret that Alberta is sitting on hundreds of billions of barrels of bitumen, the thick and heavy deposits that have been getting steamed and mined out of the earth for decades. But the fact that we could be doing something other than putting that bitumen into barrels and sending it off to refineries? That very much remains a secret to many people, even right here in Alberta. To its credit, the Government of Alberta has been trying to change that. Through the “Bitumen Beyond Combustion” program that’s been championed by Alberta Innovates, it has invested in research that studies other economic opportunities and applications for bitumen. That research has already yielded some very interesting results, with potential uses ranging from asphalt and activated carbon to vanadium (for batteries) and carbon nanotubes. But the most exciting discovery is the possible applications in carbon fibre technology, something that is being supported by a $15 million Carbon Fibre Grand Challenge. Carbon fibre is ten-times stronger than steel, and composite materials that use it are being tested in a wide range of potential applications, from automobiles and the aerospace industry to concrete, plastics, and wood products. And while demand for crude oil and products refined from it like gasoline and diesel may start to decline in the near future, it is going nowhere but up for things like cars, homes, buildings, roads, and consumer goods. Bitumen-derived asphaltenes have two key advantages: a significantly smaller environmental impact than energy products that are combusted, and a dramatically lower supply cost ($0.50/kg versus polyacrylonitrile at $7–14/kg) than other potential sources of carbon fibre. Image courtesy of Corporate Knights While a bitumen-based carbon fibre industry is at least five years away from commercial production at meaningful scale, direct and meaningful government funding could help speed that along. It could also help grow the market and position Alberta as a leader in it. That market could be very, very big, given that it aligns perfectly with the lower-carbon emissions economy that’s being built as we speak. It can make cars lighter, and give them better mileage. It can make bridges more durable, and ensure they need to be replaced every 200 years rather than every 50. And it can make consumer products like hockey sticks, bicycles, and prosthetics more affordable. Best of all, it can do all of these things without creating significant downstream emissions — an obvious advantage over bitumen that gets combusted, where more than three-quarters of current emissions take place. Bitumen beyond combustion turns the carbon intensity of the oilsands from a liability into an asset. If the market reaches its potential, the value of every barrel in the ground in Alberta would increase by five to ten times — and a new industry could take root that might one day generate between $50 billion and $100 billion in annual revenue. Artificial Intelligence When it’s all said and done, artificial intelligence and machine learning may prove to be the most important economic developments of the 21st century. They are already transforming the way people work in an ever-expanding range of industries, from agriculture and oil and gas to tech and manufacturing, and their influence will only continue to grow. And much of that influence is coming right from our own backyard in Edmonton, where the University of Alberta and the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute have long been leaders in this space. Their work, and their presence, helped attract Google’s Deep Mind to Edmonton, where it set up its first international research office in 2017. The power of AI is no secret to some of Alberta’s biggest companies, either. Suncor, for example, has made AI and machine learning a key part of its “Suncor 4.0” plan, which will see it partnering with Microsoft to bring new technologies to bear on its entire business. As Suncor’s Sandy Martin told the Financial Post, “If you think into the future — and wherever that future is — there isn’t an environment where any company survives without becoming digital.” Imperial Oil, meanwhile, recently announced a two-year agreement with the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute that will see them work together to help the oil giant build out its in-house machine learning capabilities and apply them to a wide range of environmental and operational challenges. But Alberta’s advantage in this space is starting to slip, as other cities and countries compete to attract AI talent and capital. Where the University of Alberta used to rank in the top five among post-secondary institutions in the world for AI in terms of the number of publications and academic citations, it has slipped to 13th over the last five years. While universities around the world are investing billions of dollars in new facilities and infrastructure — MIT alone is investing $1 billion to create a new college that combines AI, machine learning, and data science with other academic disciplines — the University of Alberta is starting to fall behind. What’s needed is a renewed commitment by government to supporting the AI sector, both in words and deeds. That will mean reinstating the Scientific Research and Experimental Development Tax Credit and increasing, rather than decreasing, budgets for entities like Alberta Innovates and the University of Alberta. Most importantly, it will mean treating new forms of economic activity in the province as a genuine opportunity rather than competition for incumbent industries. AI researchers and innovators thrive on solving problems in other sectors and systems, and Alberta’s energy sector is both rich in data and ripe with challenges that need to be addressed as it looks to strengthen its cost and carbon competitiveness and stay relevant in a shifting energy landscape. Alberta should be fertile ground for AI innovation, and government can play an important role in making that happen. Yes, It’s Time Albertans understand what it means to chase a shared economic goal, and they’ve been very successful in doing that over the last few decades. Now, it’s time to chase a new one: a future in which the term energy encompasses a wider range of possibilities, where we use our past strengths on new opportunities, and where these new opportunities aren’t impeded by old blind spots. It’s a future defined by economies of support, where one opportunity begets and actually advances another. That’s why these aren’t five separate tracks but rather interconnected pathways of opportunity and possibility. And that’s why they deserve to be supported as we all try to put the pieces of our lives, our businesses, our province, and our country back together. #Hydrogen #Geothermal_Energy #Lithium_from_Brine #Batteries #Bitumen_Beyond_Combustion #Advanced_Materials #CCUS #Artificial_Intelligence #Clean_Technologies #Culture_Shift #Future_Economy #2020

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...

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We are excited to announce our newest Fellows! The EFL has been steadily welcoming new Fellows since its inception in 2015. We now have over 65 Fellows from different organizations and communities to advance EFL initiatives and continue to shape the energy system the future requires of us. The EFL Fellows have demonstrated the power of shared leadership, co-creation, and experimentation. We are proud of our Fellows and are excited to announce this impressive group who will contribute alongside the current cohort : Aatif Baskanderi , QUEST Abbas Ali Beg , ATCO Brandon Holterman , Seven Generations Chelsea Donelon , TransAlta Corporation Dallas Dunn , TransAlta Corporation Hossein Shahandeh , Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (Amii) Jennifer D’Aoust , Energy Efficiency Alberta (EEA) Jordan Stein , City of Calgary Mark Chidwick , eDecisions Solutions Ltd. Petr Musilek , University of Alberta Steve Saddleback , Indian Resource Council Sydney Kjellander , Alberta Clean Technology Industry Alliance (ACTia) Yasmin Abraham , Empower Me Welcome to the Energy Futures Lab! #Culture_Shift #Fellowship #2020

Welcome Fellows 2020!

We are excited to announce our newest Fellows! The EFL has been steadily welcoming new Fellows since its inception in 2015. We now have...

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In March this year we were all shocked by the COVID pandemic, causing a massive disruption in our personal and professional lives. One of the areas that, in particular, was disrupted were in-person gatherings, such as workshops, conferences and meetings. For those, like myself, who work on challenges that require innovation and collaboration of diverse groups of people, this provoked a major question: How can we continue to create engaging online experiences that are effective in moving our work forward? Over the past 6 months, we have had the pleasure of delivering dozens of engaging online workshops, from 9 person team retreats to 30 people workshops to 500 people conferences. Recently, we have had people reach out with questions seeking advice on how they can create similar experiences, and we thought that we would take a moment to share some key lessons that we have learned in case they are useful for you. Before going further, a couple of quick things. As always, please consider your context as a filter. You know your situation best, so take ideas that make sense for you and feel free to leave those that do not. Also, I am not going to discuss the basics of good meeting and workshop design, e.g. clarifying your need and purpose, framing meaningful questions, know your audience, etc. These continue to apply in an online context. So, without further ado, here are a few lessons about effective and engaging online collaboration. Lessons #1: Shift Your Paradigm The biggest mistake I have seen when approaching online workshops is to take what has worked effectively in-person and simply try to mimic it online. This won’t work. Rather than lamenting that you can’t get together in person, consider the positives of coming together online and design around those. For example, it allows more frequent connection, it is easier to fit into schedules, and teams can come together from greater geographic distances. This may lead to different patterns of engagement from, for example, larger longer in-frequent in-person gatherings to smaller, purposeful and more frequent gatherings. Lessons #2: Think Harvest Before Technology One of the first questions that we get asked: what online collaboration technology should I use? We suggest that you actually start with another: What do I want to harvest from this gathering? Consider what information is most useful for you and your team to capture and leave with. For example, if you are hosting a gathering and simply want some live reaction to a few questions, then something with a low learning curve like Slido could work for you. If you are working with a team looking at a complex innovation challenge, then something more flexible like Miro could act as work mat to allow teams to capture and manipulate ideas. Lesson #3: Build in Movement into Activity and Breaks Although seemingly obvious, it is easy to get into designing an online workshop and forget that people are fatigued by sitting in front of their screens. One way to address this is to build in some movement every 45 minutes or so. For example, this could simply be a break with a little stretch or encouragement to step outside. Another option is to build in paired walks into your design, asking participants to call each other on their cellphones (yes, they make calls as well) to explore a question or idea together while taking a stroll. Another is a solo journaling exercise with pen and paper. Another is to ask people to sit outside in a quiet spot and dial in on their phone for part of the conversation. You get the idea. Have fun and be creative, people will enjoy the human experience. Lesson #4 Design with Interaction in Mind One important rule in effective facilitation is to engage people with sight, sound, and movement within five minutes of the start, and to ideally continue to do this for the rest of the workshop every 15 minutes or so. This is even more important online where our past experiences of long presentations cause many of us to put the webinar in the background while we attend to other things. Lesson #2 and #3 above offer some ideas to do this, and I also wanted to give a shout out to the humble chatbox, a simple feature in online meeting platforms like Zoom or Teams. The chatbox allows for interaction amongst participants in a way that is not possible in-person. For example, rather than a design where you have a 60 minute panel of presentations and then stop for 30 minutes of Q&A, consider a series of snappy back to back 5 – 7 minute presentations where participants are encouraged to pose questions in real time via the chatbox, and where other participants and the presenter (once finished) can also respond in real time. When one presenter stops and another starts to keep the energy high. We have seen high levels of engagement and positive feedback to this approach that is only possible online (remember: shift the paradigm). I hope that this has been useful for you. This list is certainly not exhaustive, so feel free to share some of your lessons, ideas and best practices in the comments section. Questions also welcome and best of luck with your online sessions! #Culture_Shift #Fellowship #2020 #Process_Design

Four Lessons for Engaging and Effective Online Collaboration

In March this year we were all shocked by the COVID pandemic, causing a massive disruption in our personal and professional lives. One of...

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As governments and industry around the world work to jump-start their economies and restart their businesses without triggering a second wave of COVID-19 infections, they’re suddenly open to ambitious ideas and policies that were on a slow track before the virus struck. But in straining for the highest fruit on the tree, we need to be careful that we don’t miss one of the easiest pieces to pick: energy efficiency. It will deliver results — and deliver them quickly. Installation of commercially available high-efficient technology saves more money than it costs, reduces emissions, and supports the local economy, producing high-quality local jobs while keeping investment in the community. But for too long, we’ve overlooked this opportunity. The good news is that now is the perfect time for that to change. A 2019  study  by Navigant Guidehouse gives us a glimpse into the economic upside of an investment in energy efficiency in Alberta. Under a scenario where $150 million is invested in energy efficiency programming, the potential electricity savings in buildings, and non-oil and gas industrial facilities would be around 1% per year, a figure that’s similar to electrical efficiency targets found in other jurisdictions in Canada and the United States. And while 1% per year may not sound like very much, this represents $290 million in private sector investment and $1 billion per year in gross savings. Energy efficiency benefits are cumulative, which means by 2040 we’d see savings of 20% or more. That spending, a portion of which could come from an existing carbon levy, would also offset 900 megawatts of electricity system capacity, making it easier — and less expensive — to green the grid. Sustainable Projects Group staff reduce energy costs for their industrial and commercial clients by making their buildings and facilities run more efficiently. So if the math is this compelling, why haven’t we put it to work already? In part, it’s because we haven’t put a price on the value it creates. For example, no matter what your opinion may be on its effectiveness, exposure to the carbon pricing concept has led to an awareness within government and industries of an implied value of carbon as a commodity. Commodities can then be bought, sold, and traded, creating a market and revenue stream. Products like renewables and geothermal already have “value.” In other words, there is a mechanism in place that puts a price on the outputs of those projects and is generally accepted by business and financial institutions. We have yet to do that for the output of energy efficiency. If we did, it could be a game changer for business competitiveness in Alberta. That’s because it would help companies reduce their operating costs while increasing their resiliency to change and new challenges. This is important, given that our business sector was already facing competitiveness challenges from jurisdictions around the world before COVID hit. And while companies have recognized the value of incorporating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors into their corporate policies and business decisions, there are now (thanks to the economic impact of the virus) limited funds available for them to invest in energy efficiency opportunities. Without that additional investment, energy efficiency will remain unpicked fruit on the tree of opportunity. Building management companies such as Strategic Group use energy scans to identify opportunities to trim building operating costs while increasing comfort levels for tenants. CLEAResult staff supported this energy scan as part of the Strategic Energy Management program. Working to ensure this opportunity doesn’t get wasted is what inspired a partnership between the Energy Futures Lab and Energy Efficiency Alberta. This includes developing a rural small business pilot that makes energy efficiency improvements more accessible and financially viable. Working with municipalities to take the lead with an initiative that will offer Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing. And a new study that demonstrates the effectiveness of energy efficiency as a way to manage increased demand for electricity (which is anticipated to skyrocket with the electrification of the transportation system). We’re not the only ones who see the opportunity that energy efficiency offers right now, either. The recently announced Task Force for a Resilient Recovery, which features a wide range of high-profile business and environmental leaders, also believes that energy efficiency should play a key role as we rebuild our economy and invest in “shovel-worthy” projects. Now, we need to act — and there are four key ways that we can enable an energy efficient economic recovery. First, we should explicitly recognize energy efficiency as a resource under the Electric and Gas Utilities Act. Second, we need to increase access to the Alberta emission offset market, and address administrative barriers to entry that currently exist for smaller projects. Third, we can incorporate energy efficiency into our utility system, and use it to offset or defer higher-cost generation, transmission and distribution alternatives. And finally, it’s time to support ESG reporting and give lending institutions and investors the ability to more fully value the benefits of energy efficiency in their risk assessments and valuations. Over 2,200 rooftop solar panels on Calgary’s IKEA store are offsetting approximately 744 tonnes of C02 emissions per year. None of us would have chosen this current set of economic circumstances. The human and economic cost has been staggering. But as the world grapples with how to safely restart economies and move into recovery, we have a unique opportunity in Alberta to finally capture the value that energy efficiency can create for our industries, businesses, and institutions. If we do that, we’ll be that much closer to the prosperous and sustainable future that everyone wants to reach. #Electricity #Clean_Technologies #NonWires_Solutions #Rooftop_Solar #Shovel_Ready_Projects #2020

Why Energy Efficiency is An Opportunity Alberta Can’t Afford to Pass Up

As governments and industry around the world work to jump-start their economies and restart their businesses without triggering a second...

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Dear Energy Futures Lab Fellows, Partners & Steering Committee Members, Recent events demonstrate the importance of acknowledging and actively addressing systemic racism. Knowing these traumas are a part of Canada’s social fabric, we invite our community to lean collectively into this grief, discomfort, and moment of witness. We encourage you to reflect on the importance of being open to new ways of being, thinking, and doing. We want to recognize the members of our community who are hurting right now. We deeply empathize with how this must be a very difficult time for many of you and our hearts go out to you and your loved ones. To those of us who are born into white privilege, how can we each learn from our discomfort during this time? How can we sit with it long enough to more viscerally hear, feel, see, and know how the system in which we exist within is inequitable and unjust? The Lab continuously references our Learning Journey in our collective and individual understanding of Canadian Indigenous Truth and Reconciliation. This is, ultimately, the discovery of the truth of how our societies are built upon systemic, generational injustice and racism. We believe this is an important moment in that journey to acknowledge the significance of this truth. The Energy Futures Lab is far from perfect, but as we come together to create the energy system the future requires, we will continue to build safer, inclusive spaces, to listen and to enhance our ability to elevate your voices. Sincerely, The Energy Futures Lab Team #Culture_Shift #Reconciliation_Journey #EFL_Vision #EFL_Platform #2020

An Open Letter to the EFL Community

Dear Energy Futures Lab Fellows, Partners & Steering Committee Members, Recent events demonstrate the importance of acknowledging and...

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In August of 2018 I had the good fortune to spend two weeks at the Banff Centre for Arts & Creativity for a Summer Writers Retreat. My project for that time was to write about the Energy Futures Lab. It was an intimidating program in the sense that I was there with people who were actual writers. I was one of only two non-fiction writers amidst a group of almost 20 very talented storytellers. At that time I had already made a shift in my role with the Energy Futures Lab to a part-time contract, having passed the mantle of leadership for the Lab to Alison Cretney at the outset of 2018 and set out for what would be the better part of a year in Costa Rica with my family. The idea with the retreat was that I would use the time to document the origin story of the EFL and some of the insights gathered along the way, perhaps one day to be compiled into a book. I mostly used the time well and did good work. A couple priority “EFL 2.0” fundraising proposals got in the way of the main objective, but time dedicated to writing those was surely well spent!  I also produced some decent early drafts of the first few chapters and an outline for the rest of the book. It didn’t get any further than that, other than that one of the “vignette” stories I wrote at that time – about two of the original EFL Fellows Daniel Clarke and Alison Thompson – was eventually published in Corporate Knights magazine. I was reminded of that work as I sat down to write this newsletter article on the occasion of yet another shift in my relationship with the Lab, to more of a participant role, as I step into a new position as Vice President, Sustainability and Citizenship with The Co-operators. The EFL was a good idea back in 2014, and it is an indispensable platform for change now. That is being made more obvious with every passing week, as the narratives and initiatives cultivated in the Lab make their way into the mainstream of public consciousness and the EFL’s profile and influence grows. My words of encouragement at this moment can be boiled down to this statement that a wise mentor, Dr. Karl-Henrik Robèrt, once shared with me: “Hug the framework.” By that, I am referring to the science and systems-thinking framework that underpins the work of the EFL and its host organization The Natural Step. The Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development (FSSD) and the insights it offers about what the future requires of us was instrumental for those of us involved in the early days of the EFL. Its implications were at the root of our belief that common ground could actually be found amidst all the dissension and polarization on energy and climate issues. And though it doesn’t often show up visibly in the day to day interactions of the Lab, every now and then its continued relevance as a lens for understanding the complexity we face is made obvious again. Most recently for me it was when Michael Moore’s Planet of the Humans movie was released. That film and the various reactions it caused highlighted for me the importance of backcasting from sustainability principles as a way to manage trade-offs (instead of getting stuck in lose/lose conundrums), leveraging the assets and resources around us for a better future (instead of lamenting where it all came from), and most importantly engaging constructively with one another (instead of demonizing people and groups with different interests). If you haven’t spent time with the content of the FSSD recently – and I suspect most of us haven’t – I encourage you to revisit some of the core learning materials of The Natural Step and Sustainability Illustrated . Perhaps after having done that, you’ll even rewatch Planet of the Humans with a new lens to reconsider its content. Or maybe even more productively, you’ll use that lens to consider what’s happening around us – to recognize patterns, to spot opportunities for connections. That’s what I’ve been doing for five years in various roles with the EFL. It’s what I’ll be continuing to do in the EFL going forward in my new capacity and also in my new role with The Co-operators, where that very lens is built into the organization’s core approach to business. We’re on a roll with the EFL. The world needs what we’re doing more than ever, so let’s lean in, hug the framework, and then reach out even more broadly than we have so far to be positive agents of hope and change. #Culture_Shift #Radical_Middle #Framework_for_Strategic_Sustainable_Development #Backcasting #System_Sensing #Fellowship #2020

Chad Park reflects on his time with the EFL

In August of 2018 I had the good fortune to spend two weeks at the Banff Centre for Arts & Creativity for a Summer Writers Retreat. My...

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A New Reality Our world is shifting towards a low-carbon economy and the Canadian and global energy marketplace is changing. Many will debate the pace of this shift, but one thing we are certain of is that the shift is happening. Much of this is driven by increasing concerns about our changing climate. A recent study by Canadian federal scientists and academics has warned that Canada’s climate is warming more rapidly than the global average. These shifts and uncertainties have left many communities in Alberta rethinking their future and exploring how to create resilient communities, building on their human capital while taking advantage of new economic opportunities. EFL Accelerator: Community Resilience The recent EFL Accelerator on Community Resilience centered around the question: How can communities enhance long-term resilience in light of the shifting energy landscape? EFL Accelerators focus on advancing initiatives to help Alberta achieve the EFL vision created by the Lab’s diverse Fellows and partners. The Accelerator brought together community leaders, funders, strategists, First Nations, and advisors – even four youth from Pincher Creek who brought their perspective on energy transition and hopes to learn how to shape the future of their community. “What’s great is that I was able to collaborate with people from different backgrounds: education, energy, business…you get different ideas about different topics. It is cool to see out of the box thinking,” said one of the youth Ayden Pitcher from Matthew Halton High School in Pincher Creek, Alberta This EFL Accelerator advanced four initiatives: Blockchain to Transact Carbon Offsets from Aggregated Micro-Solar Pilot , led by EFL Fellow and CEO of ReWatt Power Prageet Nibber Energy Efficiency Program for Small Rural Businesses Pilot , led by former EFL Fellow and Director of Energy Efficiency Alberta Financing Programs Justin Smith SouthWest Alberta Experiential Learning Lab (SWELL) Concept , led by EFL Fellow and Innovation Architect at Ventus Development Services James Van Leeuwen Louis Bull Renewable Schools Pilot , led by E FL Fellow and Executive Director of Iron and Earth Lliam Hildebrand More about these initiatives can be found below. Energy Transition in Southwest Alberta “Learning about the socio-economic impact predicted by the loss of the Shell gas plant near Pincher Creek hit home for me,” said Diandra (DJ) Bruised Head – one the new EFL Fellows and also Climate Change Coordinator at Blood Tribe Land Management. DJ participated in the SWELL Concept initiative, led by EFL Fellow James Van Leeuwen at the Southwest Alberta Sustainable Community Initiative , which is focused on energy systems, and building capacity to design and develop energy systems the future will require. At the Accelerator, SWELL’s initiative explored the implications of closing Shell Canada’s Waterton Gas Complex, which has been a major economic generator for southwest Alberta since the early 1960s. “My community is within the vicinity of the gas-plant; we can see the lights of the plant from the Blood Reserve some nights. While the socio-economic impact assessment was for Pincher Creek, it will impact Southern Alberta as a whole. My community prides itself on maintaining oil and gas as a prime industry, and there’s gratefulness in that statement: we’ve had the opportunity to elevate our Tribe economically and been successful in this area. The future challenges our historical success; however, the global economy for oil and gas is shifting, and is calling for investment into renewables.” In 2018, the Blood Tribe was awarded a contract in partnership with Électricité de France (EDF) to invest in windmills and contribute to the community’s economy, but DJ recognizes that “there is a space to fill to bring in community buy-in for renewable energies.” She acknowledges that in order to develop renewables, the community would need visible projects and continued engagement to build capacity within the community. New Digital Innovations and Community Resilience Another initiative focused on how a successful pilot might contribute towards creating a more interconnected, accessible, and adaptable electricity system in the province. The pilot used blockchain technology to verify and aggregate emission reductions across solar sites from rural Albertan micro-producers. While it demonstrated additional value to small producers in the form of emission credits, perhaps more importantly, it also showcased the potential of the technology and the value of different stakeholders agreeing on a shared architecture. Participants explored what is needed to deploy this and other newer technologies in support of increased transparency and accessibility in Alberta’s power system. Re-thinking Work, Re-training Workforce The main premise of the Louis Bull Solar Renewable Schools Pilot, led by Fellow Lliam Hildebrand at Iron & Earth, is to assist un- (or under) employed oil and gas workers and Indigenous community members in expanding their skill sets to include renewable energy projects. Nick Clark, Director at Utilities, Network and Partners, a Calgary-based organization affiliated with the Olds Institute also participated at the Iron & Earth session and shared a different perspective on community-based projects. He strongly encouraged community leaders to look at market-based approaches. “What you need to possibly think of is, if subsidies and government grants disappear, if the programs are not sustainable on their own, how do you achieve your objectives?” said Nick. The session focused on the potential for Iron and Earth to apply a social enterprise approach to its work, with experts from the TRICO Changemakers and ATB Financial. Ranice Macyk, Senior Manager, Entrepreneur Capital Business & Agriculture at ATB Financial participated and brought a wealth of knowledge on financing options for community-based organizations: “I loved to see some of the projects that everyone is working on and I think it is a great idea to bring individuals from different backgrounds and industries together to help solve problems,” said Ranice. Each session brought a different initiative, a different story, and a variety of experts to help initiatives advance at this EFL Accelerator. Moving forward Many Alberta community leaders and organizations are aware of the implications of energy transition and how it will continue to impact community resilience and the province’s future workforce. The EFL will continue to work with interested stakeholders to develop these initiatives. If you are interested in getting involved with the EFL, please check out the opportunities here . For those in rural Alberta, consider participating in an Energy Futures Roadshow near your community. Roadshows typically include a series of workshops over a few days with community members, businesses, governments, schools, economic and community developers and the general public, followed by support from the Energy Futures Lab team to enable action. So far, we have delivered four Roadshows in Alberta communities, namely Crowsnest Pass, Hinton, Devon, and Grande Prairie. These Roadshows have been praised and attracted a diversity of community and government leaders. Join us at Energy Futures Roadshows in Banff, Drayton Valley, and Red Deer in fall 2019. Stay tuned! #Regional_Pathways #Community_Resilience #Community_Resilience_Accelerator #EFL_Vision #Fellowship #Energy_Efficiency_Program_for_Small_Rural_Businesses_Pilot #SouthWest_Alberta_Experiential_Learning_Lab_SWELL_Concept #Louis_Bull_Renewable_Schools_Pilot #Crowsnest_Pass_Roadshow #Hinton_Roadshow #Devon_Roadshow #Grande_Prairie_Roadshow

Accelerating Community Resilience in light of Energy Transition

A New Reality Our world is shifting towards a low-carbon economy and the Canadian and global energy marketplace is changing. Many will...

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“We can’t forecast our way to the future that we want,we really need to begin with the end in mind.” – Chad Park, Lead Animator with Energy Futures Lab For years, the work explored within Energy Futures Lab (EFL) has flown mostly under the radar. Our community has collaborated on initiatives aimed at building a thriving, future economy. Now, a global shift is occurring and the Lab is seeing opportunities to expand our community and engage more broadly. On April 16th, the EFL held its first public online event, drawing over 250 participants from across Canada. The event was based on an article co-written by the Lab’s Managing Director and Lead Animator, Alison Cretney and Chad Park, titled Five Big Ideas for Alberta’s Economic Recovery . The article was incredibly well-received, so the Lab hosted an event, further exploring each of the five ideas. Since these are only five of many Alberta-based initiatives, the EFL will also launch a virtual “Big Ideas” series to continue highlighting work being done within the Lab. Our presenters offered a dynamic range of voices and expertise, covering topics relating to geothermal energy, lithium, hydrogen, artificial intelligence and alternative uses for bitumen. Below, you will find recordings from each session. In listening, we invite you to contemplate the role each of these fields will play in not only recovering Alberta’s economy, but in building a new vision of the future. Learn more about our presenters: Sean Collins, Alison Thompson, Bryan Helfenbaum, Liz Lappin, Maggie Hanna, Hossein Shahandeh and Greg Bennett. Near the end of the event we concluded by asking our audience: What actions do you feel you can take to help facilitate this energy transition? We were flooded with thoughtful and constructive answers as participants expressed a desire to adopt new technologies, seek out learning or engage researchers in developing scalable pilot projects. So as we continue responding to challenges arising as a result of COVID-19, we also remember that breakdowns really can create breakthroughs. In these times of crisis, we look for moments of opportunity. #Future_Economy #Culture_Shift #Clean_Technologies #Virtual_Conference_Five_Big_Idea_for_Albertas_Economic_Recovery #2020

Virtual Conference: Five Big Ideas for Alberta’s Economic Recovery

“We can’t forecast our way to the future that we want,we really need to begin with the end in mind.” – Chad Park, Lead Animator with Energy Futures Lab For years, the work explored within Energy Futures Lab (EFL) has flown mostly under the radar. Our community has collaborated on initiatives aimed at building a thriving, future economy. Now, a global shift is occurring and the Lab is seeing opportunities to expand our community and engage more broadly. On April 16th, the EFL held its first...

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There’s never a bad time for the Energy Futures Lab to meet, but the gathering in February in Cochrane was particularly timely. In the wake of Teck Resources’s decision not to proceed with its Frontier Oil Sands project, and in the shadow of both a national conversation over Coastal GasLink and Indigenous rights and a growing provincial one about the merits of separation from Canada, the time was right to ask some tough questions. Things would get even crazier in the days that followed, as oil prices collapsed under the weight of a renewed price war between OPEC, Russia, and the US shale industry, and the provincial government scrambled to react. Winston Churchill famously said that you should never let a good crisis go to waste, and this one seems perfectly aligned with the EFL’s vision and purpose. If the EFL can’t ask the tough questions about our energy future now, when can we? That said, nobody should expect any easy answers to emerge — and they certainly didn’t from the session in Cochrane. That’s why, instead of a tidy summary of the clear-cut answers that were generated during that day, we’re left with a new list of questions that need to be grappled with. These questions get at the heart of our energy dialogue in Alberta, and they may be useful in both moving past partisanship and building a more productive dialogue in this province. If there’s a group that can ask them, it’s the EFL. First, though, there were some points of agreement to build on. Most importantly, there was consensus that polarization sucks — a belief that’s built into the Lab’s DNA. And there was agreement that it’s not enough to dismiss or decry polarization, given that there are people and organizations who both benefit from polarization and routinely seek to exploit and expand it. The challenge for the Lab is figuring out a way to operate in that environment. Second, there was agreement that partisanship is a problem. Some thought it was a problem worth looking past, or trying to work around, while others believed it was better to engage directly with the system. But everyone agreed that it was a force to be reckoned with — and that the failure to do so would inevitably get in the way of the EFL’s mission. And third, there was a consensus that language matters, and that the words we use and the way we frame things publicly has a major impact on how they’re understood and experienced by others. Using the word “transformation”, for example, in place of “transition” can make the concept more approachable for many people. The Alberta Narratives Project covered this subject in much greater detail, and it’s a resource that anyone who is in the habit of discussing energy and climate issues should keep handy at all times. There was also agreement that we need to find common ground on this issue, but what that common ground looks like is up for debate. After all, where and what that common ground is shifts based on the questions in play and the people involved. Some have common ground on economic security, for example, while others find it on health outcomes. And while concepts like “human flourishing” might sound and seem like they have universal appeal, even they can be problematic. After all, one person’s human flourishing may involve the oil and gas industry being more active and prosperous — and that directly impacts another’s concept of flourishing in a negative way. The search for common values is similarly challenging. After all, if efforts to find shared values activate our tribal identities as either progressives or conservatives, are they a pathway to a more productive conversation or a trigger that pushes people back to a partisan one? More than anything, what the day in Cochrane revealed is that for all the technical and wonkish aspects of this conversation, it’s really much deeper than that. It’s about our identities, our histories, and how those sit in the world, as well as the tensions those all create. As with many things in Alberta, the real value is beneath the surface. What do those tensions look like? Here are five that came to the fore. Tension 1: Fear vs. Opportunity Does the EFL speak to people on the basis of their fears — be it for their own economic interests or the futures of their children and grandchildren — or their sense of the opportunities that may lie ahead in the energy transition? Tension 2: Complexity vs. Simplicity Should the EFL lean into the complexity of the conversation, and focus on the nitty gritty of policy proposals and technical solutions, or try to engage people on the basis of broader themes and ideas? Tension 3: Needs vs. Wants Is it better to focus on aspirational targets for the future, or near-term concerns about employment and stability? This dovetails with number one, but it has its own dimensions that are worth exploring. Tension 4: Disrupt vs. Destroy Some people felt that it was important to work with what we have, and improve the system in which our choices are being made. But others said that the status quo is the problem — and that the only way to fix it is to break it. Tension 5: Today vs. Tomorrow Building a consensus around the kind of future we want to build isn’t that difficult, especially when you stay at the level of broad and positive objectives that don’t require compromise. After all, who wouldn’t want to live in a future defined by a robust economy, a thriving environment, and fairness and justice for all? Deciding how we get there, and who should pay the highest price along the way, is where it gets messy. Sadly, there’s no way to resolve these conflicts in a way that leaves everyone satisfied and secure. That’s why we need to embrace the messiness that’s inherent here, and try to encourage others to join us in this space. As one fellow noted, there’s a literal physical disconnect between progressives and conservatives, and nowhere is that more apparent than when it comes to conversations about energy and climate. They worship in different places, socialize in different places, and often get educated in different places. The EFL is one of the few places where they regularly come together and share competing ideas. One of the goals going forward should be to recreate this space in as many places and spaces as possible. It won’t automatically resolve those five tensions, but it would certainly go a long way towards understanding them better. #Culture_Shift #Fellowship #Radical_Middle #EFL_Platform #2020

Navigating Tensions at the EFL

There’s never a bad time for the Energy Futures Lab to meet, but the gathering in February in Cochrane was particularly timely. In the...

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Since its inception, the EFL has had the intention to both include Indigenous people, partners, and perspectives as well as acknowledge and address, in its work, issues related to Indigenous people’s relationships to the energy system. As we step along our Truth and Reconciliation journey, we are embracing a knowing that this aspect of our work needs to be improved and deepened if we truly intend for the Lab to represent what is possible for today’s energy system in Alberta, and beyond. There have been many lessons along the way. Lessons that, I believe, pull us deeper into grasping the gravity of this journey, as opposed to lessons that form a clear sequence of steps or actions to take. But even while holding the highest intention for our work – to be genuinely collaborative and co-creative – we are learning and uncovering how the biases and beliefs we are personally and collectively rooted in ultimately shape the limits of our intentions. Our journey is more than tallying which efforts and initiatives have succeeded or not, but is the task of unlearning the limitations of what a Western mindset requires for success so that we can unlock true potential and innovation for a co-created future. And it’s far from “easy” or “solvable”. But what we are learning – or maybe remembering – is how to be in relationship again. Relationship with ourselves, each other, our communities, the land, and even re-consider our relationship with wealth, energy, and power. This journey has evolved into much more than we ever could have expected, which shouldn’t be (but, unfortunately is) surprising. What has been the most profound for me has been to witness the little moments when people are able to find common ground between a Western and Indigenous perspective. Sometimes it will be in the context of an initiative or social challenge that a small group is convening around, but often these moments are ignited within each person as something clicks and connects their head to their heart. And maybe, I would offer today, this simple bridging of a logical, task-oriented, goal-driven mindset with a holistic, compassionate, heart-first energy is the north star for our journey. With the north star being an invitation and a guide, not a mandate or responsibility. It then becomes the opportunity for each of us to recognize and respond to the importance of moving in this direction – and then choosing to, in our own time and own way. As a Lab, a large part of our collective commitment is to ongoing learning and adaptation. This work is not excluded from that dynamic. We certainly aren’t perfect, but we continuously strive to step into an awareness of our own personal work in tandem with respectfully strengthening the Lab’s capacity for authentically working in, across and between Western and Indigenous worldviews. 2020 promises to generate a lot of momentum for our Truth and Reconciliation journey. We have some exceptional new Fellows, new partners, and we truly believe that our hearts and minds are opening in ways that are both innovative and necessary for the future that is required of us. Looking forward to seeing you along the way. #Indigenous_Knowledge_Insight_and_Leadership #Culture_Shift #2020 #Reconciliation_Journey

Our Truth and Reconciliation Journey

Since its inception, the EFL has had the intention to both include Indigenous people, partners, and perspectives as well as acknowledge...

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For as long as the EFL has existed, its work has been creating productive and solutions-oriented conversations about energy and climate as well as expanding the dimensions of what we like to call the “radical middle.” But with political polarization on the rise, and the dialogue around the energy transition becoming more binary by the day, we thought it was time to expand our reach — and our ambitions. We’ve heard from many of our Fellows over the years that they wanted to see us engage much more with the public, share our stories, and what we value with them. We will be asking you and many Canadians to share what your energy future looks like to showcase the diversity of perspectives around energy. We want to exchange, listen, and have rich conversations about our energy future. And that’s exactly what will happen in 2020. The campaign, which encourages Albertans and Canadians to think about their energy future and the role they can play in it, will kick off with a video that frames the conversation in a productive way. It was edited by our own Fellow Rio Mitchell, and features some of the EFL’s own members sharing their vision of the energy future. But that video is just the beginning. It will be featured on a new website, and supported by Twitter and Facebook accounts dedicated to expanding its reach. That website will also feature new content about the technologies and ideas we explore in the Lab, and how they’ll create opportunities for us all to build a better future. Over the course of the spring and summer, we hope to take this campaign and the materials it will create on the road, whether to conferences and symposiums or town-hall style meetings with the public. We’ll be talking about it with the media, and we may ask you to do some talking of your own. And we’ll be doing everything we can to influence the national conversation and shift it in a more positive and productive direction. How can you help? First, by sharing the campaign and its content on your own social channels, and within your circles of friends, family, and colleagues. Encourage the people you know and love to think about what their energy future will look like, and talk about it with one another. Stay tuned for further developments as we build out the My Energy Future campaign. #Radical_Middle #Culture_Shift #My_Energy_Future_Campaign #2020

Introducing the “My Energy Future” Campaign

For as long as the EFL has existed, its work has been creating productive and solutions-oriented conversations about energy and climate...

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We are thrilled to share a number of connections to the recently announced Clean50 awards. David Hughes, President & CEO of The Natural Step Canada, host organization for the Energy Futures Lab, has been named as a member of Canada’s Clean50 for 2020. David played an instrumental role in co-founding the Circular Economy Leadership Coalition . He helped galvanize momentum and mobilize leading businesses, academics and NGOs towards achieving a prosperous, sustainable, closed-loop, zero-waste circular economy in Canada. Fellow Julia-Maria Becker from the Pembina Institute has won the Clean50 top project award for her role in leading The Alberta Narratives Project . In the current divisive and polarized environment around energy issues, this project involved more than 20 organizations and funders, and convened important climate and energy conversations with Albertans from all backgrounds. Fellow Alison Thompson, CEO of Borealis GeoPower, also won a top project award for her unique work on Geothermal Energy District between Kitselas Geothermal & Borealis GeoPower. This project takes an original approach to geothermal energy development for base-load electricity and renewable heating/cooling alternatives. According to Geothermal Energy District, this project not only opens avenues to ethical mining by dissolving rare minerals and metals in geothermal brines, but also each 15 MW of geothermal electricity developed is predicted to eliminate 70 kt of CO2 emissions each year. Every year, Canada’s Clean50 recognizes Canada’s leaders in sustainability for their contributions. There are 16 categories in the Clean50 Individual awards or “the Clean50” which go beyond numerous industries, academia, and various levels of government, and are based on accomplishments delivered over the prior two years. The EFL was awarded a Clean50 Project award in 2018 and we are proud of the continuous connections to this program through EFL Fellows and The Natural Step President & CEO David Hughes. “I’m deeply honoured and want to acknowledge that this wouldn’t have been possible without the leadership, expertise and investment of the many partners who make up this coalition,” says David. Meet the other 47 leaders on the Clean50 list! #Culture_Shift #Fellowship #Sustainaville_Geo_Park #2019

EFL Connections to Canada’s Clean50 in 2020

We are thrilled to share a number of connections to the recently announced Clean50 awards. David Hughes, President & CEO of The Natural...

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In many ways, this has been the Year of Carbon at the EFL. We need to re-imagine carbon and re-imagine waste to make a substantial reduction in GHG emissions. We have been supporting carbon neutral and carbon positive initiatives as well as refreshing EFL’s portfolio of initiatives to solve interrelated climate, environmental and economic challenges. Reducing carbon emissions from oil and gas assets and leveraging Alberta’s legacy infrastructure are important areas for the Lab. For instance, current and emerging technologies for Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) can play an important role in reducing carbon emissions in Alberta. We recently held a CCUS Workshop exploring how to increase momentum and political will while addressing barriers that slow its uptake, such as regulatory uncertainty, funding challenges, and public acceptance. We need to re-imagine carbon and re-imagine waste to make a substantial reduction in GHG emissions. At the end of this month, at SPARK 2019 , the EFL will host a session on how to frame a carbon positive conversation while The Natural Step Canada’s President & CEO David Hughes will moderate the panel Leveraging Canada’s Rich Natural Resources to Lead in a Global Circular Economy, exploring the linkages between re-imagining carbon waste and the concept of circularity. There are many ways that EFL Fellows and partners are rethinking the role of oil and gas in a low carbon economy. For example, the work at Canadian Energy Systems Analysis Research (CESAR) has been instrumental in developing a pathway for hydrogen produced from natural gas as a promising zero-emissions fuel. The Alberta Zero-Emissions Truck Electrification Collaboration (AZETEC), received $15 million earlier this year to pilot two hydrogen-fueled trucks that will move freight year-round between Edmonton and Calgary. The EFL is supporting these exciting developments by developing an engaged network of key players and enablers towards building a hydrogen economy in Alberta. In order to enable transition, we also need to look at advanced technologies and their intersection with climate and environmental solutions. Since 2018, the RBC Foundation has supported our Energy.AI series to create pilots and projects that employ machine learning and artificial intelligence applications for reducing GHG emissions and addressing climate change. We recently held our Energy.AI 3 Accelerator , which advanced three initiatives around increasing efficiency in oil and gas operations through applying AI; improving power system data quality to enable AI applications; and exploring how advanced technologies can help depolarize public discourse on energy. There are many solutions to our environmental and climate challenges in Alberta. We are working to advance high-value initiatives that not only cut emissions, but can even be carbon positive solutions. We need to leverage legacy infrastructure, rethink carbon and waste, while making significant efficiency advancements in our current energy system. Learn more about EFL initiatives here . #Future_Economy #Clean_Technologies #Regional_Pathways #Fellowship #CCUS_Workshop #CCUS #Building_a_Hydrogen_Economy_in_Alberta #Hydrogen #Energy_AI #2019

Reimagining Carbon

In many ways, this has been the Year of Carbon at the EFL. We need to re-imagine carbon and re-imagine waste to make a substantial...

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Chad Park’s remarks from the EFL 2.0 launch reception on February 12, 2019 Over the last month something notable happened here in Alberta that not everyone may have heard about. On December 11th, the Canyon Creek Hydro Development Act received Royal Assent, enabling the Alberta Utilities Commission to issue its final approval for the Canyon Creek Pumped Hydro Energy Storage Project near Hinton. Alberta can take the bull by the horns and adapt to these changes, get in front of them and reap the benefits that will flow. But only if we look forward and come together on the same level of scale and ambition. This time we will have to do it with a lot more speed. Canyon Creek is notable in that is the first hydro project to be approved by the Alberta Legislature in ten years as well as both the first ever pumped hydro and first ever large-scale energy storage project to be approved in Alberta. It makes use of an abandoned coal mine and incorporates two small off-stream water reservoirs that will be connected by a pipeline with pumps, turbines and generating equipment near the bottom reservoir in a powerhouse. The project will have the capacity to store 75MW for 37 hours of full capacity generation, helping the Alberta grid accommodate increasing production from renewable energy like large-scale wind. This project was led by one of the Fellows of the Energy Futures Lab, Kipp Horton, the President and CEO of Windriver Power Corporation. It exemplifies much of what the EFL stands for and many of the narratives we talked about at the EFL Summit. Perhaps even more notable is that the Canyon Creek Hydro Development Act was passed unanimously in the Alberta legislature. In this polarized environment. Months away from an election call. Congratulations to Kipp and his team and also kudos to the elected officials who saw the importance and opportunity in enabling this project. We need more of this. What it shows us – and what is shown by the attendance at this event by leaders from all four major parties in the Alberta Legislature at the EFL Summit – is that getting it right on these issues is of utmost importance for the future of Alberta. And it IS possible to find common ground and get things done. When the EFL was first conceived a few years ago, it was borne of a belief that despite the highly polarized nature of the public debates surrounding energy issues, there was a story from Alberta that wasn’t being heard and that Albertans would rise to the occasion if given the right opportunity. There were plenty of Albertans from diverse backgrounds – including the oil and gas industry – who not only believed in the science of climate change but who were actively working on solutions. Innovators. Entrepreneurs. Intrapraneurs. Technology experts and social innovators. People who would roll up their sleeves and work together to accelerate progress. These were not “either or” kind of people – pitting one group against another in a “with us or against us” attitude. These were “and” people – who knew we could leverage the many energy assets and talent in this province to become leaders in shaping the energy future. We found them. And it turns out, there are a LOT these kinds of people here. More than we thought. Three years since the first meeting of EFL Fellows, we know that there is a lot more to be done, but we can say that the EFL has exceeded our expectations. pumped hydro energy from an abandoned coal mine, geothermal from oil wells, technology to turn carbon dioxide into useful materials, a start-up IT company partnering with a rural energy coop to enable solar energy solutions on farms, An Albertan renewable energy company building projects in B.C. with First Nations as partners These are the kinds of initiatives being run by the participants in the EFL. The EFL feels like a snowball. From 30 to 60 Fellows From 5 to 16 Convening Partners From 0 to 10 Exemplar Initiatives From almost zero trust to something like 90% trust among Fellows And more than 5000 people engaged through engagements like the EFL Leadership Bootcamp and the Newtonian Shift energy transition simulation game, with the support of the Alberta Real Estate Foundation. Forty years ago, Alberta came together with industry and government to bring the oil sands dream into reality, for the economic benefit of all of Canada. The world is changing and some people are saying it is going to leave Alberta behind. The people in this room are not among them. Alberta can take the bull by the horns and adapt to these changes, get in front of them and reap the benefits that will flow. But only if we look forward and come together on the same level of scale and ambition. This time we will have to do it with a lot more speed. The EFL can be a key platform for making this happen. Thank you to all of you for being a part of the story so far and for joining us here today. The snowball is rolling. Let’s keep it going. #Energy_Storage_Pumped_Hydro #Repurposing_Coal_Mines #Pumped_Hydro #Geothermal_From_Oil_Wells #CCUS #Supporting_Albertas_Carbon_Utilization_Innovators #Commercial_Solar #Blockchain_for_Rural_Community_Power_Aggregation #Community_Solar #Geothermal_Energy #Advanced_Materials #Indigenous_Knowledge_Insight_and_Leadership #Leadership_Bootcamp #The_Newtonian_Shift #2019

The snowball is rolling. Let’s keep it going.

Chad Park’s remarks from the EFL 2.0 launch reception on February 12, 2019 Over the last month something notable happened here in Alberta...

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Since January 2019, the EFL has welcomed 25 new Fellows and 19 Convening Partners to advance EFL initiatives and launch EFL 2.0, in which we deepen our work in Alberta and explore how to extend the Lab’s lessons and learning at a national level. With the recent report that Canada’s climate is warming at roughly twice the rate of the rest of the world, more than ever, our country requires bold and collaborative leadership. The EFL has created a neutral platform to overcome divisiveness and to find common ground among divergent groups. We invited leading organizations in different sectors to join EFL 2.0. They responded and delivered. EFL 2.0 is proudly supported by the following Convening Partners : Alberta Innovates Alberta Real Estate Foundation Canada West Foundation Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business Canadian Energy Systems Analysis Research (CESAR) Capital Power Cenovus Energy Emissions Reduction Alberta Energy Efficiency Alberta Government of Alberta Indigenous Clean Energy JWN Energy Pembina Institute QUEST RBC Foundation Shell Canada Student Energy Suncor Energy Foundation The Natural Step Canada The leaders of these organizations have signed this inspiring joint letter confirming their support for EFL 2.0 and their commitment to helping advance the important initiatives stewarded by the EFL Fellowship. The EFL Fellows have demonstrated the power of shared leadership, co-creation, and experimentation. We are proud of our Fellows and are excited to announce this impressive group of 25 new Fellows who will contribute alongside the current cohort : Ariane Bourassa , Cenovus Energy Barend Dronkers , Energy Efficiency Alberta Brenda Barritt , Stettler Learning Centre Bryan Helfenbaum , Alberta Innovates Devin Beaton , Nutana Power Diandra Bruised Head , Blood Tribe Land Management Gareth Thomson , Alberta Council for Environmental Education Gordon Giles , Alberta Pacific Forest Industries Inc. Greg Bennett , AIRIA Cloud, Google Development Group YYC, Atheria Heather Lemon , Alberta Energy Regulator Jaeson Cardiff , CleanO2 Carbon Capture Technologies Jamie Bonham , NEI Investments Jeff Bell , Alberta Economic Development and Trade Jeff Zimmer , ATCO Gas JT Steenkamp , Shell Canada Julia-Maria Becker , Pembina Institute Julie Bunker , QUEST Marla Orenstein , Canada West Foundation Megan Lohmann , Community Energy Association Nneka Bowen , Royal Bank of Canada Olivia Reshetylo , Student Energy Peter Koning , ConocoPhillips Canada Saeed Nusri , ATB Financial Sandra Odendahl , CMC Research Institutes Shelagh Hayes , Western Economic Diversification Canada Welcome to the Energy Futures Lab! #Culture_Shift #Fellowship #EFL_Vision #EFL_Platform #2019

Demonstrating Leadership: New Fellows and Partners Join the EFL

Since January 2019, the EFL has welcomed 25 new Fellows and 19 Convening Partners to advance EFL initiatives and launch EFL 2.0, in which we deepen our work in Alberta and explore how to extend the Lab’s lessons and learning at a national level. With the recent report that Canada’s climate is warming at roughly twice the rate of the rest of the world, more than ever, our country requires bold and collaborative leadership. The EFL has created a neutral platform to overcome divisiveness and to...

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The Energy Futures Lab is an Alberta-based, multi-interest collaboration designed to accelerate the development of a “fit for the future” energy system. It brings together a cohort of influential leaders to address current and emerging energy challenges, and generate opportunities for new initiatives and collaborations. CALGARY, February 11, 2019 – A diverse group of energy innovators and partner organizations will gather at the Energy Futures Lab (EFL) Summit in Calgary on February 12 to officially launch EFL 2.0. The EFL Summit will explore the leadership role that the EFL can play in helping accelerate progress in the context of the urgent need for action and the growing polarization on energy issues in Alberta and Canada. Building on successes and learning from its first phase, EFL 2.0 will see oil and gas executives, cleantech and renewable energy companies, First Nations leaders, environmental groups, academics, and others working together to: Continue to identify, develop and pressure-test innovative solutions for accelerating the transition to the energy system the future requires of us; Strengthen the capacity of business and government to adopt and support such innovative solutions; Align a growing community of leaders and their organizations behind a bold and transformative vision for the future of energy in Canada and the possible transition pathways to achieve it; Inspire and share stories that help depolarize the public conversation about energy in Canada and accelerate progress toward a shared vision. “The energy and climate change debates of the past decade have left Canada polarized in a myriad of ways,” said The Natural Step Canada’s President & CEO David Hughes. “Meanwhile, much of the rest of the world – especially its technology innovators – is racing to a new energy future that will reshape politics, economics, and cultural dynamics around the world. It is a time that requires bold and collaborative leadership.” “Since its launch in 2015, the EFL has proven a unique forum for overcoming divisiveness and finding productive common ground among diverse stakeholders,” says Alison Cretney, EFL Managing Director. “With the launch of EFL 2.0, we are doubling down on this approach and planning to deepen and extend its impact. The Convening Partners of EFL 2.0 are committed to supporting EFL Fellows as they develop exemplar initiatives in response to the question: how can we leverage our leadership position in today’s energy system to create the energy system that the future requires of us? The EFL partners, Fellows, Steering Committee and broader community will mark the transition from EFL 1.0 to EFL 2.0 at the first EFL Summit , which will include a dialogue with federal Natural Resources Minister The Honourable Amarjeet Sohi. Minister Sohi and several Energy Futures Lab partners will be available for a short media scrum at 9:00 a.m. following the Minister’s remarks. Media is invited to the Minister’s dialogue starting at 8:30 a.m at the University of Calgary’s Red & White Club, North end McMahon Stadium. EFL 2.0 is proudly supported by the following Convening Partners: Alberta Innovates Alberta Real Estate Foundation Canada West Foundation Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business Canadian Energy Systems Analysis Research (CESAR) Capital Power Cenovus Energy Emissions Reduction Alberta Energy Efficiency Alberta Government of Alberta Indigenous Clean Energy JWN Energy Pembina Institute QUEST RBC Foundation Shell Canada Student Energy Suncor Energy Foundation The Natural Step Canada #Culture_Shift #Fellowship #EFL_Platform #2019

MEDIA RELEASE: Multi-Interest Show of Support as Energy Industry Leaders and Innovators Come Together to Launch Energy Futures Lab 2.0

The Energy Futures Lab is an Alberta-based, multi-interest collaboration designed to accelerate the development of a “fit for the future” energy system. It brings together a cohort of influential leaders to address current and emerging energy challenges, and generate opportunities for new initiatives and collaborations. CALGARY, February 11, 2019 – A diverse group of energy innovators and partner organizations will gather at the Energy Futures Lab (EFL) Summit in Calgary on February 12 to...

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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 overall. Even more impressive is the progress the EFL made in four areas: advancing exemplar initiatives ; sharing EFL insight to influence policy; setting up for EFL 2.0; and galvanizing leadership in Alberta and Canada to provide leadership to overcome the growing polarization on energy issues. Advancing EFL Initiatives Significant progress was made on the dozen exemplar initiatives in the EFL portfolio of projects in 2018. Here are a few highlights: What began as an EFL initiative exploring how Canada’s airlines and airports could become a world leader in low-carbon air travel evolved into the WestJet Aviation Biofuel Challenge, delivered by Alberta Innovates. The challenge seeks existing or emerging technology combined with lower cost Alberta biomass to develop a viable, economic solution for producing aviation biofuel in the province. We also launched and piloted the Energy Futures Roadshow in two Albertan communities: Crowsnest Pass and Hinton. The Roadshow brings the combined knowledge, skills, and network of the EFL to support communities in exploring and understanding their unique challenges and opportunities in the face of energy transition. Each Roadshow sparked collaborative initiatives among community members, while developing relationships and a learning cohort across Roadshow communities. We look forward to expanding the Energy Futures Roadshow to four more Albertan communities in 2019. The EFL Accelerators were launched in 2018 as a new way of engaging the EFL community in accelerating the Lab’s exemplar initiatives alongside EFL Fellows. We attracted impressive expertise and talent to the first EFL Accelerator on Mobility in a Low Carbon Future, where we explored specific challenges facing innovators in order to unlock possibilities in four innovation areas: Biojet, Lithium, Hydrogen, and Smart Mobility. The Growing an Alberta Lithium Industry initiative applies oil and gas expertise to unlock the potential of Alberta’s significant lithium resource from oilfield wastewater. As a fundamental component in the batteries of electronics, electric vehicles, and large-scale energy storage, lithium is anticipated to be a key material in a low-carbon economy. The EFL Accelerator session identified what is required to accelerate the current pace of sustainable lithium resource development in order to position Alberta for maximum success in the global market in the coming years. Through the Energy.AI Workshop, we not only explored the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to enable Alberta thrive in a competitive low-carbon world, but we also succeeded in engaging the AI community to help find AI solutions to low-carbon and energy transition challenges. Learn about the Energy.AI Workshop findings and stay tuned for more accelerators that will advance EFL actions on community resilience, artificial intelligence, and Indigenous leadership in the energy sector. Helping Policy-makers Backcast from a Desired Future In 2018, the EFL also engaged with two critical stakeholders in the energy ecosystem – the Government of Alberta (GoA) and Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA) – to help them take advantage of the diversity and expertise in the EFL Fellowship to test or refine policy ideas. For the GoA, the EFL provided technical feedback to the Department of Energy for its work in developing a strategic outlook for the energy sector – aimed to enable Alberta’s transition to a low-emission economy while ensuring responsible energy development. With ERA, the EFL applied the backcasting method to review the agency’s Technology Roadmap , which guides ERA’s investment strategy for its cleantech portfolio. In both strategic reviews, the EFL and its Fellows were seen as an important source of strategic thinking because of their diverse areas of expertise and the shared “future lens” that they have created together with the EFL vision . Setting up for EFL 2.0 We started the year without knowing for sure that the EFL would continue past 2018. We ended the year with a plan, funding, and partnerships to not only continue but deepen and extend our work together over the next three years (2019-2021). This will include changes in the program design to be able to engage more partners and people in the innovation work of the Lab, and exploring how EFL lessons and learnings might be used to extend our impact in other parts of Canada. To advance EFL 2.0’s ambitions, we have launched a third recruitment wave to attract exceptional leaders and influencers to join the EFL Fellowship . We will officially celebrate EFL 1.0 and mark the shift to EFL 2.0 at the first EFL Summit on Feb 12. At the Summit, we will explore the EFL’s leadership role in accelerating progress in the context of the urgent need for action and the growing polarization on energy issues in Alberta and Canada. While there is a lot to celebrate and be grateful for in 2018, there is no question that 2019 will be a challenging year. Provincial and federal elections mean heightened polarization and greater uncertainty. Regardless, the EFL is committed to continue working with all actors, governments, businesses, and communities to accelerate progress in building the energy system that the future requires of us. We ask you to join us in finding pragmatic and meaningful solutions that respond to the EFL 2.0 convening question: how can we leverage our leadership position in today’s energy system to create the energy system the future requires of us? Spread the word on the EFL Fellowship and apply before Jan 31. See you at the EFL Summit! #Future_Economy #Culture_Shift #Clean_Technologies #Regional_Pathways #Fellowship #Community_Resilience #Alberta_Energy_Narrative_Hearts_and_Minds #ERA_Technology_Roadmap #Bio_Jet #Hinton_Roadshow #Crowsnest_Pass_Roadshow #2019 #Lithium_from_Brine #Sustainable_Aviation_Fuels #Electric_Vehicles #EFL_Vision #Lithium_on_Tap #Energy_AI #Artificial_Intelligence #EFL_Platform #Backcasting

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...

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On Tuesday this week, I was interviewed by host Laura Lynch on CBC Radio One’s Vancouver morning show, the Early Edition, for a segment about Alberta. The experience of the interview has me thinking a lot about the challenges we need to overcome in Canada to address energy and climate issues together. The framing for the interview was the recent announcement by Premier Rachel Notley about Alberta temporarily curtailing oil production, set against the messages from this week’s COP meetings in Poland about the urgency to act on climate change and the need to “transition from fossil fuels”. There are a few things I wish I would have said and some questions I wish I would have been asked. I thought I’d write some reflections down in a blog post while they’re still fresh. The main message that I was trying to convey in the interview was that Alberta can be part of the solution on climate and energy issues. Furthermore, the oil and gas industry, where so much capital and talent is currently invested in this province, should be seen as a partner in the development and deployment of climate change solutions. I know that this message is counter-intuitive to most Canadians outside Alberta. And it is self-evident to the many Albertan innovators working in the energy sector. Therein lies one of the core difficulties we have in communicating on this topic. But if we share the view that this issue is urgent, then it follows that we need all hands on deck in the search for solutions. Yes, Alberta needs to diversify its economy both to ensure it is better prepared for a low-carbon emissions global economy and to reduce exposure to the ups and downs in the market of a global commodity over which we have no control. This is happening. Edmonton is becoming a world leading city for innovation in artificial intelligence and in healthcare technologies. Calgary is home to more than 200 renewable energy companies and 100 energy storage companies. Unfortunately, the provincial government’s continued over-reliance on revenues from the oil and gas resource masks the progress that is being made on diversification in the economy overall. Yes, we need to accelerate the adoption of renewable energy in Canada. Alberta knows this very well. Alberta has become a hotbed for renewable energy entrepreneurs and investors, as the province phases out coal and develops 5,000 megawatts of renewable energy capacity to fulfill its plan to generate 30% of its electricity from renewables by 2030, all of which is expected to generate at least $10.5 billion in new investment by 2030 and 7,000 new jobs, according to Calgary Economic Development. And yet, even if Alberta were to transition to 100% use of renewable energy for electricity, this would not replace the share of Alberta’s economic prosperity currently derived from exporting oil and gas. Our use of renewable energy as consumers is a quite different thing than our export of fossil fuels as producers. The public conversation about transition seems to largely miss this point, suggesting that it is a simple matter of replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy, as it might be in places where the main questions about energy are largely about consumption. I find it interesting that a message about the need for a transition from fossil fuels, such as the one coming out of COP this week, is often interpreted by many in Canada as a need to transition from the production of fossil fuels, for example in Alberta – with very little emphasis on the need to transition from the consumption or combustion of fossil fuels across the broader economy. This is not to say that Alberta doesn’t have important work to do in better preparing its economy for the future and to make its hydrocarbons cost and carbon competitive. But we must also face the fact that if customers of Alberta’s oil don’t get it from Alberta, that will not lead them to avoid buying oil at all. They will just get it from somewhere else. So curtailing Alberta’s oil and gas production does not address the biggest part of the problem. But stifling the Alberta economy does mean that all Canadians miss out on the economic resources that could be put to use in support of the transition, not to mention the cultural benefit of truly being unified as a country in how we tackle the challenge of climate change. On the other hand, in their frustration about the current situation, Albertans also can’t pretend that we can go back to how things were. The global transition to a low-carbon emissions economy is under way and accelerating. The world’s entrepreneurs and investors know there is big money to be made by those who bring solutions to market. The costs of new technologies are coming down as the scale of their deployment increases, and this is bound to continue. When we frame the issues in “with us or against us” terms about our oil and gas industry, without acknowledging the scale of the challenge we share together as global citizens, we prolong the mistaken view of Alberta being part of the problem instead of part of the solution. We make the situation worse. On top of accelerating the adoption of renewable energy and diversifying the economy in Alberta, let’s also look at major opportunities that exist because of Alberta’s oil and gas sector. Let’s radically reduce emissions in the production of Alberta’s oil and gas, and in so doing leverage the oil and gas industry as development ground for exportable clean technologies and services. Let’s get full value for the fossil fuels we are producing, and invest a big portion of the proceeds into the transition – as they have done in some other oil producing jurisdictions such as Norway. In my view, the polarization on these issues has gotten us into a position where unfortunately a rational discussion is very difficult. It sometimes seems as if our only choices are to phase out the production of fossil fuels as quickly as possible or to completely avoid the challenge of climate change. The difficulty in having a rational discussion on these issues makes me all the more grateful for the work of The Natural Step Canada and, in particular, the Energy Futures Lab (EFL), where people with widely differing points of view have entered gracefully into the uncomfortable, unpopular, and necessary space of the radical middle . The products of that openness and grace so far include tangible exemplar initiatives generated through collaboration among uncommon partners and a shared 2050 vision for Alberta’s energy system. Staying hopeful about the future is critical, and the EFL offers legitimate grounds for hope for anyone willing to pay attention. In the interview today, I would have rather been asked the question, “how can Alberta (and Canada) thrive as we and the rest of the world transition to a low-carbon emissions economy?” I would have answered that we can do so by working together to creatively develop solutions, and that that is far better than pitting us against one another. For inspiration on what that could look like, I might have shared the story of Ian MacGregor, the Albertan energy entrepreneur who recently inspired EFL Fellows with the scale of his vision and investments and the straightforward common sense that appears to guide his work. If I’d had time at the end of the interview, I would have loved to have taken the rare opportunity for an Albertan to address a B.C. audience directly on these issues. I would have been tempted to ask the the good citizens of B.C. not to shun a neighbour for being producers of a product that you yourselves consume. 🙂 But instead of a defensive comment like that and in the spirit of coming together, I would have simply said to the people of B.C. that your neighbour can also be your partner in building the energy system that the future requires of us. #Future_Economy #Culture_Shift #Clean_Technologies #Regional_Pathways #Fellowship #EFL_Platform #EFL_Vision #Artificial_Intelligence #Batteries #Provincial_Policy #Sustainable_Finance #Radical_Middle #2018

Reflections on an Interview with the CBC

On Tuesday this week, I was interviewed by host Laura Lynch on CBC Radio One’s Vancouver morning show, the Early Edition, for a segment...

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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 regulations such as market mechanisms to encourage shifts in consumer behaviours. So how does low-carbon mobility translate into actual actions, especially given that 68% of world population is projected to live in urban areas by 2050 1 ? And, perhaps more importantly, what does this mean for Alberta and our future? In Alberta, there have been several organizations engaged in work that explore these questions. For example: The Canadian Energy Systems Analysis Research (CESAR) at the University of Calgary researches Canada’s freight sector and suggests that in order to achieve the 2030 and 2050 commitments made in the 2015 Paris climate change accord, “transformative – even disruptive – changes are required in the fueling of freight transport in this country and across North America 2 .” CESAR believes that the future of freight in Alberta will depend heavily on the use of hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks 3. WestJet is another organization looking at low-carbon mobility and recently launched the WestJet Aviation Biofuel Challenge along with Alberta Innovates. This challenge intends to use/develop existing or emerging technologies, using lower cost Alberta biomass, coupled with other complimentary efficient technologies, to scale-up Alberta’s capacity as a leader in the aviation biofuel industry. Earlier this year, a Calgary-based company, 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. Lithium is an important component in electrical vehicles, and “petro-lithium” represents an innovative approach to leveraging Alberta’s traditional energy assets as the basis for continued strength in a low-carbon future. These organizations are all part of the Energy Futures Lab (EFL) community. On November 20th, 2018 the EFL will convene an EFL Accelerator on Mobility in a Low Carbon Future in collaboration with Alberta Energy. This one-day workshop will examine Alberta’s positioning in relation to the movement of people and goods in a low-carbon future. EFL Accelerators explore unique opportunities with a select group of innovators from government, industry, civil society, and academia that can address challenges and prepare Alberta to thrive in the future. If you would like to participate in the upcoming EFL Accelerator on Mobility in a Low-Carbon Future, please contact Pong Leung at pleung@naturalstep.ca . ___________________ 1 UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs: https://www.un.org/development/desa/en/news/population/2018-revision-of-world-urbanization-prospects.html 2 CESAR: http://www.cesarnet.ca/blog/canada-s-freight-sector-addressing-climate-change-face-disruptive-change 3 Truck News: https://www.trucknews.com/sustainability/research-points-to-hydrogen-electric-trucks-as-best-option-for-the-future/1003086938/ #Clean_Technologies #Regional_Pathways #Bio_Fuel #Hydrogen #Bio_Jet #Sustainable_Aviation_Fuels_Roadmap #Electric_Vehicles #Batteries #Lithium_from_Brine #Lithium_on_Tap #2018 #Accelerator_on_Mobility_in_a_Low_Carbon_Future

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...

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The Energy Futures Lab (EFL) has recently issued a press release to announce that the community of Crowsnest Pass will be the first of five municipalities to host the Energy Futures Roadshow , which will explore what energy transition could look like for Crowsnest Pass. We are excited about partnering with Crowsnest Pass and learning more about this community’s perspectives now and in the future. This initial pilot will involve a diversity of community members, including municipal government, local businesses and economic development authorities, schools, and the public. The Roadshow will take place on October 18 and 19, 2018. Oct 18 – Energy Transition Simulation Through a role-playing simulation, this session will provide an opportunity for participants to experience decades of energy transition in one day. Oct 19 – Community Resilience The second day will feature a guest speaker from the Town of Hinton who will share the town’s experience with community resilience followed by working sessions on economic diversification, technology, and cultural readiness. The Energy Futures Roadshow will conclude with a celebratory community gathering on October 19. We look forward to this engagement with Crowsnest Pass and to partnering with future communities! Registration closes October 5. Sign up today here . Check out the EFL’s press release below. Crowsnest Pass selected to host theEnergy Futures Roadshow The Energy Futures Lab announces Crowsnest Pass as the first of five municipalities to host the Energy Futures Roadshow, exploring what energy transition could look like for Crowsnest Pass. Calgary, AB, September 13, 2018 – The Energy Futures Lab (EFL) is proud to collaborate with the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass on piloting the Energy Futures Roadshow. This will involve a series of engagement activities in the Crowsnest Pass community, inviting municipal government, local businesses, economic development authorities, schools, and the public to join the conversation on energy transition and how it will affect the community. The main engagement session, a two-day workshop, will take place on October 18 and 19 and will provide a facilitated role-playing simulation allowing participants to experience decades of energy transition on the first day. The second day will feature a guest speaker from the Town of Hinton who will share the town’s experience with community resilience, followed by working sessions on economic diversification, technology, and cultural readiness. “There are big opportunities for communities motivated to be leaders in the energy transition. We are excited to collaborate with Crowsnest Pass on community resilience and exploring solutions. There is a lot of community interest in determining what long term success looks like, and I encourage others to join the conversation.” says Alison Cretney, Managing Director for the Energy Futures Lab. This unique engagement has been closely designed with the Crowsnest community, drawing on the tools, resources and networks of the Energy Futures Lab. Over time we hope to see a number of communities across the province connecting to each other and the work of the EFL to strengthen their capacity to seize the benefits of future shifts in our energy system. To register for the Energy Futures Roadshow on October 18 or 19, please sign up through the Roadshow event page. CONTACT INFORMATION For more information, please contact: The EFL at info@energyfutureslab.com ; or· Peter Bubik, Vice President of the Crowsnest Pass Chamber of Commerce, at 403-703-1676 and e-mail: peterbubik@pbpower.ca . About the Energy Futures Lab The Energy Futures Lab is an award-winning, multi-stakeholder initiative to accelerate the transition to the energy system that the future requires of us. Initiated in the Fall of 2013, the lab is powered by The Natural Step Canada, in collaboration with the Suncor Energy Foundation, Energy Efficiency Alberta, Alberta Real Estate Foundation, Shell Canada, ATB Financial, RBC Foundation, JWN Energy, Government of Alberta and the Pembina Institute. The initiative also involves dozens more organizations in an unprecedented series of innovative partnerships and collaborations. To learn more, please visit www.energyfutureslab.com . Visit The Natural Step Canada at www.naturalstep.ca to learn about our national organization, its Sustainability Transition Labs and other initiatives. #Regional_Pathways #Crowsnest_Pass_Roadshow #Community_Resilience #2018

Crowsnest Pass selected to host the Energy Futures Roadshow

The Energy Futures Lab (EFL) has recently issued a press release to announce that the community of Crowsnest Pass will be the first of...

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Artificial intelligence (AI) has been a rapidly developing area of technological advancement over the last 10 years and more, yet it is only very recently that the buzz about its implications and potential for Alberta’s energy sector has really escalated. Why is that? How can artificial intelligence enable Alberta to thrive in a competitive, low-carbon world? Three possible reasons come to mind. First, there is now a far better collection and recording of historical energy data. Harvesting data is essential for AI applications, and it requires planning ahead. Second, the potential for AI to help address critical challenges facing the sector has become more evident. For instance, reducing costs and taking action on climate change and other environmental issues have become vital to business viability in recent years. Third, there has been relatively slow adoption of AI in the energy sector, despite recognition of its potential. A study from consultancy Roland Berger “predicts that AI can reap efficiency gains of a fifth in utilities within five years, yet less than a quarter of industry respondents said their company had a plan to harness the technology.” Alberta is well positioned to be a leader in AI. Existing AI platforms such as the University of Alberta’s Artificial Machine Intelligence Institute (AMII) employ AI and machine learning to advance academic understanding and solve business problems. There have also been a few AI applications in Alberta’s energy system to increase efficiency, automation, and overall productivity. However, the potential of AI is much greater. The World Economic Forum published a full report on harnessing AI for the Earth and solving climate and environmental problems. AI applications range from climate modeling to weather and energy system forecasting to smart grid for electricity use to creating smart transport system as well as intelligent, connected and liveable cities, and much more. The list of opportunities is long. But before jumping to applications and solutions, let’s clarify what is AI and what are the actual possibilities within AI? In his blog post , professor Michael Jordan at UC Berkeley cautions about “the current public dialogue” that “too often uses AI as an intellectual wildcard, one that makes it difficult to reason about the scope and consequences of emerging technology.” He demystifies AI and categorizes it into three main areas: Human-Imitative Artificial Intelligence (HIAI): Technology referring to imitating human voice and cognitive characteristics – similar to Google’s recent voice-imitating personal assistant. Intelligence Augmentation (IA): Augmenting intelligence in machines to assist humans rather than replacing them. Examples include self-driving cars, search engines, and smart homes. Intelligent Infrastructure (II): This deals with connecting multiple devices such as Uber’s intelligent infrastructure of autonomous driving cars or even dating websites. The possibilities are immense in these categories. So how can Alberta’s energy sector take advantage? And, specifically, how can the sector strengthen its capacity to spot opportunities for AI to help solve business challenges? This is what the Energy Futures Lab (EFL) will explore on September 25 in its Energy.AI Workshop: How can artificial intelligence enable Alberta to thrive in a competitive, low-carbon world? Engaging AI innovators to solve Alberta’s energy challenges in a low-carbon world will be essential. So, too, will be engaging potential adopters of these innovations. This workshop will bring together AI innovators with representatives from the energy sector as well as academia and advisory services. The Energy.AI workshop is an invitation-only workshop. If you are interested in learning more, please contact Nagwan Al-Guneid at nalguneid@naturalstep.ca . #Future_Economy #Clean_Technologies #Energy_AI #Artificial_Intelligence #2018

How can artificial intelligence enable Alberta to thrive in a competitive, low-carbon world?

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been a rapidly developing area of technological advancement over the last 10 years and more, yet it is...

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Co-creation, experimentation, and social innovation have been the Energy Futures Lab’s (EFL) core foundational elements since its inception in 2015. Now it is time to build on the foundational work of EFL 1.0 and to work together to design EFL 2.0. Led by 59 Fellows from diverse backgrounds and industries in Alberta, we have outlined a vision for Alberta’s energy system, worked in areas of tension within the energy system, and developed a number of exemplar initiatives that show the possibility of a less polarized path forward on energy issues. Since its design and launch, the Lab’s partners and Fellows have focused their work together on addressing the question: How can Alberta’s leadership position in today’s energy system serve as a platform for transition to the energy system the future requires of us? The EFL has established a platform that convenes diverse voices in the energy system. In our current polarized climate, the Lab has become a trusted bridge-builder, connecting innovators working in different areas of the energy system and taking advantage of their divergent perspectives. The EFL undertaking has been a deliberate, coordinated effort among leaders and influencers in Alberta to find common ground and create exemplar initiatives, showing the way for Alberta to thrive in the midst of shifts in the global energy system. That was the focus in EFL 1.0. Now it is time to build on the foundational work of EFL 1.0 and to work together to design EFL 2.0. While EFL 2.0 will maintain the EFL’s core elements of co-creation, experimentation, and social innovation, the design of EFL 2.0 over the next six months will address opportunities to deepen and extend the Lab’s impact. In EFL 2.0, our intention is to work with partners to continue and deepen the work in Alberta, support efforts to build a pan-Canadian conversation on energy, and explore how to leverage the tools, brand, and lessons from the EFL in other jurisdictions. As we dive deeper into the planning and design work for EFL 2.0. we will explore how best we can leverage what we have created in EFL 1.0 in a way that responds to the needs and opportunities facing us inside and outside of Alberta. Early thoughts about our objectives for EFL 2.0 are as follows and will be further refined with partners and Fellows through the rest of 2018: Continue to support innovators in identifying, developing and pressure-testing solutions for accelerating the transition to the energy system the future requires of us; Strengthen the capacity of business and government to adopt and support innovative solutions; Align a growing community of leaders and their organizations behind a bold and transformative vision for the future of energy in Canada and the possible transition pathways to achieve it; Inspire and share narratives in the public and communities that help depolarize the public conversation about energy in Canada and accelerate progress toward the shared vision developed through the EFL. Having established a shared direction among a diverse range of actors in the energy system in phase 1, our work will be increasingly focused on accelerating the transition. The implication of this is that our convening question for EFL 2.0 may evolve to address this. In any case, we anticipate that the EFL will evolve from: A source of ideas to an agent of market, public, and policy influence. This involves creating more pull for the solutions developed in the Lab, for example, by utilizing the Lab’s platform to explore solutions to partner-issued challenges, while continuing to nurture and support Fellow-driven initiatives. A proof of concept to a generative system. This involves building partnerships to help more Lab initiatives increase their reach and impact to achieve overarching outcomes such as GHG emission reductions, jobs, and investment attraction. A formative coalition to a partnership for deep leadership and learning. This involves focusing on deeper and multi-dimensional relationships with a broader network of organizations that have the expertise and resources to drive energy transition in Alberta and Canada. This is EFL 2.0: as exhilarating as EFL 1.0 yet deeper, broader, and more interconnected. We are excited to close the EFL 1.0 chapter, learn from its lessons, build on its successes, and work with Fellows and past and new convening partners to shape the transition into EFL 2.0 in 2019. This is a defining moment for Alberta and Canada as we grapple with the interconnected issues of energy and climate change. It is also a defining moment for the Energy Futures Lab as we move from one chapter to the next. We invite you all to be part of our EFL 2.0 journey. Follow our initiatives, attend our events and activities, and connect to our network. To help us gather perspective and input to shape the design of EFL 2.0, please consider filling out this quick survey . If your organization is interested in becoming a convening partner in EFL 2.0, please contact me at acretney@naturalstep.ca . #Culture_Shift #EFL_Platform #Electricity #2018

Switching Gears: from EFL 1.0 to EFL 2.0!

Co-creation, experimentation, and social innovation have been the Energy Futures Lab’s (EFL) core foundational elements since its...

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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 of being perceived as an enemy of the low-carbon emissions economy, oil and gas could be an enabler of it. Those who have followed the Energy Futures Lab will likely be familiar with the story . The idea of Petro-lithium is featured as one of the EFL’s exemplar initiatives. EFL Fellow Liz Lappin is the Vice President, Project Development for E3 Metals and has engaged other EFL Fellows to help advance the idea. E3 Metals’ recent successes have turned heads partly because it makes for such a compelling “radical middle” story. Most of the news on energy these days is the opposite. Headlines and politicians often suggest that we must either be in favour of oil and gas or in favour of a low carbon economy. With us or against us. With that as backdrop, a story like petro-lithium breaks the narrative patterns. Lithium is anticipated to be a key material for a low-carbon emissions economy because it is a component in the batteries for electric vehicles. How powerful, then, that Alberta could become a key supplier of this globally-relevant material on the strength of its petroleum industry. Instead of being perceived as an enemy of the low-carbon emissions economy, oil and gas could be an enabler of it. This exemplifies the idea of leveraging Alberta’s traditional energy assets (not to mention its skilled human resources) to build the energy system that the future requires of us. Petro-lithium also exemplifies something else we have learned a lot about in the Energy Futures Lab: backcasting. Backcasting is a planning practice that starts with identifying the desirable future then works backwards from that point to explore the strategies, actions and investments to achieve that future from the current reality. Backcasting was central to a recent engagement between the EFL and Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA), who engaged the EFL Fellowship to review its Technology Roadmap and provide recommendations for further refining it. The Technology Roadmap guides ERA’s investment strategy for its cleantech portfolio – the funds for which are generated through Alberta’s carbon levy that applies to Large Final Emitters under the Carbon Competitiveness Regulation (CICR). The EFL Fellows were seen as an important source of strategic thinking for this review, because of their diverse areas of expertise and also because of the shared “futures lens” that they have created together with the EFL vision . Among the recommendations that Fellows provided to ERA, one of their key suggestions was to “think from the future” i.e. to take a backcasting approach. Applied to investment strategy, backcasting suggests prioritizing investments based on the most effective pathways toward a desired end-state e.g. a vision of a successful Alberta in a low carbon emissions future. This may or may not always align with priorities that emerge based on Alberta’s current emissions profile. As important as reducing current emissions is, if we only shape our investment priorities based on reducing our current emissions, we could miss some of the greatest opportunities for supporting a low carbon emissions economy and for economic diversification. This would be forecasting instead of backcasting, which is unfortunately a far more common approach to planning. Petro-lithium demonstrates the distinction perfectly. Although important, an investment strategy focused exclusively on supporting innovations to reduce emissions associated with our current economy would risk missing the economic development opportunities associated with petro-lithium. Having Alberta become a major player in the burgeoning lithium resource industry could be vital to positioning Alberta for success in a low carbon emissions future. Petro-lithium won’t solve the pipeline or trade issues. But twenty years from now, it could end up being a much more significant part of Alberta’s economic development story. It is at least important to note that as polarization may be intensifying while those wars are waged, the seeds of a new way forward together are being developed right before our eyes. #Future_Economy #Clean_Technologies #Lithium_on_Tap #Lithium_from_Brine #Backcasting #ERA_Technology_Roadmap #Fellowship #2018 #Provincial_Policy #EFL_Vision

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...

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The world is poised for a massive transition in energy production and use. Making this transition will be critical to ensure the long-term sustainability of our environment, economies, and communities. It will be a monumental challenge, but a challenge replete with opportunity. Alberta is ready to lead and Albertan communities are on the front lines As a global leader in energy innovation Alberta is perfectly positioned to lead the transition with a vision of prosperity that is appropriate for the 21 st century. A number of initiatives are already underway in Alberta exemplifying the benefits of early engagement in municipal and community-scale energy transition programs. By reducing their carbon emissions, communities can simultaneously drive economic development, innovation, job creation, energy independence, and civic participation. Here are just a couple of examples: Township of Hinton – recently announced a pilot project that will utilize renewable geothermal energy to power the town’s municipal buildings. The project will significantly reduce Hinton’s carbon emissions, create dozens of jobs, and set the course for energy independence and further innovations in large-scale geothermal energy generation while diversifying economic opportunities and job prospects in a town traditionally reliant on the oil and gas industry. Learn more here . The small community of Beaver Lake Cree Nation – is reducing energy dependence and inspiring positive social change. In 2017, 94 solar panels were installed on the roof of the Amisk Community School. The project was paired with a food sovereignty project. A community garden and fruit orchard were also established, which will produce enough fruit to meet the demands of the entire community. Learn more here . The City of Brooks – is working on bringing a gasification plant to the community, which could involve incinerating a huge supply of stockpiled rail ties, to create energy for the southern Alberta city. The gasification process converts the toxic rail ties to syngas, which can be burned much more cleanly. Learn more here . The Energy Futures Lab, seeks to leverage and build on the momentum of Alberta’s leadership, by working directly with local communities to effectively adopt energy transition practices that are uniquely suited to their circumstances. The Lab has recently sought expressions of interest from community leaders in Alberta to have the Energy Futures Roadshow come to local communities and support them in exploring the opportunities and challenges arising from energy transition. Communities can thrive in a low carbon emissions economy, and have the opportunity to plan for resilience, energy independence, and stability in a future marked by uncertainty. Small towns and cities can be leaders, stakeholders, and innovators designing their own plan for the future.   #Regional_Pathways #Clean_Technologies #Hinton_Roadshow #Brooks_Roadshow #Geothermal_Energy #Rooftop_Solar #Bio_Fuel #Future_Economy  #2018

How can energy transition benefit Alberta communities? And how can your community take advantage?

The world is poised for a massive transition in energy production and use. Making this transition will be critical to ensure the long-term sustainability of our environment, economies, and communities. It will be a monumental challenge, but a challenge replete with opportunity. Alberta is ready to lead and Albertan communities are on the front lines As a global leader in energy innovation Alberta is perfectly positioned to lead the transition with a vision of prosperity that is appropriate...

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Calling all Alberta energy entrepreneurs! We need you and your ideas! In partnership with ATB Financial, we are launching an energy-themed Alberta BoostR campaign and seeking 15-20 projects to participate. What is ATB BoostR? Alberta BoostR is a rewards-based crowdfunding platform from ATB Financial designed for entrepreneurs and small businesses in Alberta. Through Alberta BoostR, businesses can raise money, test ideas, and gain exposure and market insights from the “crowd” in exchange for a reward – a product, service, or fun/unique experience. Learn more here . Why join the Energy Futures Lab BoostR Campaign? Fund raising: an average successful BoostR campaign usually raises between $10,000 to $20,000, and a few campaigns have hit $50,000. Exposure: the campaigns will be promoted through the online BoostR platform, newsletter, and social media community Corporate Engagement: BoostR will be a great opportunity for the corporate world to learn about your work. Access to a professional ATB advisor: get the help you need to prepare your campaign Any entrepreneur can join BoostR on their own, but by taking part in the Energy Futures Lab’s larger campaign you’ll benefit from: added promotion of ATB and the Energy Futures Lab, creativity and networks of the full EFL Fellowship, access to codeveloped rewards for your project, and a chance to present your project or business at an Alberta BoostR stage event in front of an audience. Is this a good fit for your project or initiative? We are seeking: Projects that help drive Alberta to the energy system our future requires of us . Asks for funding that are directed not to a general cause but to a specific project, with a clear timeline, that benefits a community or the public. Individuals who are highly committed to their initiatives, with the determination to spend the time required to actively promote your campaign. #Clean_Technologies #Future_Economy

Be a part of an Energy Futures Lab ATB BoostR Campaign!

Calling all Alberta energy entrepreneurs! We need you and your ideas! In partnership with ATB Financial, we are launching an...

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Alberta is poised for a big leap forward in energy innovation. This will be on display in early November at SPARK 2017 , a two-day conference in Edmonton co-hosted by Emissions Reductions Alberta (ERA) and Alberta Innovates (AI). Many EFL partners and Fellows will be taking part in the event. In preparation for SPARK 2017, Energy Futures Lab Director and Chief Innovation Officer of The Natural Step Canada, Chad Park sat down with Steve Macdonald, ERA’s Chief Executive Officer and EFL Steering Committee Member, and Elizabeth Shirt, ERA’s Executive Director of Policy and Strategy and an EFL Fellow. “Partnerships are critical to success. It is fundamentally important to us because we are just one piece of the puzzle. Our role is not just about technology readiness, it also has to be about commercialization readiness. It takes many hands to make that happen.” “That hits the concept of a complete solution. It’s not just about technology. It’s about the supply chain, legal and regulatory frameworks, financing, market conditions, the management team and social innovation. You need innovation in all of these areas to ensure success.” Please describe ERA’s mandate and approach. ERA’s mandate is to identify and accelerate development of innovative solutions that reduce GHGs and secure Alberta’s success in a lower carbon economy. Our search for solutions includes all sectors and current sources of emissions, including electricity generation, agriculture and forestry, industrial processes and fossil fuel supply. Notably, the majority of our projects are delivered by small and medium sized companies, the core foundation of any sustainable economic transition. To date, ERA has committed more than $327 million in funding to over 120 projects with a total value of over $2 billion. How do you work with other entities in Alberta such as Alberta Innovates? Partnerships are critical to success. It is fundamentally important to us because we are just one piece of the puzzle. Our role is not just about technology readiness, it also has to be about commercialization readiness. It takes many hands to make that happen. In terms of the partnership with Alberta Innovates (AI). It’s really important because AI also has the ability to take action from an investment standpoint. We leverage their technical expertise to ensure our investments both align with and meet shared technical and commercial expectations. We’re not partners just on paper, but in a very practical, operational sense. What’s one thing that excites you about energy transition in Alberta and one thing that concerns you? The alignment of industry, government and the entire ecosystem, saying we need to do better. No one is debating the need for action. That’s what excites us. You rarely get that alignment. What concerns us is whether we are prepared to make tough choices. We all agree we need to do something. But, what do we want to prioritize? If we don’t make choices and instead try to do everything, we’ll overwhelm ourselves. We are optimistic, though, and SPARK will be part of developing that sense of alignment around priorities. From your perspective, what are the most promising emerging technological solutions? In the oil sands industry, some of the solvent-based technologies are very promising. Reducing the amount of steam and heat used during oil sands production directly reduces the GHG emissions, and has enormous potential. Novel steam generation technologies that can reduce or eliminate the need for intensive water treatment also provide strong opportunities for the sector. On the methane side, there are some interesting technologies around monitoring and detection. We can’t effectively monitor progress or calibrate where we are right now without additional measuring and monitoring capacity. So, some of those projects we’re supporting in terms of remote sensing, satellite imaging, are very exciting. On our grand challenge , we see some really interesting carbon utilization technologies that will transform carbon dioxide from a waste material to an asset. There are some people who would ask why you are spending any money at all on oil sands. Why is it important to continue investing in that area? Two reasons, one is that it’s currently the largest source of emissions for Alberta. The transition to a greener economy is happening, and in the interim you need some results in that sector. It is likely that hydrocarbons will be a significant part of the world’s energy needs until 2050 or beyond. So, we need to look at all emissions sources, including oil sands. Secondly, the solutions that the oil sands sector is looking for and developing — how to reduce energy consumption, waste water management and waste to heat — are applicable in other sectors. It really is about the transition to a greener economy by learning from each other across sectors. We’ve talked a fair bit about technological innovation. What role do you see for social innovation? That hits the concept of a complete solution. It’s not just about technology. It’s about the supply chain, legal and regulatory frameworks, financing, market conditions, the management team and social innovation. You need innovation in all of these areas to ensure success. The initiatives of the Energy Futures Lab, for example, are really important because experimentation allows you to understand and test ideas with all these conditions in mind. It’s not just engineers who solve problems — it’s a diversity of backgrounds. There is a human element to this, creating a market pull for a consumer to say they want new products, and finding new ways to engage with one another to find better solutions. To tie it back to SPARK, we have programming at the plenary level about financing and funding models – how do you get the money to the idea? We have conversations about what does the market place want? You have to have a customer at the end of that development chain. It’s an expensive hobby if you’re not investing in something that the market needs. We’re framing conversations in the SPARK conference to try and tease out the other aspects beyond and in support of the technology. There are a number of innovation type of events happening right now. Why do you think SPARK is unique? If you want to learn how innovation can be a catalyst for clean technology scale-up and emissions reduction you should attend. SPARK is a place to be inspired by fresh thinking or hear different perspectives that can spark the movement we are creating to de-risk and deploy new technologies in Alberta, create more jobs and adapt policies and regulations that can help us achieve our goals. SPARK is about putting the conditions for success in place. Whether you’re looking for solutions in technology, policy, regulation, or financing, this is the place to have those conversations. What role do you see for the EFL in all of this and what advice do you have for the Fellows? EFL is very unique due to the breadth of its membership. You need spaces to have comprehensive, broad conversations. Welcome the dissidents and the tension because that’s a necessary part of building sustainability. You’re managing risk better for all of us because you have people asking, “What about this? What about that?” The EFL is almost like a one-stop shop for multi-stakeholder consultation. Instead of taking six months elsewhere, you could come into the room at once and get broad and informed perspectives. No one organization or individual can think this all through so that’s a really huge asset that EFL brings to the table. Someone can say “I’ve got this idea, I need to test it but I need the more than the usual suspects to inform our thinking.” The EFL purposefully built itself into that very turnkey forum and that is a huge asset for Alberta. #Future_Economy #Regional_Pathways #Clean_Technologies #Bitumen_Beyond_Combustion #Bitumen_Scenarios_to_2050 #Supporting_Albertas_Carbon_Utilization_Innovators #CCUS

When Social Innovation Meets Technology Innovation: SPARK 2017 and the Energy Futures Lab

Alberta is poised for a big leap forward in energy innovation. This will be on display in early November at SPARK 2017 , a two-day...

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The Clean50’s Top 20 projects for 2018 have been announced and the Energy Futures Lab is one of them. The list recognizes outstanding contributors to clean capitalism. Ottawa, ON – September 25, 2017 – The Natural Step Canada is proud to announce that the Energy Futures Lab has been named one of Canada’s Top 20 Projects by the Clean50 Awards for outstanding contributors to clean capitalism. The Energy Futures lab explores this question: How can Alberta’s leadership role in today’s energy system serve as a platform for transition to the energy system the future needs? It is a groundbreaking, Alberta-based multi-stakeholder initiative addressing the deeply polarized and polarizing nature of public dialogue on energy issues. “This sustainability-driven innovation-focused project simply wouldn’t have been possible without the collaboration and support of a diverse group of stakeholders including Suncor Energy Foundation, Government of Alberta, the Pembina Institute, Banff Centre, Alberta Real Estate Foundation, Shell Canada, ATB Financial, and Landmark Group of Builders” says David Hughes, President & CEO of The Natural Step Canada, the organization who initiated this effort back in 2013. Today the Energy Futures Lab brings together an impressive group of Fellows made up of over 50 energy innovators and influencers from government, industry, non-profits, First Nations, and other sectors and communities across Alberta. “We continue to be inspired by the unified vision our Energy Futures Lab fellows have as it relates to accelerating the transition to the energy system of Alberta’s future” says Chad Park, Lab Director.  Together this group is launching and scaling up over a dozen collaborative initiatives including: the Solar Skills campaign, which trains oil and gas workers and indigenous community members in solar installation; an initiative to convert oil wells into geothermal heat sources; and the Indigenous Renewable Energy Circle, exploring how best to contribute to Indigenous communities’ leadership in alternative energy development. Another group of fellows is working on tools to help municipal governments and economic development agencies across Alberta develop a clearer understanding of the emerging energy transition and how their communities can get more involved. Fellows from the oil sands industry, tech, research, and government have developed a framework for collaborating to dramatically reduce the carbon footprint of the oil sands, while increasing profitability that supports continued prosperity for Alberta. While this project was conceived in Alberta, for Alberta, it is built on a foundation of knowledge cultivated by The Natural Step over the past 30 years here in Canada and abroad. The organization’s expertise in sustainability-driven innovation is deeply embedded in its Sustainability Transition Labs.  “Energy — and the idea of developing an economy that thrives within nature’s limits — isn’t a provincial issue alone, but rather is a national and global one.” says Hughes. “We’d like to see this serve as a model for future labs in communities all across Canada”.       Read more about the Energy Futures Lab at Clean50.com . About The Natural Step Canada The Natural Step Canada is a national charity whose mission is to accelerate the transition to a TRULY sustainable society that thrives within nature’s limits. Through our academy, advisory services and Sustainability Transition Labs we use best-in-class science, systems-thinking and facilitation to help individuals and organizations collaborate, solve complex problems, foster innovation, optimize performance, and drive systems change. To learn more go to naturalstep.ca and check out our current Sustainability Transition Labs at energyfutureslab.com , circulareconomylab.com , and naturalcapitallab.com . For further information: contact Tyler Seed at tseed@naturalstep.ca – 647.707.4735 #Culture_Shift #EFL_Platform #EFL_Vision #2017

Energy Futures Lab named by Clean50 one of Canada’s Top 20 Projects for 2018

The Clean50’s Top 20 projects for 2018 have been announced and the Energy Futures Lab is one of them. The list recognizes outstanding contributors to clean capitalism. Ottawa, ON – September 25, 2017 – The Natural Step Canada is proud to announce that the Energy Futures Lab has been named one of Canada’s Top 20 Projects by the Clean50 Awards for outstanding contributors to clean capitalism. The Energy Futures lab explores this question: How can Alberta’s leadership role in today’s energy...

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It’s time for a demonstration. It will take place in the village of Valemount, BC. The project, the first of its kind in Canada, is called Sustainaville and will demonstrate that geothermal energy (heat from the earth) can be used to “grow a whole community”. “Warm geothermal water can support greenhouses but can also support initiatives like a brewery or shrimp farm. This fully renewable resource can serve several tiers of need in the community before being recycled to do it again!” – Alison Thompson Geothermal energy will transform Valemount by providing locally grown food using geothermal greenhouses, micro-power for commercial uses, and heat for eco-tourism attractions such as Hot Pools, all with minimal carbon footprint. In the third phase of the development, the project will generate 15MW of power for the community and to the grid, eliminating the current and constant issue of brownouts in the community. The Sustainaville GeoPark has been designed to build on the success of world class projects in Iceland, USA and Kenya which are using geothermal systems to support industrial processes, commercial applications and households. “The geothermal energy industry in Canada has had a slow start and as a country we are decades behind the global leaders yet we have world leading geology,” says Alison Thompson, Principal of Borealis GeoPower and Energy Futures Lab Fellow . Borealis was recently recognized by Environment Minister Catherine McKenna as Canada’s leading geothermal companies. The Sustainaville GeoPark concept goes beyond merely using geothermal energy for heating and energy. “Geothermal has the potential to help decouple the food chain from fossil fuels, “ says Alison. “Warm geothermal water can support greenhouses but can also support initiatives like a brewery or shrimp farm. This fully renewable resource can serve several tiers of need in the community before being recycled to do it again.” “According to the Alberta government in 2010, 79% of growers in the province used natural gas. In almost every case, warm geothermal water, plentiful right across the country, could have been substituted as the source of heat,” says Alison. “In an era where 10 calories of oil are used to produce 1 calorie of food, there is a renewable alternative.” Globally, geothermal power plants currently meet the electricity needs of 60 million people. Companies drill underground for hot water or steam similar to the process of drilling for oil. The heat is brought to the surface and used to spin turbines. The water is then returned underground where it is naturally reheated. The Sustainaville project applies Alberta honed oil & gas reservoir modelling and drilling talent. The main reason the project is in B.C. is because they have a geothermal program in place for companies to develop electricity, while Alberta does not. If successful, the project could point to a less costly and quicker development path that would allow for similar projects in some 203 communities, including 78 First Nations communities, who have been identified as potential replication sites. This project is also the only Canadian geothermal energy project accessible to the public to financially participate in on the TSX. Sustainaville is one of the innovations underway in the Energy Futures Lab’s (EFL’s) Innovation Pathways. In this case it’s the Deployment of Distributed Renewables pathway. The Lab has nine pathways where EFL Fellows come together to innovate, experiment and collaborate toward the Lab’s collective vision of an Alberta energy system that is fit for the future, and where production and consumption is guided by science and aligns with the principles of sustainability. “It’s been good to be associated with the EFL as a Fellow. Connecting with colleagues, peers and supporters was encouraging and gave me new ideas”, says Alison. You’ll be hearing a lot more about the initiatives being developed in the Lab in the coming year as the EFL continues to build momentum for a transition to the energy system our future requires. #Clean_Technologies #Regional_Pathways #Sustainaville_Geo_Park #2017 #Geothermal_Energy

Sustainaville – Canada’s First GeoPark

It’s time for a demonstration. It will take place in the village of Valemount, BC. The project, the first of its kind in Canada, is...

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Shell Canada’s Chris Fry has been a Fellow in the Energy Futures Lab since its inception. “I wanted to get involved because I felt it was important to include Indigenous voices in the Lab when talking about Alberta’s energy future,” says Chris. “I’ve gained a network and an understanding of just how complex the issues are in energy transition”. “Through the Lab I’ve learned backcasting and gained new skills in strategic planning and collaborating with people who have different perspectives, I’ve had the opportunity to do some work with Shell’s New Energies Group and put some of these skills to use.” – Chris Fry One of the greatest lessons has been his discovery that there isn’t a comprehensive resource or organization led by Indigenous peoples that is advocating for alternative energy leadership. So Chris has partnered with several other Energy Futures Lab Fellows on an initiative called Accelerating Indigenous Energy Entrepreneurs. “It’s been exciting to work with a bunch of folks on our initiative. Right now we’re developing a guidebook for Nations that will serve as a resource to promote renewable energy development,” says Chris. Their initiative aims to support Indigenous communities’ leadership and entrepreneurship in alternative energy development in culturally and spiritually suitable ways. Outcomes include learning journeys documented by an Indigenous storyteller, business incubation and acceleration and an entrepreneurs’ network. The team meets weekly by phone to advance their work and is currently seeking funding. Chris has also taken lessons from the Lab back to Shell. “Through the Lab I’ve learned backcasting and gained new skills in strategic planning and collaborating with people who have different perspectives,” says Chris. “I’ve had the opportunity to do some work with Shell’s New Energies Group and put some of these skills to use.” In addition to working for Shell as an External Relations Advisor, Chris also co-teaches Resource Development in Aboriginal communities for the Aboriginal Relations Leadership certificate offered through the University of Calgary. He has a Masters of Science degree in Sustainable Energy Development. Shell recently contributed $50,000 to support the work of The Natural Step Canada’s Energy Futures Lab. __________________________________ Shell Canada Limited Shell has been operating in Canada for over 100 years and employs more than 4,000 people across the country. Our business is providing energy to Canadians and people around the world, and we are one of the few truly integrated oil and gas companies in Canada. This means we do everything from exploring for oil and gas, production, refining, the manufacturing process, and delivery to our customers at over 1,200 retail stations across Canada. Learn more at www.shell.ca . #Future_Economy #Culture_Shift #Accelerating_Indigenous_Energy_Entrepreneurs #2017 #Indigenous_Knowledge_Insight_and_Leadership

Accelerating Indigenous Energy Entrepreneurs

Shell Canada’s Chris Fry has been a Fellow in the Energy Futures Lab since its inception. “I wanted to get involved because I felt it...

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This spring the Energy Futures Lab welcomed 13 new Fellows. Together with the 12 who joined earlier in 2017, the new cohort adds energy and fresh perspectives to the Energy Futures Lab. Please welcome our second 2017 intake of Fellows to the Energy Futures Lab! With the EFL Fellowship we are assembling an influential network capable of tackling the complexity and polarization of today’s energy challenges. In selecting these new Fellows, we aimed to increase the diversity of representation in the lab from, for example, rural Alberta and Albertans of Indigenous heritage. All new Fellows attend a Leadership Bootcamp which includes the Newtonian Shift energy transition simulation . Bootcamps are also open to anyone interested playing an active role in shaping Alberta’s energy system and its future. Please welcome our second 2017 intake of Fellows to the Energy Futures Lab! Siamak Khorrami, Senior Business Innovation Manager, ATB Financial Dr. Connie Van der Byl , Director, Institute for Environmental Sustainability, Mount Royal University Geoffrey Tauvette , Director, Environment and Fuel, WestJet Ronald Bettin , Co-Founder, ReSourceYYC Jesse Toor , Manager, Innovation and Diversification, Energy Transition and Policy Innovation (Alberta CoLab), Alberta Energy Trevor McLeod , Director, Natural Resources Centre, Canada West Foundation Lisa White , Environmental Planning, Clifton Associates Prageet Nibber , Co-Founder, ReWatt Power Cole Nychka , Manager, Regulatory, ATCO Gas Maggie Hanna , President, Innovation and Technology Scout, Common Ground Energy Deanna Burgart , President, Indigenous Engineering Inclusion Inc.Cheryl Cardinal, President/CEO, Indigenous Centre of Energy Joanne Fedeyko , CEO, Connection Silicon Valley Meet all EFL Fellows . The Fellowship met in Canmore in late May for a three day workshop.Over the summer they will be refining their shared vision of Alberta’s energy future and objectives for the next year, while continuing work on their collaborative initiatives in the EFL innovation pathways . #Fellowship #Culture_Shift

Energy Futures Lab Now Features 58 Fellows

This spring the Energy Futures Lab welcomed 13 new Fellows. Together with the 12 who joined earlier in 2017, the new cohort adds energy...

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Oil and gas versus renewables? That’s a false dichotomy, according to the Energy Futures Lab (EFL), an initiative that acknowledges the importance of Alberta’s significant natural advantage in fossil fuels and how it can be used as a stepping stone to a cleaner energy future. The Energy Futures Lab is designed to allow stakeholders to engage with one another about Canada’s energy future, to find some common ground, and to take action together. – Chad Park “The issues around environment and energy are complex and highly polarized,” says Chad Park, director of EFL, which is a project of national charity The Natural Step Canada. “The polarization creates problems whether you’re an energy company trying to get a pipeline built for market access or an environmental group promoting better climate policy. The most challenging issues around sustainable development can’t be solved by any single organization. The Energy Futures Lab is designed to allow stakeholders to engage with one another about Canada’s energy future, to find some common ground, and to take action together.” He refers to EFL as a “social innovation,” which he says needs to be a focus along with pursuing technological solutions. “No single step is going to take us to a sustainable energy economy,” he says. “We might disagree on the pace of that transition but we have to recognize ways that we can work with each other to achieve a desired future state using science-based principles. Many oil and gas companies are working hard to reduce emissions and, as energy companies, they’re interested in supplying energy in a low-carbon future.” EFL participant Apoorv Sinha has his feet planted in both worlds. He’s a research manager at zEroCor Technologies Inc., a Calgary-based oilfield service company, and leader of Carbon Upcycling Technologies (CUT), a spinoff company looking to harvest carbon nanoparticles from sequestered CO2. “Efficiency and reduction of waste is our vision, in whichever industry we’re working,” says Sinha. “As an oilfield services company, we’re producing tubing, coatings and additives that reduce corrosion and make oilfield production more energy-efficient. At CUT, we’re working to sequester CO2, while creating high-quality carbon nano-materials.” The company’s process exposes carbon sources such as graphite and coal to gaseous CO2 to produce a wide range of custom-designed carbon nano-materials. These materials show significant promise in making stronger concrete, reducing corrosion in metals and improving the efficiency of commercial solar panels. They can also be used as precise and non-toxic delivery systems for pharmaceuticals targeting cancer cells. “When you talk about taking CO2 particles that would wind up in the atmosphere and using them to make next-generation pharmaceuticals, it’s a paradigm shift for most people,” says Sinha. “But there’s no juxtaposition between our oilfield services business and our carbon up-cycling technologies. It’s all about making the world run more efficiently.” Innovation is working not just in the realm of physical resources, but human resources, too. Lliam Hildebrand is a director of strategy for Iron & Earth, a not-for-profit dedicated to ensuring that the skillsets developed by workers in the oil patch can be adapted to renewable energy projects. “Canada has a workforce ready to meet the challenges of both types of projects,” he says. Hildebrand is a boilermaker by trade and has worked on projects as diverse as fabricating pressure vessels, flare stacks and biomass stations. Iron & Earth advocates for programs designed to rapidly train oil sands workers to adapt their skills to renewable projects involving wind and solar power, for example. “We want to ensure that a transition to a net-zero economy takes skilled workers along for the ride,” he says. “We also advocate for integrating renewable energy technologies into existing energy infrastructure. There are 400,000 holes in Alberta, dug into warm sedimentary sand that could be right for geothermal energy projects. Oilfield pumpjacks could be powered by solar energy. There are a lot of opportunities out there.” Iron & Earth’s involvement with EFL has already netted partners to contribute to its Solar Skills project. A partnership with MetalBoss Industries is looking for a retooling grant to allow the company to manufacture solar energy racking components. It’s a mindset Park embraces. “Instead of dwelling on the debates of the past,” he says, “we can use strengths in Alberta’s energy sector as a platform to the future.” #Clean_Technologies #Culture_Shift #Fellowship #EFL_Platform #Advanced_Materials #CCUS #Workforce_Readiness #Geothermal_Energy #2017

The Energy Futures Lab looks for common ground in energy debate

Oil and gas versus renewables? That’s a false dichotomy, according to the Energy Futures Lab (EFL), an initiative that acknowledges the...

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Innovating Alberta’s Energy Future Showcase explores ways Alberta will lead the transition to a low carbon future “There are so many amazing projects in the works that are going to help with the challenge of building the energy system of Alberta’s future. I’m excited to learn more about this groundbreaking work by the EFL Fellows.” – Andrew Ference CALGARY, April 11, 2017 /CNW/ – A diverse group of innovators and influencers will take the stage April 19 to share their ideas and work to help shape Alberta’s energy future. Presenters will include oil and gas executives working on innovations to dramatically reduce emissions in energy production, a First Nations leader helping bring renewable energy to his community, and an Albertan entrepreneur who is a semi-finalist in the global Carbon XPrize competition to find technologies to turn CO2 emissions into valuable products. Presented by the The Natural Step Canada’s Energy Futures Lab (EFL), the Innovating Alberta’s Energy Future Showcase celebrates some of the most groundbreaking work of the EFL Fellows, a diverse group of leaders from industry, government, First Nations, civil society, and academia. Join Mayor Naheed Nenshi for his opening remarks, followed by an afternoon of thought-provoking presentations, cultural performances, and a compelling panel exchange. Immediately prior to the event Andrew Ference, a former Stanley Cup champion who has played with the Calgary Flames and served as captain of the Edmonton Oilers, will try his hand at the Newtonian Shift, an engrossing role playing board game that condenses decades of energy transition into hours of exploration. Ference, who started working on environmental issues after surfing in polluted waters off California, is personally committed to sustainable development. “There are so many amazing projects in the works that are going to help with the challenge of building the energy system of Alberta’s future,” says Ference. “I’m excited to learn more about this groundbreaking work by the EFL Fellows.” After the presentations, Ference will be part of the panel along with Melina Laboucan-Massimo from the Lubicon Cree First Nation; Arlene Strom, VP Sustainability & Communications at Suncor Energy Inc.; and Nicholas Parker, co-founder Global Acceleration Partners and a pioneer in cleantech venture capital. “Energy issues are not as ‘black and white’ as they seem, and Alberta has a very different story to tell,” says Chad Park, Chief Innovation Officer of The Natural Step and Director of the Energy Futures Lab. “With polarized debates about energy as a backdrop, more people are joining us here in the very colourful middle ground and working together to find ways for Alberta to lead in the transition to a low carbon future.” Innovating Alberta’s Energy Future Showcase Wednesday, April 19, Jack Singer Concert Hall 12:30 pm Media availability with Mayor Naheed Nenshi, Andrew Ference, Nicholas Parker, and the EFL Fellows plus brief demonstration of role playing board game, the Newtonian Shift. 1:00 Showcase begins ~1:15 Mayor Nenshi opening remarks 1:20 Round 1 EFL Fellows presentations 2:05 BREAK 2:45 Round 2 EFL Fellows presentations 3:25 BREAK 4:00 Panel with Andrew Ference, Nicholas Parker, Melina Laboucan-Massimo, Arlene Strom The Energy Futures Lab is an Alberta-based, multi-interest collaboration designed to accelerate the development of a “fit for the future” energy system. Alberta’s energy system is at the centre of the most complex, fragmented and divisive debates. From disputes about market access for Alberta’s oil, to disagreements about the most strategic approaches to address climate change, to controversies about the health and wellbeing of affected communities, energy system pressures are impacting all stakeholders. In response, the Energy Futures Lab has brought together a diverse group of innovators and influencers shaping the energy system to discuss, experiment and innovate. The lab is powered by The Natural Step Canada and supported by the Suncor Energy Foundation, the Government of Alberta, the Alberta Real Estate Foundation, Landmark Group of Builders, ATB Financial, Shell, and the Jarislowsky Foundation. Additional partners include the Pembina Institute, and the Banff Centre. The Natural Step Canada is a national charity whose mission is to accelerate the transition to a TRULY sustainable society that thrives within nature’s limits. Through our academy, advisory services and Sustainability Transition Labs we use best-in-class science, systems-thinking and facilitation to help individuals and organizations collaborate, solve complex problems, foster innovation, optimize performance and drive systems change. #Culture_Shift #Clean_Technologies #Regional_Pathways #2017_Showcase #The_Newtonian_Shift #Radical_Middle #Sustainable_Finance #2017

Press Release: Oil and gas executives working with cleantech and renewable energy entrepreneurs, environmentalists and other unlikely allies

Innovating Alberta’s Energy Future Showcase explores ways Alberta will lead the transition to a low carbon future “There are so many...

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For the last few months, the Energy Futures Lab has been in recruitment mode, searching for promising leaders and influencers from across Alberta’s energy landscape to join the EFL Fellowship. We can’t wait to see the ingenuity and energy that the new cohort brings to the EFL Innovation Pathways. Why is the EFL actively seeking new Fellows? Because Alberta and Canada need bold innovators to play a leading role in identifying, testing and scaling creative energy initiatives that will have a lasting impact on Albertans and Canadians. We also sensed a need for more diversity, and to close gaps in representation within the Fellowship. The newest EFL Fellows bring increased representation from entrepreneurs, rural Alberta, women, and the technology sector. We are still seeking more Indigenous representation as well as leaders from the utilities and finance sectors to join the Fellowship. The new Fellows have embarked on an exciting journey, where they will co-create solutions and initiatives. Systems-thinking is crucial to gaining insight into the evolution of Alberta’s energy system. For that, the new Fellows participate in the Newtonian Shift simulation and the Leadership Bootcamp as well as attend a number of Energy Futures Lab workshops. New Fellows join our veteran EFL Fellows in supporting and scaling initiatives of the Lab. We can’t wait to see the ingenuity and energy that the new cohort brings to the EFL Innovation Pathways . I am proud to announce the first intake of EFL 2017 Fellows. Welcome to the Energy Futures Lab! Candice Paton, Alberta Innovates Chelsea Erhardt, Capital Power Corporation Cor Koster, GP JOULE Canada Elizabeth (Liz) Lappin, Castle Rock Consulting Ltd. Elizabeth Shirt, Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA) Gary Millard, Shell Canada Ltd. Juli Rohl, The Alberta ReGeneration Project James Van Leeuwen, Ventus Development Services Inc. Laura Kennett, Enbridge Maja Veljkovic, IBM Melanie Popp, Alberta Innovation Engine Patricia Bourne, EQUS REA LTD. Meet all EFL Fellows . Feature Energy Futures Lab Fellow Meet Patricia Bourne, CEO of EQUS REA LTD. , a rural-based power cooperative that distributes electricity to more than 12,000 homes and businesses across a large part of rural Alberta. Almost 25 years ago, she started as the first employee of CAREA, one of the predecessors of EQUS. Under her leadership, the organization has grown from one employee to over one hundred. She has won a Woman’s Award of Excellence in Business and the Professions in Central Alberta and has recently been nominated as a Woman of Excellence by Global TV Edmonton. Meet more EFL Fellows ! #Culture_Shift #Fellowship #EFL_Vision #The_Newtonian_Shift #Leadership_Bootcamp #2017

Welcome New Energy Futures Lab Fellows!

For the last few months, the Energy Futures Lab has been in recruitment mode, searching for promising leaders and influencers from across...

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Since its inception in 2015, the Energy Futures Lab has had a primary focus on the development of the Fellowship and the co-creation of collaborative initiatives in the Innovation Pathways. So how can you get involved with the EFL? There are plenty of opportunities – just choose your adventure! Over the course of the almost two years of this work, hundreds of other people have connected to the EFL in one way or another. In this next phase of expansion, the EFL will now be opening its doors and creating new opportunities for the growing EFL community to connect. We are inviting Albertans and Canadians to get involved with the Lab’s work and to join the EFL community. So how can you get involved with the EFL? There are plenty of opportunities – just choose your adventure! Attend Innovating Alberta’s Energy Future Showcase: This Showcase is the EFL’s milestone event for 2017, taking place on April 19 and bringing leaders and innovators from across Alberta’s energy landscape. This is your opportunity to learn firsthand about the initiatives created and scaled at the Lab. High-profile speakers will also join and spark the conversation! Join EFL Community Gatherings: The EFL community meets once a month to hold deeper discussions on various energy futures themes and on EFL initiatives related to the Innovation Pathways . These are informal gatherings taking place after work and semi-facilitated by an EFL staff member or a Fellow. The gatherings are free of charge and held in both Calgary and Edmonton. Registration is required as space for each session is limited, so sign up today ! Sign up for EFL Leadership Bootcamp: The Leadership Bootcamp is an excellent and intensive introduction to the work and approach of the Lab. You’ll spend the first day playing the exhilarating Newtonian Shift simulation and experience decades of energy transition in a few hours. The next two days focus on understanding energy systems and narratives as well as creating and innovating an energy vision for the future. Register and stay tuned for upcoming Bootcamps. Participate in a Newtonian Shift Simulation: Imagine 16-30 people living out an intense simulation of 20 years over four hours. This fast-paced, role-playing experience requires you to make decisions in response to dynamic local and global changes. Whether you play the role of an energy company’s CEO or a First Nations leader or an NGO representative, this facilitated game will expose you to decades of energy transition and help you empathize with different real-world players in the energy system. What would you do if the price of oil peaked and you, as a CEO, have already sold all your fossil fuels assets? You can participate in the simulation or host one in your community. Learn more about others’ experiences playing the game! Request an Organizational Engagement Session: If you cannot come to the EFL, the EFL can come to you! Organizational engagement sessions are an effective way to engage your organization in energy transition. It’s an excellent way to trigger stimulating discussions and real change in your organization. The EFL team will facilitate the Newtonian Shift simulation and explore energy narratives with the participants during the energy trends cafe. Are you interested? Contact us at info@naturalstep.ca . #Culture_Shift #EFL_Vision #2017_Showcase #Leadership_Bootcamp #The_Newtonian_Shift #Community_Gatherings #2017

Get Involved in the Energy Futures Lab Community and Choose your Adventure

Since its inception in 2015, the Energy Futures Lab has had a primary focus on the development of the Fellowship and the co-creation of...

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The Energy Futures Lab is excited to announce the three newest members of its Advisory Council. By serving as public champions for the EFL, offering high-level counsel and role modelling innovation and leadership, the Advisory Council lends credibility and wisdom to the evolution of the Energy Futures Lab. Judy Fairburn is passionate about driving Canadian innovation to build a highly competitive energy industry, which positions Canada well in the global innovation race. Judy is the Executive Vice-President of Business Innovation at Cenovus and was pivotal in furthering the integration of environment into Cenovus’s business strategy and in the creation of Canada’s Oil Sands Innovation Alliance (COSIA). She also serves on the Boards of Alberta Innovates, Sustainable Development Technology Canada, Public Policy Forum and Evok Innovations. Through these roles, Judy helps to bridge partnerships that shape and strengthen the innovation ecosystem in Canada. Judy is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering and is also a member of Abundance 360 – a select group of entrepreneurs and senior executives focused on capitalizing on transformative digital change. Dr. Reg Crowshoe is a member of the University of Calgary Senate and a Blackfoot Cultural and Spiritual Advisor, and is the former Chief of the Piikani Nation. Reg and his late father, Joe Crowshoe, have travelled extensively around the world bringing awareness and education about Blackfoot history, traditions and spirituality. Reg developed the Blackfoot Framework for Decision-Making and Mediation Process called Akak’stiman, and presents it widely to corporations, government, Aboriginal organizations and the non-profit sector. Reg sits on many committees and boards in Calgary and commits his time to other provincial and national organizations. He also provides advice to Treaty 7 Management Corporation, and leads a group of Treaty 7 Elders so that they can better be a support system to members in Treaty 7. Nicholas Parker is Founding Managing Partner of Global Acceleration Partners which addresses global megatrends shaping basic needs for resource-efficient clean energy, food, water and infrastructure by accelerating cross-border deployment of proven technologies and business models into high growth emerging economies. For over twenty years, Nicholas has pioneered sustainable venturing initiatives around the world. Nicholas introduced the “cleantech” concept to the finance and business community in 2002 while launching Cleantech Group, a market-leading research and advisory company. He also served as Chair of Corporate Knights, a media company for clean capitalism, best known for the Global 100 rankings launched annually at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Judy Fairburn, Dr. Reg Crowshoe and Nicholas Parker join an already impressive team of leaders serving on EFL’s Advisory Council: Ed Whittingham, Executive Director, Pembina Institute Gord Lambert, Suncor Sustainability Executive in Residence Suzanne West, CEO, Imaginea Energy Tzeporah Berman, Environmental Activist and Writer Toby Heaps, Co-Founder and President, Corporate Knights Inc. Don Iveson, Mayor, City of Edmonton Donna Kennedy-Glans, Viewpoints Alberta Reza Nasseri, CEO, Landmark Group of CompaniesEric Newell, Retired Business Executive By serving as public champions for the EFL, offering high-level counsel and role modelling innovation and leadership, the Advisory Council lends credibility and wisdom to the evolution of the Energy Futures Lab. #Culture_Shift #Fellowship #2017

Judy Fairburn, Dr. Reg Crowshoe and Nicholas Parker Join Energy Futures Lab Advisory Council

The Energy Futures Lab is excited to announce the three newest members of its Advisory Council. By serving as public champions for the...

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Well, 2016 was quite a year for Alberta. A lingering recession due to low oil prices. Provincial climate policies announced and enacted. A couple of pipelines approved. A dramatic U.S. presidential election and shifting global geopolitics. The EFL Fellows have been the driving force at the centre of this important work, and nothing has been so impressive to me personally as witnessing the abilities and growth of these innovators and influencers, as a group and as individuals. 2017 is already bringing more change. Alberta’s carbon levy came into effect January 1. Economists are predicting modest growth for the province. And climate-change skeptic Donald Trump is moving into the Oval Office. As we head deeper into the year, the polarization over Canada’s energy future – and Alberta’s place in it – continues. In fact, in many ways it is intensifying, as media headlines and social media increasingly paint a picture of distinct camps arguing their respective and seemingly incompatible positions. Finding common ground in the Energy Futures Lab (EFL) But energy transition is not a black and white issue. Against this backdrop, the EFL is making significant progress in the colourful space we like to call “the radical middle.” A growing group of committed people have come together in the lab—boldly melding their different perspectives and experiences—to find common ground and work together to leverage Alberta’s current strengths to help shape a new energy system. It’s not always easy—in fact it’s a lot of hard work—but we are finding solutions and, in so doing, sowing the seeds for a new public narrative to counter the polarization. We are developing collaborative projects across a range of Innovation Pathways , connecting people in a number of different sectors and increasing the general awareness of the complexity of transitioning our energy systems to a lower carbon future. We are grateful to the extraordinary people who are engaged in and supportive of this work—the EFL Convening Partners and funders, Advisory Council , Steering Committee and the diverse group of engaged Fellows who in turn are supported by their organizations. To all of you, thank you for believing we could do this together, for working so hard to channel the generous and innovative spirit of Alberta, and for being so committed to further developing this work in 2017. A fellowship of rising stars The EFL Fellows have been the driving force at the centre of this important work, and nothing has been so impressive to me personally as witnessing the abilities and growth of these innovators and influencers, as a group and as individuals. Some, like Matt Beck and Ryan Robb, have changed jobs and taken on new leadership responsibilities. Others, like Meera Nathwani-Crowe and John Zhou, have been called upon increasingly for leadership within their organizations. Some, like Bruce Edgelow and Daniel Clarke, have been instrumental in helping their organizations weather the economic storm, while others, like Sean Collins and Apoorv Sinha, have forged new entrepreneurial endeavours. Audrey Mascarenhas and Alison Thompson have been tireless advocates for proven and much-needed solutions. Jennifer Martin, Anouk Kendall and Lliam Hildebrand have led their organizations to new places of opportunity. Erin Welk, Nathan Maycher, Megan Zimmerman and Gerardo Marquez have provided steadfast leadership and abundant personal energy for initiatives arising from the EFL. All of the Fellows have inspired us with their openness of spirit and the constructive and creative way that they have engaged in the work of the lab. Calling for new voices in the radical middle This year, we are expanding the circle and recruiting more people to join the EFL Fellows. There are many amazing people in our province doing inspiring work. Judging from the early response to the call that was issued a couple weeks ago and to the interest in other new engagement opportunities with the EFL such as the EFL Leadership Bootcamp , and the Newtonian Shift , it’s clear that there is an urge among many people to be part of something positive, constructive and future-facing. Please make sure that your networks are aware of the opportunities to get involved with the EFL. Mark the date April 19 I invite you to spend some time on our newly revamped website to read more about how we’re answering the question: How can Alberta’s leadership position in today’s energy system serve as a platform for transition to the energy system the future requires of us? The work of the EFL Fellows will be profiled here in coming months, and announcements of the new people joining the Fellowship will also appear. Please join the EFL community for the Energy Futures Lab Showcase in Calgary on April 19th. This will be an inspiring afternoon event at the Jack Singer Concert Hall where you can hear more from the EFL Fellows about their initiatives, and be inspired by other speakers and cultural performances. We hope to see you there to help us celebrate our common bonds to Alberta, the place and its people. More details and registration information will follow soon. Happy New Year! #Future_Economy #Culture_Shift #Fellowship #2017 #Radical_Middle #EFL_Vision #EFL_Platform #The_Newtonian_Shift #Leadership_Bootcamp #2017_Showcase

Taking on 2017!

Well, 2016 was quite a year for Alberta. A lingering recession due to low oil prices. Provincial climate policies announced and enacted....

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2016 was a year of change and new realities. 2016 was a year of change and new realities. It ended with national and international developments that will impact Alberta’s energy system for years to come. These include uncertainty looming around the US elections, the continued Alberta recession, the ramifications of pipeline approvals, and the new regulations addressing climate change. Such complex and difficult topics likely made for some contentious Christmas dinner conversation starters in households across Canada. We need more leaders who are able to listen and incorporate the diverse opinions of multiple stakeholders – whether from indigenous communities, industry, NGOs, youth or government. Many believe 2017 will be a year of uncertainty, requiring a wait-and-see attitude. But we cannot afford to wait and see. The environmental and economic challenges we face are urgent and demand that we take action and become more engaged in energy issues. The EFL is expanding its Fellowship – a unique program that recruits collaborators and players in Alberta’s energy system. The Fellows will take a lead role in identifying, testing, and scaling energy projects that will have long lasting impact on Albertans. It is a program designed to equip leaders and influencers in Alberta with skills and strategies to facilitate learning and collaboration for energy transition. The new Fellows will work closely with the original EFL Fellows on practical initiatives that move our province forward along a series of Innovation Pathways . The conversations will continue to be difficult when we discuss energy issues in Alberta and Canada. We need more leaders who are able to listen and incorporate the diverse opinions of multiple stakeholders – whether from indigenous communities, industry, NGOs, youth or government. Only by including these perspectives can we achieve the innovation needed to build our future energy system. The EFL Fellowship is about preparing a new cohort of influencers to lead a movement for energy innovation and transition in Alberta. It is about managing and facilitating difficult conversations without prescribing specific outcomes. It is about collaborating with people we do not necessarily agree with on pragmatic initiatives. The EFL Fellowship is about leading and innovating during times of uncertainty. It is what our energy future requires of us. #Culture_Shift #Fellowship #EFL_Vision #Radical_Middle #2017

EFL Fellowship: Leading and influencing in times of uncertainty

2016 was a year of change and new realities. 2016 was a year of change and new realities. It ended with national and international...

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On December 5, 2016, approximately 170 people braved the cold to talk about the future of energy in Alberta at the University of Calgary’s downtown campus. Dr. David Layzell, Energy Futures Lab (EFL) Steering Committee Member and Director of the Canadian Energy Systems Analysis Research (CESAR) project, argued that energy system transition is the “grand challenge for our society.” The EFL design team worked with Dr. David Layzell and his research group to help identify big challenges and opportunities for energy transition in Alberta. He indicated three components of our energy system that we can leverage for transition: the technologies we use to deliver energy services; the fuel we use; and our behaviour. Not coincidentally, these three leverage points map to the EFL Innovation Pathways and portfolio of initiatives. The EFL design team worked with Dr. David Layzell and his research group, namely Song Sit, Senior Associate and Bastiaan Straatman, Energy Systems Modeller, to help identify big challenges and opportunities for energy transition in Alberta. Student teams then modelled 10 different scenarios for the future of energy in the province. Deploying Distributed Energy One of the EFL pathways is about the Deployment of Distributed Renewables . Led by Fellow Alison Thompson, one of the initiatives in this pathway investigates the renewable power and heat potential from over 400,000 wells in Alberta. Two of the student projects provided more data to complement this initiative. The first group found that power generated from “depleted Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) heat recovery can reduce emissions associated with electricity use in the SAGD sector by up to 28%” [1]. The second group focused on geothermal heating from wells to offset burning of natural gas for home and commercial space heating. Using Red Deer as a sample area, the student group suggests that this form of heating is possible and could be extended to include “geothermal space heating in work camps and warehouses” [2]. Mobility The Mobility pathway is about dramatically reducing energy used for the movement of people and goods. EFL Fellows in this pathway are working on a waste-to-biofuels initiative. A few transportation related projects at the CESAR event also investigated technology, fuel and behaviour as leverage points for energy transition. One group investigated the conversion of biomass residues from agriculture and forestry to Dimethyl Ether (DME). This could potentially replace a portion of diesel fuel consumed by the freight industry and significantly reduce emissions. The team discovered a potential 11 megatonne per year reduction [3]. Another group took a very different approach, focusing on energy demand and the following question: “What if energy demand characteristics were changed by a new generation?”[4]. The group investigated how Gen Y and Millennials think about housing and transportation i.e. their inclination to share cars and use public transit as well as live in urban centres and choose smaller spaces. How do these behaviours impact energy use? By being a Millennial team, the group had a head start on their research. They found a “potential 8.4 megatonnes of CO2 equivalent reduction associated with higher density living” [4], which could be a significant contribution to Alberta’s emissions reduction target. Next Steps The EFL plans to continue working with Dr. Layzell, his team at CESAR and students in future years. The data from student research is already helping the EFL teams focus their efforts and uncover new opportunities. [1] Heat Recovery From Depleted SAGD Reservoirs To Generate Green Electricity. S. Amin, K. Bexte, T. Pickett, E. Waldson, T. Zhao. University of Calgary, 2016. [2] Geothermal Potential in Alberta: Direct Heat from Oil and Gas. S. Clarke, L. Bassett, R. Shcarein, A. Vo, N. Loucks. University of Calgary, 2016. [3] Fuel from Biomass Residues. J. Fedrau, L. Beaton, M. Tashnil, N. Delorme, U. Kamran. University of Calgary, 2016. [4] What If Millenials Transformed Energy Demand? Effects of High Density Community Lifestyles on GHG Emissions. A. Zalazar, J. Le, R. Branchaud, N. Fergus, M. Bello. University of Calgary, 2016. #Clean_Technologies #Electricity #Regional_Pathways #Scenarios_for_Albertas_Energy_Future #Geothermal_From_Oil_Wells #2017 #Bio_Fuel #15_Minute_Cities

EFL & U of C’s CESAR: Scenarios for Alberta’s Energy Future

On December 5, 2016, approximately 170 people braved the cold to talk about the future of energy in Alberta at the University of...

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No one ever said the transition to a new energy economy would be easy. From the very beginning, The Natural Step Canada (TNSC) was under a great deal of pressure to describe the impacts and outcomes of the Energy Futures Lab (EFL). We resisted prescribing a solution. Our Fellowship – more diverse than we could have hoped – has created a shared vision and innovation pathways, generated new ideas, and brought existing initiatives into the lab to amplify and scale. Describing any specific outcome in such a polarized environment could attract those invested in the result and push away the disinterested. Building an EFL Fellowship of diverse opinions and perspectives was critical to designing a fit for the future energy system. Fast forward to a year later and I could not be more pleased to share the incredible initiatives emerging from our our lab. Our Fellowship – more diverse than we could have hoped – has created a shared vision and innovation pathways , generated new ideas, and brought existing initiatives into the lab to amplify and scale. Leveraging our strengths and our past to transition to the future The Fellows agree that prosperity does not lie on the same path that has brought us to where we are today. Nor can we abandon the resources and assets that built Alberta. Our challenge is to leverage our strengths, foster innovation and build the energy system that the future requires of us. Here are three initiatives developed by the EFL Fellows that exemplify this philosophy: Geothermal from oil wells – Alison Thompson is working with other Fellows and partners on a prototype that is the first of its kind in Alberta and promises a huge upside to over 400,000+ oil wells in the province. The Leduc #1 Living Energy project will convert an old well (previously used for water re-injection from producing hydrocarbon wells) into a geothermal heat source to keep a large greenhouse warm and productive all year around. The Leduc site is synonymous with Alberta’s oil boom and was deliberately chosen for its cultural significance. More initiatives like this will make great use of the engineering and geological know-how for which Alberta is famous by reinvigorating abandoned wells that no longer generate economic value. Pumped hydro energy storage – EFL Fellow Kipp Horton is leading a project with partners that will utilize an abandoned coal mine to establish an innovative energy storage system. As Alberta seeks to achieve a target of 30 percent of its electricity from renewables by 2030, more solutions like this will be needed. This project will enable more intermittent renewable energy generation by providing storage during times of low demand and output during times of high demand. Workers’ Climate Plan – There is no greater asset in Alberta than the province’s workforce. Lliam Hildebrand is working with other EFL Fellows and partners of his own organization IRON+EARTH to build a movement among Alberta’s workers for energy transition. There is enormous short and long term value in retooling and repositioning a workforce challenged by today’s economic conditions to lead in a more diversified energy economy. Engaging hearts and imaginations and contributing to reconciliation The Fellows understand the vital importance of culture and public engagement in building support for energy transition in Alberta. They are also committed to contribute to reconciliation between Alberta’s Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. Two more EFL initiatives aim at advancing these imperatives: Indigenous Renewable Energy Circle – EFL Fellows are partnering with Urban Matters and others to explore how best to contribute to Indigenous communities’ leadership in alternative energy development – all within a culturally and spiritually appropriate frame. As a first phase, the Fellows have identified the need to support an Indigenous leadership network to share best practices across communities. A series of learning journeys will commence in autumn 2016 with a visit to Treaty 7’s net zero TRTL house in conjunction with invitations to establish a province-wide Elder’s circle. Community leaders and elders from this event would then join additional community learning journeys including the Louis Bull First Nation Solar Initiative, Lubicon Cree Piitapan Solar Project, and Pikani First Nation solar pilot project, among others. All of this will assist growing awareness and capacity in support of the Government of Alberta’s newly-announced Indigenous renewables program . The intention is to provide a platform for a strong cohort of Indigenous leaders with the relationships and connections to assist communities to accelerate successes, overcome challenges, support social entrepreneurship, and attract key investment for their energy transition initiatives. Energy transition support materials for Alberta communities – A group of EFL Fellows is working on a set of materials and tools to help municipal governments and economic development agencies across Alberta develop a clearer understanding of the emerging energy transition and how their communities can get more involved. Learning from Alberta’s history of innovation Innovation has long been part of the Alberta story. There are enormous opportunities to be realized by refocusing our innovation system on the new challenges associated with Alberta’s continued prosperity in a low-carbon global economy. Here are two EFL initiatives that seek to seize those opportunities: AOSTRA 2.0 – A group of EFL Fellows and other partners are developing a prototype based on the Alberta Oil Sands Technology and Research Authority (AOSTRA). This was a successful Alberta Crown Corporation established in 1974 to promote the development and use of new technology for oil sands and heavy-oil production. The original AOSTRA pioneered many of the technologies used within in-situ oil sands projects through a partnership between the Alberta government, federal government and industry. The AOSTRA 2.0 working group seeks to replicate the success of AOSTRA by establishing partnerships to enable and scale transformational technologies. The goal is to make oil sands oil globally carbon (and cost) competitive so that it can continue to be a source of economic prosperity in Canada. Supporting Alberta’s carbon utilization innovators – Our province needs to not only reduce emissions in energy production, but also find new ways to turn carbon dioxide from waste into useful materials. Two EFL Fellows: Apoorv Sinha and David Lynch are working on projects that address this challenge and have received support from the Climate Change and Emissions Management Corporation (CCEMC) for this work. This is a whole new innovation opportunity with global implications, ripe for Alberta leadership, as exemplified by the COSIA Carbon X Prize . A group of EFL Fellows are developing ideas for how to support Alberta entrepreneurs keen to work in this blossoming innovation field. This week in Calgary, Fellows will bring these projects and other ideas to their peers and to a broader circle of stakeholders. The most exciting part is that these initiatives are really just the beginning. In addition to establishing a major platform for game-changing innovation, the EFL has convened a network of influential leaders who are increasingly invited for consultation on Alberta and Canada’s energy future. The stage is also set for a major public engagement effort, building out from the diverse perspectives and collective voice of the EFL Fellowship . Upon reflection, it was wise not to prescribe specific outcomes. These emerging ideas exceed all of our expectations, and they are only the beginning. #Culture_Shift #EFL_Vision #Fellowship #Future_Economy #Clean_Technologies  #Regional_Pathways #Electricity #2016 #Geothermal_From_Oil_Wells #Energy_Storage_Pumped_Hydro #Workers_Climate_Plan #Pumped_Hydro #Indigenous_Renewable_Energy_Circle #Energy_Transition_Support_Materials_for_Alberta_Communities #Supporting_Albertas_Carbon_Utilization_Innovators #Workforce_Readiness #Advanced_Materials #Batteries #Geothermal_Energy #CCUS #Indigenous_Knowledge_Insight_and_Leadership #AOSTRA_2_for_Future_Fit_Hydrocarbons #Louis_Bull_Renewable_Schools_Pilot

An Emerging Portfolio of EFL Initiatives

No one ever said the transition to a new energy economy would be easy. From the very beginning, The Natural Step Canada (TNSC) was under...

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Navigating the interconnected web of issues surrounding energy, climate change and sustainable development is a complex task. Over the past year and a half, the Energy Futures Lab (EFL) has developed a platform for constructive dialogue and game-changing innovation. Through this process, we have identified five essential leadership capacities to succeed in this space. This November, join other leaders and innovators in the inaugural three-day EFL Leadership Bootcamp to hone these five essential leadership capacities for shaping the energy transition! Systems Sensing – Develop new skills to map the complex parts and connections in the energy system, identify areas of need and promising solutions that enable transition. Backcasting – Begin with the end in mind, develop smart strategies to arrive in a future you want to create, rather than trying to project the past into the future. See EFL Director Chad Park’s recent TEDx talk for more on this. Self-Awareness – It can be difficult to even recognize, let alone look past, our own strongly held worldviews. But reflecting on the stories that have brought us to where we can help to clarify our individual role within the system. It also creates space for exploring and challenging personal and collective assumptions and narratives. Stakeholder Empathy – Deepening one’s understanding of others and their perspectives can unlock more thoughtful and informed relationships and solutions. EFL’s role playing simulation game, Energy Futures Lab: the Newtonian Shift , enables participants to gain new insight into the various stakeholders involved in the energy transition, and their unique challenges, priorities and needs. Collaboration – While it is widely recognized as necessary for creating the future we need, collaboration is rarely done well. Learn and practice active listening, constructive dialogue, embracing complexity, and participatory prototyping. This November, join other leaders and innovators in the inaugural three-day EFL Leadership Bootcamp to hone these five essential leadership capacities for shaping the energy transition! In addition to developing and practicing these five capacities, participation in the EFL Leadership Bootcamp will provide insight into the latest energy trends and innovations. Bootcamp participants will also be given special consideration for more formal participation in the Energy Futures Lab as Associate Fellows. Stay tuned! The EFL is seeking participation from a broad diversity of sectors, seniority levels, communities, professional and cultural backgrounds. Register here today and recommend the opportunity to others. Are you ready to influence the future? #Culture_Shift #Leadership_Bootcamp #System_Sensing #Radical_Middle #2016

Five Essential Capacities to Influence the Energy Transition: The Energy Futures Lab Leadership Bootcamp

Navigating the interconnected web of issues surrounding energy, climate change and sustainable development is a complex task. Over the...

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Leaders from government, business, not-for-profit, academia and indigenous communities will gather in Calgary for a special two-day event on October 19 and 20. Their objective: to share proposed solutions for solving Alberta’s most complex and pressing energy challenges. This October event is an opportunity for the EFL to make its network of ideas even more inclusive and tested with as many diverse perspectives as possible before scaling up and communicating broadly through a public engagement program. This event follows a year and a half long process of social innovation in which many of these leaders collaborated and prototyped their way toward creative energy-related solutions. The Energy Futures Lab (EFL) Fellows will also be present, sharing solutions to drive systemic change for the benefit of society at large. On October 19, participants, guests and dignitaries will hear about emerging energy solutions during an evening reception co-hosted by the Calgary Chamber, Calgary Economic Development and the Canada West Foundation. The following day, a more intimate gathering will take place for Fellows to share what is required to take their initiatives to the next level and seek expertise and feedback from invited guests. Most importantly, this October event is an opportunity for the EFL to make its network of ideas even more inclusive and tested with as many diverse perspectives as possible before scaling up and communicating broadly through a public engagement program. The EFL team is excited about reaching this point because all along, it viewed the process less like a coconut and more like a peach. In other words, unlike a process that is rich on the inside but impenetrable from the outside, the EFL was established to have a strong core but also be porous, sweet and digestible on the outside. Here’s hoping you will bite and participate in the EFL’s upcoming event. #Future_Economy #Culture_Shift #Regional_Pathways #Clean_Technologies #2016

Doors Open for Energy Futures Lab Event this Week

Leaders from government, business, not-for-profit, academia and indigenous communities will gather in Calgary for a special two-day event...

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Earlier this fall Alberta’s Economic Development and Trade Minister Deron Bilous appointed Gord Lambert to chair a Climate Technology Task Force, which will engage stakeholders and advise the government on a framework for climate change innovation and technology. In addition to 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… Gord has been a key advisor to the Energy Futures Lab (EFL) since its inception. Recently, he shared his tips and ideas on innovation with the EFL Fellows. An interview with Gord summarizing those ideas and his advice for the EFL appears here . Gord is one of three members of the Province’s five-person panel who are part of the EFL community. The others are EFL Advisory Council member Suzanne West (whose EFL interview appears here ) and EFL Steering Committee member Sara Hastings-Simon . Here are my top six suggestions for the Task Force, drawing on the experience and insights of the Energy Futures Lab so far: Don’t forget social innovation. The development and deployment of new technologies is certainly critical for Alberta to achieve its climate leadership goals and position itself for sustainable prosperity in a lower-carbon, global economy. That said, it’s important that we not overlook the important role of culture in creating or inhibiting our ability to innovate and to adopt new technologies. Not to mention our capacity to sustain a public commitment to a policy direction in favour of climate leadership. Creating a conducive environment for climate-related social innovation should be part of the suite of recommendations alongside advice on technological innovation. In addition to 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. Focus on the big challenges. Let’s accept that we don’t know the answers yet to some of our biggest challenges and make those the focus of our innovation agenda. 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. Leverage our strengths. Alberta’s greatest future opportunities surely arise from our current and past strengths and assets: our industrial and engineering prowess; our natural assets like our vast sun, wind, geothermal, agricultural and biological resources; our knowledge of the hydrocarbon value chain; our institutions of higher education and educated workforce. Let’s not get so enticed by the shiny and new that we fail to capitalize on the tried and true. Begin with the end in mind. Innovation should not be an end in itself; rather a means to an end. For the wide range of actors and resources involved in our innovation ecosystem throughout the province to be aligned and co-ordinated in a way that gets the best bang for our buck, we need to be working toward a clear vision and common set of goals. In setting that long-term vision, let’s heed the wisdom in Al Etmanski’s piece called Goosebumps Never Lie. To truly rally the province behind ambitious goals focused on our biggest challenges will require a vision that is compelling and inspiring – not just rational and measurable. We can backcast from a compelling vision and then also from a desired portfolio of investments to enable the province to realize that vision. Take risks to create the future. It will surely be tempting to make the majority of our innovation investments in technology to enhance our competitiveness in the near-term horizon, especially because of the reality of today’s economic problems. But let’s not lose sight of the fact that markets are changing dramatically due to forces well beyond our borders. If the past couple years have shown us anything, it’s that the rules of the game can change quickly. If we’re only playing for today’s game, we might miss our greatest opportunities. So, let’s not just determine our investment priorities by forecasting current trends. Let’s also choose a future that we want to see, and make some investments in trying to create that future. This probably means betting on some long-shots with tremendous upside. I view carbon utilization (i.e. technology to turn carbon dioxide into useful materials) as a prime example of this and something that should be a big innovation priority for the province. Generate new narratives. Narratives matter. The stories we tell ourselves about energy and the environment in Alberta are arguably our greatest barrier to innovation. We need to step beyond the polarized and polarizing narratives that in recent years have kept us stuck in camps. Climate innovation 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. Clean tech is not a niche sector, but an approach that can be applied across all sectors. Let’s use our public investments in innovation and technology to consciously begin to tell new stories and shape new narratives that help overcome the polarization that dominates public discourse on climate change. #Future_Economy #Culture_Shift #2016 #Backcasting #EFL_Vision

Chad Park: Six Suggestions for Alberta’s Climate Technology Task Force

Earlier this fall Alberta’s Economic Development and Trade Minister Deron Bilous appointed Gord Lambert to chair a Climate Technology...

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Building systems that are fit for the future means beginning with the end in mind and working together with unlikely allies. Our greatest challenges can only be addressed if we learn to do so. Chad Park lays out an approach that aligns diverse perspectives towards a shared understanding of what the future requires: backcasting from sustainability principles. He also introduces the groundbreaking initiative that is putting these ideas to the test: the Energy Futures Lab. Chad Park is Chief Innovation Officer of The Natural Step Canada and director of the Energy Futures Lab. The Alberta-based Energy Futures Lab is a multi-interest collaboration, bringing leaders together to identify, test, and scale initiatives that tackle climate change, energy security, and sustainable development. Chad has advised dozens of businesses and communities in Canada and internationally, including the Co-operators, Nike, Rio Tinto Alcan, and the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association. In 2012, he received the Clean 50 award, recognizing fifty individuals in Canada who have advanced the cause of sustainability and clean capitalism. #Culture_Shift #EFL_Platform #2016 #Backcasting #Framework_for_Strategic_Sustainable_Development

Chad Park on Finding our Future, Together at TEDxYYC

Building systems that are fit for the future means beginning with the end in mind and working together with unlikely allies. Our greatest...

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You need to critically test for whether the pace and scale at which work is getting done is appropriate to the challenges that you’re trying to take on. Nowadays, it’s a key success factor: can you accelerate progress? On issues like climate change, we have to accelerate progress tremendously. – Gord Lambert Pong : You talk about the importance of setting up aspirational goals to help drive innovation. Do you feel that the EFL Vision and Innovation Pathways are aspirational enough to spark bold innovative thinking? Gord : The process of how you define aspirational goals is almost just as important as the goals themselves. One way to describe the process is that you want creative tension. It needs to make you uncomfortable enough that it engages your creativity, and that you start to get people energized by the challenge of it. But if it’s a bridge too far, if it’s just not plausible, or not even realistic, then you get emotional tension. Pong : The 11 innovation pathways of the Energy Futures Lab are articulated to allow Alberta to thrive in a low carbon future. Looking at those 11 pathways, do you feel that we’re placing enough efforts on the different quadrants of the two-by-two matrix (see diagram below) Are we innovating sufficiently in those different areas in the context of energy transition? A Model for Analyzing Strategic Intent Gord : I’m assuming that in each pathway has very specific action items, or initiatives, or projects. It’s that level of detail that allows you to do a portfolio analysis. You take every element of resource allocation and action within the 11 areas, and map them into those quadrants. When I use the term action, or project, or initiative, it’s the unit of work that’s going to require resources to be allocated towards it. What you’re doing in mapping them against those quadrants is you’re testing relative resource allocation, both at an individual initiative scale, action scale, but also an aggregate. The sum total of all the actions against all the 11 pathways show us having a big cluster in one quadrant over another. That type of size-up is useful. Probably the quick wins area might be one that could be a little skinny. I use the term quick wins for those below the line in the bottom two quadrants. It’s things that you could chalk up as success stories. Pong : Yeah, right away. Gord : Right away to get momentum, get enthusiasm, and get folks to see that progress is possible. On energy transition, it’s a huge dilemma as to how you balance that long term and the short term. It’s a long term journey by its nature. Performance goals are a good way to architect in some progress or some quick wins. Milestones, that term in and of itself, can be very useful in innovation projects. Pong : That’s interesting. One of the things that we haven’t focussed on in our working groups are, as you said, milestones, and relatively near-term performance targets. Gord : Yeah, it’s very powerful. You want to create urgency to succeed, but it’s also, in the innovation world, it’s quick to fail as well. The creation of milestones works both ways. You don’t want to be putting lots of effort towards an idea that just isn’t getting lift off. It’s just you’ve got to chalk it up as a learning and move on. Pong : The next question is also about the two-by-two matrix (see diagram above). It’s about helping people think in the above two quadrants, in addition to the bottom two. The question is, what advice do you have for the EFL Fellows to help focus more time and energy on the top two quadrants, in particular in economically challenging times? Gord : Great question. It’s almost like a Maslow’s hierarchy of needs – states where your near term survival, food and shelter, is chart one, and then how do you imagine aspiring to go beyond that at $40 a barrel, or electricity prices that are two cents a kilowatt hour. It is very challenging. I think but on the flip side you have the burning platform to innovate dramatically and in absolutely new ways. A question on strategy often is, “Do you do the same things that you’ve always done but do them incrementally better, or do the same things the same way with more enthusiasm?” That is the hunker down philosophy. Or, do you have to create a new game. That latter question automatically puts you into the top two quadrants. The other word I’ll introduce that helps take conversations above the line, is the notion of resilience. It’s whether change represents risk to you or opportunity. In reality, resilience is the order of the day. You need more choices, you need more options often. You need more ideas. Introducing the notion of resilience to capture both those upper two quadrants is a powerful word. Pong : As many of our Fellows are also changemakers in their organizations, what advice do you have for Fellows to introduce the two-by-two matrix to their own organizations to spark these strategic conversations? Where would they start? How would they go about that? Gord : By bringing it into a conversational model, and just using it, the power of it’s going to become self evident. I can guarantee that with a little bit of use, especially in circumstances where there’s tough conversations, or conversations where there’s lack of alignment, that the use of that two-by-two will bring structure to that conversation that adds value hugely. Pong : The next question is shifting gears a little bit to the peloton metaphor. What advice do you have for the EFL Fellows to help develop a collaborative peloton mindset in themselves and their organizations, rather than a solely competitive mindset? Gord : You want models where you can easily create coalitions of the willing. You guys are doing this within the Lab. To make the peloton metaphor work, you have to have this concept of equitable contribution that’s understood as a condition of engagement. Pong : Anything more in terms of setting up a collaborative peloton mindset or design? Gord : Just to emphasize the notion of acceleration is important. You need to critically test for whether the pace and scale at which work is getting done is appropriate to the challenges that you’re trying to take on. Nowadays, it’s a key success factor: can you accelerate progress? On issues like climate change, we have to accelerate progress tremendously. Pong : What other advice do you have for the Energy Futures Lab and the Fellowship to enable collaboration towards a low carbon future? Gord : I think you guys are doing a lot of the right things, so I can’t point something out that says this is a big miss. I want to emphasize, that clarity of outcomes, either in landing that in the form of goals, milestones, or vision statements, is what causes alignment of effort to occur. People get activity based. They’re busy, lots of things going on, but it’s superficial. It’s cooperation not collaboration, because they’ve never really defined what is success for themselves. Pong : Great. Thank you Gord. We really appreciate your time and your mentorship on our Energy Futures Lab Advisory Committee. Gord : Onwards. You guys are doing important work. Gord Lambert retired from Suncor Energy on January 1, 2015. He is currently the Suncor Sustainability Executive in Residence at the Ivey School of Business, and has established GRL Collaboration for Sustainability as a consulting practice. He is a frequent speaker on energy, the environment and innovation and recently was a speaker on Innovation and Collaboration at the World Economic Forum in Tianjin China. #Culture_Shift #Fellowship #EFL_Platform #2016

An Interview with Gordon Lambert, EFL Advisory Board Member

You need to critically test for whether the pace and scale at which work is getting done is appropriate to the challenges that you’re...

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The term “Brain Trust” was coined in the 1930s by a New York Times reporter to describe a group of advisors who provided advice to Franklin D. Roosevelt during his presidential campaign. Today, the term is used more broadly to describe a prized group of advisors who hold expertise in their particular fields. Under that definition it is easy to see that the Energy Futures Lab is indeed one of our province’s greatest brain trusts. The FSDS is the government’s plan and vision for a more sustainable Canada. It outlines how 37 federal government departments and agencies are working to create a sustainable economy and protect the environment for the next three years. The EFL brings over 40 fellows together to reimagine the future of Alberta’s energy system.  These fellows come from all parts of the energy industry – entrepreneurs developing new technologies, managers from the province’s biggest oil and gas companies, government employees, ENGO representatives, First Nations leaders; the list could go on and on.  Each of these individuals brings their own unique lens to addressing our challenges and capitalizing our opportunities. And that’s why I decided to enlist the EFL brain trust in helping me to advise Canada’s Environment Minister on our nation’s Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS) . What is the FSDS? This Spring I was approached by Environment Canada to join their Advisory Committee for the FSDS and represent Alberta in the effort.  To give you some context, the Federal Sustainable Development Act was adopted in 2008 and set out a requirement “to require the development and implementation of a Federal Sustainable Development Strategy and the development of goals and targets with respect to sustainable development in Canada.” The FSDS is the government’s plan and vision for a more sustainable Canada. It outlines how 37 federal government departments and agencies are working to create a sustainable economy and protect the environment for the next three years. It also outlines the Government of Canada’s environmental sustainability contributions to the 2030 Agenda, a set of global sustainable development goals. How was the EFL engaged? When I started thinking about how to compile my feedback on the strategy, the first thing I decided was that I wanted to be representative and inclusive of diverse viewpoints.  Given that I am representing Alberta, it did not seem sufficient to simply submit simply my own recommendations.  The EFL was the perfect group to approach to ensure that I had the views of people who look at the system in different ways. The fellows reside all over Alberta so we chose to engage virtually.  I sent the strategy around to the fellowship and the government provided an online webinar explaining the strategy to the fellows.  Many individuals provided their feedback to me as well as directly to the public submission portal to ensure it was properly documented and recorded.  I also took the feedback and augmented my own recommendations to ensure they represented a more broad view. What was the outcome? The fellows helped me to think more deeply about how sustainable development is framed in Canada, how to meaningfully engage labour force, and how to balance the three pillars of sustainable development – social, economic, and environmental.  Their advice was incredibly helpful and many of the points they raised are items I will raise directly with Minister McKenna later this month when the Advisory Council meets with her directly. For those of you who are interested, you can read my full submission here . This is just one example of how the EFL’s collective knowledge can be mobilized to influence the future of our economic, environmental and social systems in Canada.  With technology making diverse viewpoints more accessible, it is my hope that the idea of tapping into brain trusts will become more prevalent in policy and strategy building. #Culture_Shift #Fellowship #2016 #Federal_Sustainable_Development_Strategy

Kali Taylor: Activating the Energy Futures Lab “Brain Trust”

The term “Brain Trust” was coined in the 1930s by a New York Times reporter to describe a group of advisors who provided advice to...

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The Energy Futures Lab is all about the energy system. In fact, the idea is built right into our convening question “How can Alberta’s leadership position in today’s energy system serve as a platform for transitioning to the energy system the future needs?” But what do we really mean by the energy system? It is important to keep in mind the great quote from George E.P. Box “All models are wrong but some are useful”. Is the energy system all about oil and gas? What about electricity production? Does it include renewables? Transportation? Agriculture? Are we talking about Alberta alone? Or in a Canadian context? What about exports to the US and overseas? And what about how people actually use energy? These are all parts of the energy system which makes creating a single picture quite a challenge. To try and address this challenge, we thought about those old anatomy books that used transparency layers to show different parts of the body. What would it look like to have multiple layers of the energy system? h ttp://www.glocktalk.com/attachments/image-jpg.240989/ I took this idea and started my research looking at energy maps and models from the International Energy Association , Student Energy , CESAR , and others to create a first draft map. After garnering a LOT of feedback from the Fellows who live, work and breathe the energy system, a sub-group of fellows – Nathan Maycher, Binnu Jeyakumar, Matt Beck & Michael Benson  – met with me over a couple of months to refine the model and present the revised version for the  Fellowship’s approval. It is important to keep in mind the great quote from George E.P. Box – “All models are wrong but some are useful”. What he was getting at is that all models are simplifications with trade-offs between completeness and understandability. The draft map and layers we have agreed on  are simplified versions of reality but have enough fidelity that we can start to see patterns and map our activities (such as prototypes and Innovation Pathways) to the model. So what did we end up with? First, we have a Base Layer. This takes a value chain approach with raw materials at the left and energy use at the right. There are two rows – the first representing the hydrocarbon part of the system, the second thermal (heat) and electricity generation. One of the first things to notice is that the real system is not this organized! Hydrocarbons are used for electricity production, biofuels can be used for transportation, heat can come from natural gas, electricity or geothermal. But mapping the system this way lets us start to zero in on where we want to make impact and be more precise about our descriptions. Working draft Next, we looked at the economic drivers of the energy system. First and foremost is the import and export of energy – one of the driving forces of Alberta’s and Canada’s economy. Those imports and exports, and the development of Alberta’s energy system in general are impacted by factors outside the province like the level of demand for energy from China, actions by OPEC and other producers that affect the price of oil, labour costs and incentives for low carbon production. Working draft In addition to economics, there are obvious environmental connections for the Alberta energy system. Here we used the Natural Step’s four system conditions of a sustainable society which includes looking at what we are extracting from the lithosphere (the Earth’s crust) and what we are putting back into the biosphere. Communities are right in the middle as they both benefit from and are exposed to the risks of energy production in the province. Working draft Next up is looking at the energy system through the Multi-Level Perspective on systems transition. All of the work we do is within a broad socio-cultural landscape that includes narratives like “Canada is an energy superpower” and political events like changing governments. Within the regime  are the “rules of the game” in the form of regulations, legislation, policy and organizations such as the Alberta Energy Regulator, building codes, renewables policy and our existing energy infrastructure. At the niche level, Albertans are innovating in many ways – in cleaner oilsands production, in renewable  technology, in energy storage and in policy. Finally, we have stakeholders. This includes industry, landowners, towns and cities, Indigenous communities and the public at large. All of these groups are impacted by the energy system in one way or another and all have opinions and views that must be taken into account as we look at energy transition. In addition, energy demand from the public is a huge driver of the energy system in general and we have to account for the fact that no one really wants “energy”. What people want is to heat and light their homes, move their vehicles, cook their dinners, charge their phones and wash their clothes. Whew! That’s a lot – and I’m sure we are missing some layers. We would love to hear from you about areas we could add. Or if you have seen other great examples of mapping the energy system. In a future blog post, we will show you how we are using these maps to look at our prototypes and innovation pathways. This helps us answer questions such as: where might we have gaps in our approach? Where are there partners who are already doing this work? What are the levers we can pull that would give us the biggest impact? More soon! #Culture_Shift #Fellowship #2016

Steve Williams: Visualizing the Energy System

The Energy Futures Lab is all about the energy system. In fact, the idea is built right into our convening question “How can Alberta’s...

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Accelerating the transition to a sustainable energy system is a pretty big goal. Let’s face it, if we could meet this challenge with a step-by-step approach, we would have solved it by now. How do we keep track? How can we make sure that we are delivering value to the Fellows and contributing to systems change? How do we know when we getting to the “breakthrough results” we are looking for? But we know these change processes  are highly complex and very difficult to predict in advance. In addition, the EFL has many moving parts – Fellows, workshops, prototypes, public events, partnerships with businesses and governments and all of the activities the Fellows are doing in their day jobs. How do we keep track? How can we make sure that we are delivering value to the Fellows and contributing to systems change? How do we know when we getting to the “breakthrough results” we are looking for? From the beginning, we made a serious commitment to evaluation, specifically Developmental Evaluation (DE). In contrast to summative or formative evaluation, developmental evaluation is used to track changes in a project in response to events on the ground. It is also designed to help people running the project to adjust and pivot on the fly rather than waiting for a couple of years to get feedback that something is not working well. Mark Cabaj has been leading the evaluation work for the EFL and I have been collaborating with him from a research lens. We have been collecting data at a number of levels. First, we have detailed feedback after each workshop that help surface issues to address and areas we can explore further in future workshops. We have also conducted in-depth interviews with each of the Fellows before the Lab started and again in April. Figure 1: From “A Developmental Evaluation Primer” We ask questions about what changes are happening with Fellows as individuals, in their prototype, working teams, their organizations and their social/professional networks. We uncover  barriers to, and opportunities for, transition and where Fellows are seeing signs of transition in the energy system. These techniques give great value for both theory and practice. From a practical side, the results of the feedback and interviews leads directly into the EFL design. These DE process are providing the Design Team with the information they need to be highly responsive and ensure Fellows are receiving the support they need to tackle the challenges inherent in their prototype and working groups. From a theory side, my PhD research is on the societal effect of processes like the EFL – what effect do they have on policy, regulation, organizations, narratives of energy in Alberta, attitudes and behaviour changes? These are big questions and we are still early in the process. So what did we find? First, leading up to the last workshop in Kananaskis we found a set of tensions. As you may expect from such a diverse set of Fellows, there was a variety of feedback. Some Fellows felt we were spending too much time on process while others valued the learning about new forms of facilitation and feedback. Some felt the prototype teams were not making progress, others were very enthusiastic about their work. What was common across the feedback was a set of 3 pivots. Fellows signalled that they were now prepared to begin: Transitioning from one-off prototypes to working groups with a portfolio of initiatives to build together Advancing the learnings from the organizational engagement pilot with Suncor to create more structured engagements and tools to share the EFL experience with more people and organizations Shifting from Fellows working inside the EFL to the EFL having a public voice Anticipating the significant steps forward, we designed the latest workshop to include more time to think bigger about how EFL Fellows are going to work with partners outside the Lab. In preparation, the Fellows developed the Vision and Innovation Pathways document to share across Alberta, and began to self-organize into working groups based on the Innovation Pathways. More to come soon on the Innovation Pathways! What’s next? We are continuing to track progress of the prototype and Innovation Pathways groups and will be interviewing Fellows again in the Fall of 2016 and twice more in 2017 to see what changes are happening. We will also be digging deeper into tracking how the EFL is creating impact through evaluation methods such as Bellwether interviews , process tracking and media scans as part of my thesis research. A big part of our research goals is to continue to bridge the gap between practitioners and academics. People doing this work on the ground struggle to integrate often abstract theoretical research while researchers often miss the amazing work that is happening in real-world projects. The EFL is bridging this gap and using research to both inform the design of the EFL and to share our learnings with Labs practitioners in Alberta, across Canada and around the world. I’ll be coming back every few months to give an update on our evaluation strategy so stay tuned. #Culture_Shift #Fellowship #2016 #EFL_Platform #Developmental_Evaluation

Tensions and Pivots: Evaluating the Energy Futures Lab

Accelerating the transition to a sustainable energy system is a pretty big goal. Let’s face it, if we could meet this challenge with a...

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If the energy transition is a journey, what are the paths to get there? Our future isn’t in a single resource based economy or a silver bullet solution. Instead, it’s a series of paths leading to the same destination, paved by diverse talents and opportunities. But we need to quickly recognize the tools and resources we have, and looking at the trailblazers in cleantech is a good place to start. To better understand the potential for cleantech in Canada, Rudayna Bahubeshi sat down with EFL Fellows Kipp Horton , President and CEO of WindRiver Power and   Meera Nathwani-Crowe , Director at Alberta Clean Technology Industry Alliance, Manager at Canada’s Oil Sands Innovation Alliance, and Environment and Technology Manager of Heavy Oil at Shell. Heck, if we’re going to be doing all this fantastic stuff in the oil sands to eliminate the environmental impact, it’s all just cleantech. Why can’t we re-frame to become a world leader in cleantech? - Meera Nathwani-Crowe Rudayna : Meera, you stated that Canada has an opportunity to be a seller and not just a buyer of cleantech innovation. Where are the greatest opportunities? Meera : In Canada, oil is currently a source of economic benefits. We can think about how we innovate the oil sands to eliminate the environmental footprint, and increase social benefits. Or we can look at how we create completely different business models out of the oil sands. Heck, if we’re going to be doing all this fantastic stuff in the oil sands to eliminate the environmental impact, it’s all just cleantech. Why can’t we re-frame to become a world leader in cleantech? It’s the new business model. Oil sands is not just exporting or producing bitumen. It’s exporting clean technology. Technology for environmental remediation, revegetation, re-establishment, anything. Kipp : It’s such a fascinating topic. It’s one I struggle with 24-7. I have very conflicting views and emotions around it as a small entrepreneurial company. I’m sort of at the bleeding edge of trying to constantly balance attracting appropriately costed capital, gross capital in my business. Clearly, I understand the concept of higher cost of capital versus risk. I’ll be perfectly frank. It’s very frustrating in the North American context to try to find the right combination of economically priced capital, appropriate time horizon, investment horizon, aligning with these types of assets. This is where I feel Canada’s falling behind. American investors are used to investing in this space. They’re able to harness investment tax credits and production tax credits. Which is a very uneven playing field for Canadian companies trying to play in that space. Then, even beyond that a next level up of awareness and investor awareness is the Europeans. I’ve talked to lots of German, UK investment groups lately who totally get the triple bottom line of social, environmental, and financial returns. On top of that they prioritize those first two, which to be frank 99.9% of Canadian investors actually don’t value. They might say they do. Hopefully that’s changing over time, but as of today the broad majority don’t. I feel that Canadian investor companies are going to fall very far behind here. That’s my concern, and that’s why I’m a advocate for trying to bridge that gap by employing things like green bonds to try to somewhat level that playing field. It’s very challenging. I know Meera, you’re in a corporation that has very different stressors, different challenges. Meera : We have the same financing challenges. In fact my challenges are probably more difficult than the average entrepreneur on the street, because you have access to global banks and you have access to the world capital. As long as you have the relationships to phone people up, you have your choice of finances, where I only have one bank. The bank is Shell. The same pressures and the expectations for return on investment are there. It’s a challenge I think for Shell in the energy transition because the rates of return which a company like Shell, and any large oil and gas company expects, are going to be very difficult to generate during the energy transition. As the energy system electrifies, investors in the energy space are going to have to get more accustomed to being content with utility company type of rate of return. Rudayna : What other barriers do you see? Meera : We need to be very intentional about how we attract and develop talent in Canada. For example, Immigration Canada recognizes we have a shortage of chefs in our country, so on immigration applications, chefs receive the highest profession rating possible. I don’t believe Immigration Canada prioritizes people with expertise in innovation and commercialization in the same way. I think Canadians, have a very good track record for coming up with innovative ideas. Where we don’t seem to make it work is in the commercialization. The maturation of the opportunity to full commercial business opportunity. That is something we have a lot of expertise in in Calgary. I think Calgary is a very entrepreneurial, business-minded city. We’re not necessarily the most innovative thinkers. It’s the matter of how do we get this business mindset developed very strongly in Calgary permeating to our other sectors throughout the country, and transferring that knowledge that acumen. Kipp : I really think Calgary is the perfect city, in the Canadian context, to be able to make improvements and move towards a cleantech future. Perhaps we need to say to ourselves: Yes there’s a lot of forward thinking here, but it was developed in an economic climate, and in a business case that perhaps wasn’t sustainable in the longer term. We do need to draw upon the tech start ups of Vancouver or Waterloo. To meld those two together. Is there a barrier? I’m just asking this out loud. Is there a barrier from that Waterloo person thinking, “Calgary is just an oil and gas town? I don’t want to deal with that.” Does that create a hesitancy for us to take that first step together? I don’t know. Maybe it doesn’t. But of course Calgary’s always branded itself as energy related, and it is. We all know that. Does it have to just be energy? Meera : Exactly. We’re missing out on so much opportunity to just think that way. Rudayna : With some of the barriers we’re talking about– whether the maturation of ideas, moving beyond a more comfortable time in economic prosperity, or attitude shifts– what is the how to? How do you think different players can accelerate these mental shifts? Kipp : Something as simple as the Calgary Economic Development reaching out directly to its counterpart in Vancouver, saying, “Hey let’s cut through all the provincial rivalry to do something together.” Of course everything gets tainted by political views and inter-provincial squabbles. That’s the challenge of Canada. All the diversity is phenomenal. It’s great. But when it comes to collaboration across provinces, cities, and communities it sometimes creates a bit of a barrier too. Meera : Yes, I agree. There’s a little bit of a rivalry between Canadian cities. I don’t necessarily think that rivalry promotes collaboration, but I think there’s definitely a role for other organizations to step in that space. I think also, similar to that is what ACTIA is doing with the VC innovation group and the Ontario, and the Quebec innovation counterpart. They’re creating collaboration and building relationships so we can further facilitate knowledge transfer and other things. #Clean_Technologies #Fellowship #Sustainable_Finance #2016

Cleantech Insights with Meera Nathwani-Crowe & Kipp Horton

If the energy transition is a journey, what are the paths to get there? Our future isn’t in a single resource based economy or a silver...

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In our current energy transition dialogue, we’re used to separate and fragmented conversations from opposing viewpoints. The conversations generally hold a lot of emotion including apprehension, fear and frustration. There isn’t yet a wealth of examples, outside the Energy Futures Lab, that builds trust across the boundary that pins “us” against “them.” Leor Rotchild recently talked with Lliam Hildebrand, the newest Energy Futures Fellow, on how his organization Iron & Earth is creating a critical new conversation that aspires to build a stable future for Alberta workers, their families and their communities. Unsurprisingly, a lot of people are taking notice. We’re so dependent on our carbon-based energy sector and industrial energy sector jobs, and it’s left us very vulnerable. Leor : What is Iron & Earth? Lliam : Iron & Earth is a worker-led non-profit organization committed to catalyzing the renewable energy sector in Canada. Leor : Why did you feel the need to start this organization? Lliam : It actually began on a job site a year ago when oil prices were crashing, unemployment was rising, and my coworkers and I realized very clearly that we needed to begin diversifying our work scope into renewable energy. We’re so dependent on our carbon-based energy sector and industrial energy sector jobs, and it’s left us very vulnerable. My coworkers convinced me to start this. Leor : What’s your professional background exactly? Lliam : I’m a double-ticketed tradesman. I have a red seal in welding and I have a red seal in steel fabrication. I’ve been in the boilermakers’ union for over a decade now and I have also worked in the oil sands for the last six years while going through an undergraduate degree in geography. I’m currently a year into a two-years Masters program at Royal Roads and continue working the oil sands. Leor : What do you hope Iron & Earth will achieve? Lliam : I hope that Iron & Earth can do three things. First, we need to ensure we’re building our workforce capacity in Alberta and Canada to be able to build these renewable energy products. I think we also want to build up the manufacturing capacity so that we can produce renewable energy products and export them to other countries as a commodity. Third, we want to build a community of like-minded coworkers who can feel a sense of shared purpose, a shared vision, and come together to help ensure Canada can thrive in a renewable energy economy. Leor : When you see the debate between climate change and jobs, pipelines or turbines, what are your thoughts about where the universal opportunity lies? How we can all move forward together? Lliam : The commonality is this incredible specialization in industrial manufacturing, especially in the province of Alberta. We have an incredible amount of contractors, developers, and manufacturers who are specialized in very, very large-scale projects. I think we are going to rely on the existing oil sands infrastructure for a number of decades. While the new construction in that sector starts to slow down, we can also find a new commonality in industrial-scale renewable energy development. Leor : What do you think is the role of oil and gas in a sustainable energy future? Lliam : The role of oil and gas in a sustainable energy future is primarily with the companies and contractors, as well as the workers, that are going to be actually developing these renewable energy products and projects. It’s really inspiring to see companies like Suncor and Enbridge start to embrace and move into the forefront as renewable energy developers. Leor : What’s the response been like to Iron & Earth and what you’re saying? Lliam : It’s been overwhelming. It’s been incredible. We just launched a month ago and we are already at over 400 worker-members who are a part of our organization and about 4,000 pledge supporters now. We’ve already had meetings with the Government of Alberta and the federal government. Within a month a lot has happened. Leor : What can you share in terms of the relationship with some of the trades unions and how they are responding to your message? Lliam : Our relationship with the unions is very interesting so far. We actually started out with development of a renewable energy activation program for our union to position themselves within the renewable energy section as a six-phase program looking at the high growth technologies, how we can capture that work scope. Our union leadership was very engaged in conversations with us around that and we learned a lot together and we continue to be in conversations with them, but, unfortunately right now they’re not willing to take that leap. A lot of our members are really hoping our union is going to embrace renewable energy and are pretty terrified about what will happen if we don’t. Leor : Do you have a call to action you’d like to share with people, whether they’re a funder, part of the general public, other union members, or tradespeople? Lliam : I’d encourage people to please sign our pledge and fill out their contact information. We’ll be engaging with everyone that signs the pledge. Please invite any workers you know to become a part of our organization, because our strength is going to come from developing a community of like-minded workers. Together, we’ll push renewable energy development policies and programs forward. #Regional_Pathways #2016 #Workforce_Readiness

Fossil Fuels to Renewables – Oil Sands Workers’ Blueprint for a New Future

In our current energy transition dialogue, we’re used to separate and fragmented conversations from opposing viewpoints. The...

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In this three-part blog series, Donna provides practical advice on how to begin the sustainability planning discussion in your organization, with your stakeholder communities and with the critics. She will provide tools to accompany each blog post to assist you, as an intrapreneur, in applying the learnings. Building trust is really hard work. Working to understand what sustainability really means to your company, and what sustainability really means to your critics, and then building the trust needed to co-create a feasible shared vision, may be the most challenging work you tackle. Energy companies in Alberta have been in the crosshairs of very organized campaigns demanding an accelerated transition to a carbon-reduced world. The debate has been brutal, and polarizing . For many oil and gas companies, it’s been tempting to hit the mute button on the voices of catastrophe. But deep down, most people know, marginalizing those with whom we disagree isn’t likely to lead to success. It’s time to move beyond the polarizing debate on climate change and sustainability. It may be time to engage with your critics. Your discussions about sustainability with people on the inside of your company and with trusted stakeholders will help you to understand your organization’s strengths and your weak spots. Critics and advocates may not be able to see how you are shoring up performance gaps, within your company, to make sure everyone is working to the same level of commitment on A Measure of Integrity . And, critics may not be able to see how you are working on ways to move up a rung or two on the ladder, to higher sustainability frontiers that include carbon reduction strategies, perhaps through collaboration with partners, your supply chain and host communities. Sustainability has been described as a ‘wicked’ problem—a challenge that is complex, where uncertainty is high, there is debate over values and where solutions are not obvious. When you tell advocates that your company is working on sustainability, some will accept your good intentions. Some advocates will not, and will accuse you of not doing enough.  And, there will always be critics who say: “Whatever you do, it’s wrong.” How can you engage with critics, constructively and proactively, on a wicked challenge like sustainability? Let’s start at the beginning. Who is responsible to set sustainability targets for companies? Not everyone will agree, but it’s reasonable to say that as long as companies and organizations aren’t violating laws set by legitimate and responsible governments or regulators, they get to exercise judgment and decide what ‘sustainability’ means for them. (And, of course…live with the consequences of those choices.) Many energy companies have been criticized for their sustainability choices, sometimes by advocacy groups that have developed their own definitions of ‘sustainability’ that they would like to impose. Setting expectations for companies is not uncommon – Amnesty International can appeal to companies to respect universal human rights; Transparency International can benchmark governments on transparency practices; The Natural Step can set out principles for sustainable development.  But, publicly shaming companies that don’t operate at an externally prescribed level of positive integrity often shuts down constructive dialogue. Moving a debate with external critics to a dialogue isn’t easy. But, with some critics, this may be your company’s most effective strategy. How can you help your company move a debate to a dialogue? Be positive with coworkers. Talk about ‘how’ to become more sustainable as a company, and as an industry, not ‘if’. Deliberately frame the challenge in language that moves beyond ‘either/or’ dichotomies. Dialogue isn’t about creating a forum to defend your position, looking for evidence that you are right and your critics are wrong. Invite the right people to the table. Think about who is motivated to sustain the polarizing debate, and who is motivated to move the debate to a dialogue. Think about the people within your own organization who should be at a dialogue table with external critics.  Cast your net widely to consider other possible participants in a true dialogue—-impacted communities and citizens, thought leaders, government representatives, supply chain or business partners, scientists and researchers, youth leaders? Recommend an independent and qualified facilitator. Is there someone who is trusted by everyone, who can frame the dialogue, assemble diverse groups, set inviolable ground rules, surface values, weigh trade-offs and use group processes to discover common ground? Dialogue involves an iterative cycling between divergence and convergence, which must be astutely navigated and wisely managed. Facilitators are responsible to create a safe space for sharing, which often includes up-front agreement on attribution, transparency of data, sharing of information and use of social media. And, remember, a facilitator is not a sustainability expert—in fact, an effective facilitator will suspend his or her personal points of view. Make sure to set the context for the dialogue. You may want to refer to the mind map you sketched, when thinking about sustainability issues and perspectives in the second blog in this series , to remind yourself of the broader systems involved and the wider context for the criticisms directed at your company. Rather than deepening your company’s textbook knowledge of the technical, legal, political, and economic environments of the sustainability issue being criticized, spend time understanding the worldviews of those affected by your company’s sustainability choices. Try to appreciate how these diverse views at the dialogue table can shape resolution of issues and create new values. Encourage your coworkers to do the same. Use the Measure of Integrity Scorecard . This tool was introduced in the second blog in this series, in your engagement with trusted stakeholders. You can also use this tool to deepen your understanding of the perceptions and expectations of your company’s critics, asking: Where do you see our company’s level of commitment to “sustainability” on this scale? Where would you like to see our company’s level of commitment to “sustainability” on this scale? Set firm boundaries on the dialogue. You need to feel some sense of progress in a dialogue. It’s important to set firm boundaries on a dialogue with critics. For example, this particular dialogue may be about how to improve sustainability within a defined geographic zone or project, not the entire province or industry sector…or this dialogue may be about reduction of methane emissions in your company’s operations in a project. Focus on qualitative data, not just quantitative data. Energy companies are familiar with data—numbers and spreadsheets—to back up decisions. This engagement may require different approaches, beyond standard surveys and tick-box questionnaires.  You need qualitative research methods that can help you develop an empathetic understanding of the needs and priorities of external stakeholders. Open-ended questions, deep listening, and a respect for plurality, will be essential. What is deeper listening…even radical listening? Most of us would describe ourselves as good listeners—but the science doesn’t bear this out. To engage in dialogue with your critics, deliberately focus on how you listen. Deeper listening requires us to suspend our opinions and the certainty that lies behind our own opinions, to really hear what others are saying. Value the dialectic. Accept that there is no right answer. It will be important for you to role model deeper listening, not just with your critics, but with your colleagues too. Be innovative in your approach. Talk about how to create the conditions for individuals to contribute as whole persons, not as the talking head of their organization or community reading from position papers and scripts written by public relations experts or lawyers. Encourage participation that levels the ground, requiring that no one act in an official role. Encourage music, auditory and even art as part of the dialogue that needs expression. Figure out ways to authentically capture the learnings. Dialogue mapping is a lot like mind mapping. It’s using images to share what you are hearing. A dialogue map can help you make sense of what you are hearing—help you to create and see the bigger picture. This dialogue map captured the thinking of Albertans on the province’s energy future in the fall of 2015 via ViewpointsAB . Recognize you are out of your comfort zone. You don’t need anyone to tell you this! We are conditioned to one-way dialogue that flows top down or bottom up (for example, sharing suggestions in  a complaint box or submitting ideas to an expert panel); this dialogue needs to flow in a back-and-forth motion. Most people are most comfortable engaging within the silos of our own organization. We are generally less comfortable in iterative dialogue across organizations. Make sure you thank your coworkers and others at the dialogue table who step out of their comfort zone– for being courageous; for sharing; for saying what many feel but don’t or couldn’t say. Building trust is really hard work. Working to understand what sustainability really means to your company, and what sustainability really means to your critics, and then building the trust needed to co-create a feasible shared vision, may be the most challenging work you tackle. It’s not easy for anyone to accept criticism of the system within which you have operated for decades—to accept, for example, that hydrocarbons aren’t always the most efficient energy source when carbon is factored into the calculation, or that the short-term-ism of quarterly reporting to shareholders can disrupt sustainability strategies. Always remember what’s at stake. If you can move a debate with a critic to a true dialogue, the upside for your company, over the short and long term, can be material. Likewise, if you fail in this endeavour, or worse, continue to ignore your critics, the downside for your company can be material. Doing nothing is rarely a wise option in a world where advocates have the motivation and capacity to gain public attention and influence decision-makers. #Culture_Shift #2016 #Sustainable_Finance

Donna Kennedy-Glans: Facing your Critics, Constructively and Proactively

In this three-part blog series, Donna provides practical advice on how to begin the sustainability planning discussion in your...

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Back in February, Energy Futures Lab Director Chad Park blogged about ‘ Our Unfinished Backcasting Business ’. He explained how an EFL vision of Alberta’s energy future, in part defined by science-based conditions for a sustainable economy, would be essential to establishing the creative tension that will drive innovation in the lab. How did we get to the point where the fellows could agree on a vision that is at once robust enough to provide direction to their collaborative efforts, inclusive enough for acceptance by the wide range of interests represented in the Lab, and sufficiently ambitious to inspire? It is this ingredient – a motivating, principle-based shared vision of future – that differentiates the Energy Futures Lab (and other Sustainability Transition Labs convened by The Natural Step Canada) from comparable lab initiatives. In February, Chad also described the lukewarm sentiment of the fellows about their initial attempt at defining this vision statement. At the time they deemed it not ambitious enough and too generic. Fast forward to today, and while the business of backcasting is by no means “done”, the vision statement has been articulated to the point that the EFL Fellows have reached general consensus on endorsement and release of the public working draft. The EFL Vision Statement represents a major step forward for the lab and the addition of 11 Innovation Pathways will organize and coordinate the work of the Lab moving forward. How did we get to the point where the fellows could agree on a vision that is at once robust enough to provide direction to their collaborative efforts, inclusive enough for acceptance by the wide range of interests represented in the Lab, and sufficiently ambitious to inspire? _____ Since they first convened last Fall, before the idea of backcasting from principles was ever introduced, the Fellows clearly recognized the need for a shared vision of the energy system they wanted to realize; the energy system of Alberta’s future. Several times the question was asked; ‘What are we trying to accomplish?’ But the work of articulating our vision of success, and the difficult conversations that would entail were put on hold. Instead, the first several meetings focussed on building the relationships that would make a true Fellowship out of a diverse group of leaders. By January, we were ready to take a deep look at our current energy system through the lense of science-based principles for sustainability and identify a number of key challenges to the energy system’s future-fitness. This exercise did not paint a rosy picture, and the investments made early in trust-building returned huge value in the respectful but honest tone of these often uncomfortable discussions. From there we began to ask the question, “What would be the characteristics of an energy system that the future requires of us?” And the Fellows were challenged to imagine what an energy system aligned with conditions for sustainability might look like. The 1st draft vision statement that attempted to combine all of their answers received an average rating of 5.5 out of 10 from the Fellows (the lukewarm sentiment described above). There was clearly much more work to be done. From there a Vision Committee of seven fellows was struck to continue refining the statement based on the input from the full Fellowship. The committee included fellows representing interests as diverse as Suncor, the Pembina Institute, Enbridge and the City of Edmonton, among others. The next version to emerge from the committee included expanded background context, a more fully articulated definition of success, and a series of promising innovation pathways. At separate sessions in Edmonton and Calgary members of the Vision Committee presented the draft Vision Statement and Innovation Pathways back to the rest of the Fellowship. This time after offering further feedback fellows gave it at an overall average rating of 7.75, indicating that they were getting warmer and providing another round of useful feedback for improvement. At the most recent workshop in May the Fellows were presented with yet another a version and invited to raise any remaining objections they might have. Over the course of a few hours these 15 or so objections were worked through and settled, leading ultimately to the version we have now . The working draft shared at this point is deemed a good enough expression of the collective intention of the EFL Fellows that they are prepared to share it with others and to invite feedback.  They have also identified a need to create a visual representation of the vision described in the text, as well as to create a short, snappy version. _________ So now what? Now is when the rubber hits the road. Now that we have an idea of where we’re going, we can start heading there. Most of the energy spent in the Lab up to this point has been on groundwork intended to give the Fellows the best chance of success. Now the Fellows are organizing themselves into working groups around Innovation Pathways that will provide a framework for their work together moving forward. The Vision Statement will be reviewed in October, but in the meantime we finally have a shared vision of success for to guide our efforts. Now the fun starts. Now we get to start using it. #Culture_Shift #EFL_Vision

Defining A Successful Transition: How did we arrive at the Vision Statement?

Back in February, Energy Futures Lab Director Chad Park blogged about ‘ Our Unfinished Backcasting Business ’. He explained how an EFL...

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The May workshop of the Energy Futures Lab (EFL) Fellowship marked an important milestone, as the EFL pivots into a second phase of greater visibility and expanding impact. Deep, effective collaboration is easier said than done, requiring commonality of vision, shared value, and mutual trust. The pivot is partly a reflection of where we’re at in the Lab process and partly inspired by feedback received from EFL Fellows during a mid-point set of interviews conducted in April. It’s also influenced by the growing support and interest we’re experiencing. Word of the EFL has spread across the province and beyond. Recognizing the unique blend of deep knowledge and diverse voices represented in the EFL Fellowship, we’re getting invitations for consultation and dialogue. The Fellows’ own organizations are asking them questions. People want to know what we’re doing. With the launch of Smart Prosperity , a broad federal framework supported by Canadian leaders representing business, think tanks, labour, Indigenous Peoples, youth, and NGO communities “to map out and accelerate Canada’s transition to a stronger, cleaner economy in the next decade” we find the lab perfectly positioned to be at the forefront of this transition. All of this has shaped the Phase 2 pivot for the EFL, which is marked by the release of the Energy Futures Lab Vision and Innovation Pathways statement (working draft). The pivot will manifest in three main ways: 1. Moving joint action from one-off prototype projects to ongoing working groups Deep, effective collaboration is easier said than done, requiring commonality of vision, shared value, and mutual trust. The lab was designed to give the fellows the best possible chance of success by taking the time to build relationships, develop robust understanding of the system, and actually practice testing ideas through one-off prototypes. We’re now set to move from testing and groundwork to collaborative execution. Reaching a general consensus on our Vision Statement signals readiness to unleash our creativity and energy along a number of Innovation Pathways, which will become the organizing structure for various ongoing working groups in the lab. We believe that the investment we’ve made in articulating these pathways will pay dividends in terms of coordination, collective impact, and the ability to expand the circles of engagement beyond the fellowship. 2.   A shift in focus from “fellows in the lab” to “the lab in the world” As described above, the lab up to this point has placed a heavy emphasis on the internal building of the Fellowship from the various leaders that make it up. We’ve been working towards a shared understanding of Alberta’s energy landscape, the principles of the shift that needs to happen, and the social capital to begin working together to make that shift happen. Now we’re ready to bring to the public our vision of the transition and the pathways we believe will get us there. We will turn our collective voice – honed over the past several months– outward to the rest of Alberta and beyond, engaging our organizations and communities in the effort to realize the energy system that the future requires. 3. From pilot to scale with organizational engagement A less visible part of the Lab so far has been an organizational engagement pilot project with  Suncor. The organizational engagement stream is designed to support the EFL fellows in engaging with their colleagues to help sensitize their organizations to the ideas and innovations arising in the EFL. Through a series of workshops taking place over the past eight months, a team of managers from across Suncor have undergone a process that in many ways mirrors that of the EFL Fellows. They have worked to better understand Suncor`s place in Alberta’s current energy landscape and to jointly consider strategies to position the company for success in the energy system of the future. Now, based on this work we are developing a structured approach to engaging more organizations in shaping their own energy future and the future of the province. _____ You’re going to be hearing a lot more about the EFL in the coming months as the Fellows begin the real work of collaborating on tangible projects, reaching out to the public to communicate the work they are doing, and as more industry-leading organizations work with the lab to shape future-fit strategies. Just as the EFL is poised to take the next step, business, governments and the public are ready for us. This is what we’ve been building toward, and where the really exciting work begins. #Fellowship #2016 #EFL_Vision #EFL_Platform

Chad Park: The Energy Futures Lab Pivots to Phase II

The May workshop of the Energy Futures Lab (EFL) Fellowship marked an important milestone, as the EFL pivots into a second phase of...

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Your own company may be committed to closing some of your performance gaps on sustainability. Your company may even be staking new frontiers in sustainability. But, you can’t solve sustainability challenges acting alone. This is work that requires integration and collaboration. You know that business as usual isn’t possible for an energy company operating in Alberta. You have opened up conversation with people inside your company who, like you, are curious about what sustainability means to your organization in a carbon-reduced world, and together, you have uncovered the undiscussed thinking of people in your own company. You may even be thinking about how to set new sustainability frontiers for your company. Congratulations, you have rescued the frog from the boiling waters . Now, what? Tackling sustainability—and any complex, even wicked problem—cannot be done in a silo. Your own company may be committed to closing some of your performance gaps on sustainability. Your company may even be staking new frontiers in sustainability. But, you can’t solve sustainability challenges acting alone. This is work that requires integration and collaboration. So, who are you going to call? Who do you want to talk to about your company’s sustainability actions and aspirations? Often, energy companies have longstanding relationships with local communities where they operate.  And, you may have other trusted stakeholders you would choose. It’s helpful to sketch a rough map of your external stakeholders, like a mind map, to get a sense of all the various issues and points of view that could, hypothetically, be integrated into your sustainability strategy. To get started, let’s use the example of a trusted community to explore how to open up your company’s internal dialogue on sustainability to outside perspectives. An Alberta-based energy company will have lots of communities, inside the province and beyond. In relation to a particular project, an individual community could be described in many ways: An entire region, for example, “the Duvernay” Those within a predetermined geographic radius from drilling operations and gathering pipeline rights of way Selected groups of populations, for example, “First Nations youth along the pipeline right of way” As your starting point, choose a community where you have trusted relationships.   Define that community, clearly. Then think about the promises made to this community, by your company, which in some way reflect your company’s commitment to sustainability.  Where will you find your company’s promises?  Start by looking in your Annual Report, in press releases, in local notices to communities about specific projects. With this list of promises in mind, think about how your company acts on these promises. Your organization’s relationship with a community is likely to have many layers, as individual divisions and departments will engage with a community in different ways: Your company’s Operations department may be very reassuring to local communities when responding to a citizen query about gas flaring. But, the drilling team may not be fully aware of other construction projects happening in the same area, and the cumulative impacts to locals. Your Environment, Health and Safety managers may hire local contractors in a field operation who don’t have the authority to interpret the company’s guidelines, requiring a back-and-forth between head office and the local community that distorts clear communication and delays problem solving. Your Public Relations team may want to keep a low profile on this oil and gas development project, especially with all the angst about pipeline construction in Canada. The lawyers in your Regulatory and Government Relations groups may want to stick to compliance with the laws and contracts–nothing more, nothing less. With this information gathered, let’s go back to A Measure of Integrity . You have a good sense your company’s commitment to “sustainability” . You have talked with others on the inside of your company about how to close performance gaps and maybe even championed the idea of upping your sustainability game. Now it’s time to reach out to people you trust, and invite their perspective on your company’s sustainability promises, actions and aspirations. A companion tool, to help you with this outreach, is A Measure of Integrity Scorecard . Using the scorecard, ask trusted people in your selected community these two questions: Where do you see our company’s level of commitment to “sustainability” on this scale? Where would you like to see our company’s level of commitment to “sustainability” on this scale? Question #1 : If your community’s response to the first question shows gaps between your company’s level of commitment to “sustainability” and the community’s perception of your commitments, you may well have a performance gap. For example, if your company makes promises, beyond compliance with laws and rules, at level +4 on A Measure of Integrity, yet citizens in a local community see your company’s promises and actions at a minimum compliance threshold (level +2 on A Measure of Integrity), your company likely has a serious performance gap that needs to be closed. Question #2 : If your community’s response to question #2 shows gaps between your commitment to sustainability (for example, at level +4 on A Measure of Integrity) and the community’s expectations (for example, at level +6), you may have opened up the space for a dialogue about what sustainability targets are feasible in relation to a particular project, and you may even be able to explore opportunities for collaboration on achieving these aspirational targets. As you progress these dialogues with trusted stakeholders, make sure you have all the people you need at the table, including your internal people. It may be easy for a company CEO to make a top-down declaratory commitment to ambitious sustainability targets. Walking the talk will require aligned action by your company’s employees. Be on the lookout for your corporate laggards and lightning rods! Too often, one laggard department can tarnish the credibility of your whole company. And sometimes, one over-zealous manager, making unrealizable promises, can confuse or mislead people in your communities. Opening up the space for this conversation with trusted community stakeholders has an added bonus. Many companies invest in host communities, to comply with laws or voluntarily. Use the Community Investment Strategy Tool to talk about how your company fosters sustainability targets through investment in that community: Investments made to comply with regulatory and contractual commitments – for example, paying municipal taxes, funding on site air and water quality monitoring equipment and servicing Voluntary investments in infrastructure upgrades or capacity building initiatives – for example, implementing safety training programs for local citizens, upgrading bridge crossings on the public roads used in operations Philanthropic investments —for example, setting up a wildlife protection fund or scholarships for local youth Take advantage of this opportunity to make sure your company’s community investment strategies, and dollars, are aligned to the community’s sustainability priorities. #Culture_Shift #2016 #Sustainable_Finance

Integrating outside points of view into your company’s sustainability strategy

Your own company may be committed to closing some of your performance gaps on sustainability. Your company may even be staking new...

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In this three-part blog series, Donna provides practical advice on how to begin the sustainability planning discussion in your organization, with your stakeholder communities and with the critics. She will provide tools to accompany each blog post to assist you, as an intrapreneur, in applying the learnings. As a corporate insider, you are no doubt noticing the radically different market reality. And, you want to support your organization’s targeting and pursuit of new sustainability frontiers and strategy. In the past year I have spoken to thousands of Albertans. There is no denying it. Alberta is midst of a major energy transition that is impacting families and communities. Nowhere is this being felt more than in the province’s boardrooms .  Sustainability is, more than ever, a strategic imperative. As a corporate insider, you are no doubt noticing the radically different market reality. And, you want to support your organization’s targeting and pursuit of new sustainability frontiers and strategy. You want to rescue the boiling frog, pulling your organization from the culture and ineffective strategies that puts its future at risk. But how? Let’s start by recognizing you need to build a space for a conversation. The best place to start is connecting with your organization’s insiders — fellow employees and contractors—to explore how people understand your company’s commitment to “sustainability”. Ultimately, you will want to look beyond internal stakeholders, to your supply chain, communities and even critics. But, let’s start with the insiders. For most energy companies in Alberta, “ sustainability ” is a core value. It may even be included in your corporate strategy.  This word, “sustainability”, means a lot of things to a lot of people. In the market chaos we’re experiencing, “sustainability”, to some, may even refer to the very survival of the company itself. With a clearer focus on carbon, Alberta’s companies, more than ever, need people who can take on the challenge of defining “sustainability” in ways that inspire the corporate culture and strategies needed to innovate better ways to develop and use non-renewable energy. You may be one of those people with the motivation and skills to initiate a non-threatening conversation about what “sustainability” means, and could mean, in your company. There is already more than enough market uncertainty and personal anxiety! What we’re suggesting are ways you can safely initiate this discussion, without threatening decision-makers or undermining your co-workers. We want you to be a catalyst for positive change—not a spent enzyme. So, how can you begin? Let’s start by checking out your organization’s values. What does your organization say about “sustainability”, and what does that commitment really mean, today? A Measure of Integrity is a tool I’ve used with great results and I’m recommending, to help you understand how your organization is approaching its commitment to this value of “sustainability”.  Take a look at the levels on A Measure of Integrity . Think about your organization’s reasons for committing to “sustainability”, the ways you talk about that value, and your actions: If your organization is motivated to commit to the value of “sustainability” to comply or strictly comply with rules and laws (e.g. pay carbon taxes; comply with federal, provincial and municipal rules about handling water, waste, the environment, etc.), and you spend a lot of time with lawyers and regulators making sure you understand the rules and comply, your organization may be approaching this commitment to “sustainability” at level +1 or +2 of the scale. Or, is your organization focused on honouring the value of “sustainability” beyond compliance with laws and rules , as part of your company’s strategy of acting responsibly and doing no harm? This may mean your organization is committed to act sustainably at level +3 or +4 of the scale. If your organization wants to make a positive social and environmental return on investment , maybe even thinking about your role in a project after the project is completed or considering the impacts for future generations, you may be approaching this undertaking at the highest levels of the scale. You may not be able to exactly pinpoint where your organization’s commitment to “ sustainability ” lands on A Measure of Integrity . But you can get a pretty good idea. Mac Van Wielingen, founder of ARC Financial Corp., explores how companies look at sustainability in an excellent Conference Board of Canada report :  Companies focus on different aspects of sustainability—financial sustainability (through all market cycles); organizational sustainability (through leadership cycles); relational sustainability (with all stakeholders); industry sustainability (with regulators and industry associations); the sustainability of the communities within which we and our employees live, and environmental sustainability. In all of these aspects, Van Wielingen notes that the focus is on sustainability as the opposite of short-term-ism. You may also be able to see gaps —especially gaps between your organization’s commitments to “sustainability” and how your actions reflect that strategic mandate. You may even have ideas about how your organization could close some of those gaps, or ideas about what limits your ability to close the gaps. So, how is your deepened understanding of your organization’s commitment to “sustainability” going to help? With greater acumen, you can listen more deeply, ask more constructive questions and make more discerning choices. You have a better chance of pulling that boiling frog from the churning water! When it’s time to talk to others in your company about your observations, keep it constructive . Who can you seek out to explore your organization’s approach to “sustainability” in more depth? Is there an existing group or committee responsible for managing aspects of “sustainability” performance or reporting? Is “sustainability” part of your over-arching corporate strategy, to describe ‘how’ you implement your mission and vision? How does “sustainability” surface within your own department’s mandate? And take time to define the upside of this “sustainability” tweaking or leaping: Tweaking : What refinements in how your organization’s “sustainability” talk and walk could improve your organization’s reputation, credibility, and resiliency, reduce litigation risk, and restore confidence? Leaping : And, what higher sustainability targets will improve your organization’s competitiveness, access to capital and build trust? If sustainability becomes part of your organization’s strategic imperative , you will have to focus on ‘how’ to walk that talk. Finally, remember, you are someone who is comfortable with change. Most people are not. The majority of people in an organization will wait to see the outcome of your efforts. As the Permeation of Change Model attests, look to people, like yourself, intrapreneurs who are comfortable with change even in the absence of rules, and to others who are interested, but who may need to see some implementation parameters and process before participating. In fact, if you don’t reach out to others during this transition, your company will likely lose fellow change leaders. So you are addressing both needs – having the conversations to shape clearer sustainability commitments and new frontiers for your organization and engaging those who will leave your organization if you don’t have that conversation. As a change leader, sustain yourself with new inspiration and resources. I highly encourage you to follow the developments of the Energy Futures Lab. It is here where leaders from across government, oil and gas, renewables, first nations and non-governmental organizations are grappling with the same challenges you are facing. #Culture_Shift #2016 #Sustainable_Finance

Donna Kennedy-Glans: Rescuing the Boiling Frog

In this three-part blog series, Donna provides practical advice on how to begin the sustainability planning discussion in your...

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“You learn more about a person in an hour of play than a year of conversation.” – Plato If you look at other human-made systems such as healthcare, agriculture, fishing, clothes manufacturing, mining, transportation, etc. you can see they’re all in transition. In the end, these transitions will rely on sparking the most difficult change of all: human behaviour. It will require a deeper systemic understanding. It was silent in the room and the windows were fogged. Twenty-two slightly bewildered faces stared back at me. We had just played our energy transition role playing game, The Newtonian Shift , for the first time with the leadership team of the Eneco Group, an innovative Dutch energy utility company. After four hours of dynamic game play, the silence gave participants time to make sense of what happened. I hesitatingly opened the conversation: “And…how are you all doing?” “I’m surprised by how much this experience feels like real life in our organization,” one participant shared.” I had the Accounts Manager role, which allowed me to negotiate and make deals with other players. But in the second round, my clients created their own energy for a much lower price and were selling it. They even asked me if I wanted to buy energy from them! It was like the world turned upside down. I feel like this in real life too. With all these industry changes, it’s hard for me to find my place. Another player joined in: “I took the opportunity to play as ‘Boogle’ (aka Google) in the game. In this role, I could really disrupt the energy system and I took that opportunity,” he smiled from ear-to-ear. “I deliberately put people out of business that belong to the same industry as we do in real life.” “It helped me realize that if we don’t start collaborating with these disruptive organizations to change our existing business models, we won’t be around much longer.” This conversation went on for a long time, creating a mutual sense of urgency to address market and resource issues, and fueling a conversation that is still happening in their company. The game quickly prompted new questions, presented different perspectives, and sparked creativity. It created a level of conscious incompetence, highlighting gaps, so organizations could make plans and develop ideas to change patterns, behaviours, and leadership. If the game could have this impact on a company, could it also inspire and influence an entire system? In 2015, Cheryl DePaoli, Alberta Real Estate Foundation ED, connected us with The Energy Futures Lab. The EFL is dedicated to the same principles as we are: new ideas, moving beyond polarization to build empathy, and fostering collaboration. We learned that when it comes to the energy system, Albertans were asking big questions, dealing with great challenges, and needed new methods. Our initial encounter with the EFL was also at the time of the Alberta election, where the NDP won by a landslide, changing the political landscape in the province. We couldn’t ask for better timing. The Eneco Group, commissioned my company, Fresh Forces , to create this game in 2013. They wanted an experience that brought the energy transition closer to the hearts and minds of their 7,000 employees. It did this remarkably well, and became a catalyst for many other energy transition related initiatives within Eneco, co-created by Fresh Forces, including a new performance management program, creative team sessions, an innovation battle, and a leadership development program. The game provided a space to explore a new energy narrative. It seemed changes in the energy sector were only being communicated in media headlines and academic papers, with numbers, graphs, and charts. And, too often, the tone reflected the old human habit of blame and shame: it was always the fault of corporations, consumers, the government, or another particular group. We wanted the game to go beyond a circular debate and pointing fingers. It needed to increase understanding and empathy, acknowledging that successful collaboration requires trust. Gaming is no panacea, but it’s an important tool to access a deeper level of understanding. We played many times with teams and departments within the Eneco, before joining forces with the utility company to bring the game to organizations in Europe and North America, including Alberta with the EFL. Together, we adapted the game to better resemble Alberta’s energy system, including an oil company responsible for tar sand extraction and a First Nations community. It has been played with the Fellows a few times now and is ready to be played within their partner organizations. Fresh Forces and the EFL also facilitated the game during GLOBE 2016 in Vancouver, with a diverse mix of participants working in energy systems across the world. One of the founding fathers of gaming and simulation for organizational change, Richard Duke, wrote a groundbreaking book called: Gaming: the Future’s Language. Having worked intensely with gaming and simulation for over ten years now, I believe this future has arrived. If you look at other human-made systems such as healthcare, agriculture, fishing, clothes manufacturing, mining, transportation, etc. you can see they’re all in transition. In the end, these transitions will rely on sparking the most difficult change of all: human behaviour. It will require a deeper systemic understanding. Collaboration will become increasingly important as we fall back on our tendencies to blame and shame. We will have to embrace that we are all in this together. So we might as well show compassion and work with one another. And beyond the important function gaming and simulation plays in systems change, how cool, liberating, and fun is it to just PLAY with each other? ——- Join the EFL and play The Newtonian Shift on May 26th . #Culture_Shift #The_Newtonian_Shift #2016

Playing with a New Perspective: The Newtonian Shift

“You learn more about a person in an hour of play than a year of conversation.” – Plato If you look at other human-made systems such as...

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Our Energy Futures Lab Fellows, Convenors, Steering Committee, Advisory Council, Sponsoring Partners and The Natural Step team have deep roots in Alberta. So many of our family, friends, and colleagues are deeply impacted by the wildfires in Fort McMurray and surrounding regions. We are distressed by the number of displaced residents and damage that has been done to the area. And we are heartened by the news that there have not to date been reported injuries. As one Fellow expressed, “The absence of serious injury or fatalities is a true reflection of how safety conscious the city already is.  The cooperation and responsiveness of others truly reflects the heart of all Albertans.” Alberta’s character and resilience is evident everyday, but even more so at this moment. We’re inspired by the solidarity, as companies provide shelter and transportation and residents open their homes. The EFL community would like to express its heartfelt sympathies and support to the residents of Fort McMurray and to each other: to everyone whose families, friends and employees are affected and who have expressed their deep concern to us in the last few days. Many of you know that the EFL team was to be hosted in Fort McMurray next week for our next Fellows workshop and learning journey. We had an exciting schedule that involved meeting many people in the community. We are very disappointed that this week’s tragic events mean this will not happen now. Our thoughts and hopes will be with residents in Northern Alberta as we gather in a different location next week. Today, Prime Minister Trudeau announced that the Federal Government will be matching donations to Red Cross Canada for Fort McMurray. Please consider donating here . #Culture_Shift #Regional_Pathways  #Fellowship #2016

A Message From The Energy Futures Lab to Fort McMurray

Our Energy Futures Lab Fellows, Convenors, Steering Committee, Advisory Council, Sponsoring Partners and The Natural Step team have deep...

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The first time I heard the term “Learning Journey” I had a little trouble taking it seriously. I mean, we’re talking about field trips, right? Well, sort of. If they are field trips, then they’re field trips with a very specific and important function in the lab process. What makes the trip even more timely is the fact that Fort McMurray is reeling from of the fall in oil prices, laying bare aspects of the community that represent seeds of resilience in the face of adversity. Next month the Energy Futures Lab Fellows will travel together to Fort McMurray , the epicenter of oil sands development, a symbol of economic opportunity, and a lightning rod for criticism of the industry. But Fort Mac is a community, and no community is as one-dimensional as the common caricatures of  Canada’s most famous, or infamous frontier town. The fellows will soon experience the reality firsthand. Of course, each of the fellows is an expert on some aspect of Alberta’s energy system, and as such, this will not be the first trip for many of them. Whether they’ve been (or in some cases even lived there) or not, each fellow is guaranteed to experience dimensions of Fort McMurray that they haven’t before. In smaller groups, they will see the footprint of the oil sands from the air, tour an oil sands mine and visit Ft McKay to engage with a variety of community members affected in different ways by oil sands development. Others will visit social service organizations including shelters, employment agencies, food bank, and engage in dialogue with Mayor Melissa Blake. Others will tour a local First Nations owned and operated company, engage with the Regional District, the local business community, and the region’s Social Prosperity road map. ______ Organizing a trip for 40 people to do so many different things is a logistical feat. It isn’t cheap and it isn’t easy, so it wouldn’t be happening if it weren’t important. So why are we doing this? What is so important about taking the fellows to Fort McMurray or including learning journeys in the lab process at all? To experience the real effects of transition in communities where it is already underway. In Fort McMurray, the Fellows will gain a better understanding the real-life implications of energy transition in a community that is heavily dependent on oil and gas, and these lessons will apply across Alberta. What makes the trip even more timely is the fact that Fort McMurray is reeling from of the fall in oil prices, laying bare aspects of the community that represent seeds of resilience in the face of adversity. The major shifts in energy systems that we all sense coming have real-life consequences in the lives of actual people living in these communities, and the Fellows will do well to understand these realities as they work to craft a new transition story for Alberta’s energy future. To understand in what ways the current system does not match our desired future. In many ways the Energy Futures Lab approach to learning journeys takes its cue from REOS Partners Social Labs . As pioneers in the field of system-shifting labs, REOS has been using learning journeys for years to “develop a shared, grounded understanding of the system they are trying to influence.” What sets an EFL learning journey apart is that it follows on February’s backcasting workshop where the fellows began articulating a shared vision of their desired energy future for Alberta. This emphasis on understanding the current state of a system in relation to where we want to be in the future is key to developing the creative tension that drives innovation. To build the relationships that move innovation forward. EFL is about bringing leaders from across Alberta’s energy system together to build partnerships and launch initiatives that would never have happened otherwise. But you can’t just put a bunch people  who have never met into a room and expect great things. We all know from experience that relationships are key to the best collaborations. Learning journeys play an essential role in building relationships among the fellows by providing shared experiences and opportunities to get to know one another outside of the office. The fellows are finding common ground that may not have been there before. ______ Alberta’s energy system is incredibly complex, and the best way for the Fellows to understand its many dimensions as well as possible is to explore the reality on the ground. Visiting the system is intended to pull these experts out of their habitual thinking patterns and assumptions, leading to insights that couldn’t have happened otherwise. If our goal is to shift a system, it is crucial that our understanding of that system is grounded in experience and the reality faced by people living it, not just theory. #Culture_Shift #Regional_Pathways #Fellowship #2016

Learning journeys: More than just a fancy field trip?

The first time I heard the term “Learning Journey” I had a little trouble taking it seriously. I mean, we’re talking about field trips,...

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Part Three: Opportunities for Alberta’s Energy Future Following last month’s GLOBE Conference in Vancouver, Energy Futures Lab Director Chad Park caught up with two members of the Energy Futures Lab Advisory Council, Tzeporah Berman and Toby Heaps, both of whom had important roles at GLOBE and its surrounding events. The following is part three of the three-part discussion and focuses on specific considerations and opportunities for Alberta’s energy future. Part one explored some of the big international developments that Tzeporah and Toby believe are changing the playing field for the global energy system, while part two focused on infrastructure and policy to guide energy transition. Toby Heaps is the CEO and Co-Founder of Corporate Knights, CK Capital and the Council for Clean Capitalism. He spearheaded the first global ranking of the world’s 100 most sustainable corporations in 2005, and in 2007 coined the term “clean capitalism.” He sits on the Sustainability Accounting Standards Advisory Board and the University of Toronto’s Environment and Finance Committee. He is also is a member of the Advisory Council for the Energy Futures Lab. Tzeporah Berman BA, MES, LLD (honoris causa) has been designing environmental campaigns and working on environmental policy in Canada and beyond for over twenty years.  She is an Adjunct Professor of York University Faculty of Environmental Studies and works as a strategic advisor to a number of First Nations, environmental organizations and philanthropic foundations on climate and energy issues. Tzeporah co-chairs a small oil industry/ENGO problem solving forum in Alberta on oil sands policy and was appointed last year to the BC Government Climate Leadership Team. She is a member of the Advisory Council for the Energy Futures Lab and is the former co-director of Greenpeace International’s Global Climate and Energy Program and Co-founder of ForestEthics. Chad: Both Tzeporah and Toby are recognized leaders on the global stage in their respective areas of expertise – Tzeporah as a prominent environmental activist and Toby as an expert and advocate in the role of capital markets and institutional investors in sustainable development. They each have strong personal ties to Alberta and also bring a global perspective. Whether or not we agree with all of their views, I believe it is important to consider this perspective as the Energy Futures Lab ponders how Alberta will position itself and evolve in the rapidly changing global energy system. Chad:  Let’s talk about Alberta. You both know it’s pretty challenging times here and so I guess the first question is, what would be your message in light of everything we’ve just been talking about to Albertans generally and then specifically to the innovators and influencers who make up the EFL fellowship? Tzeporah:  One thing I’ve learned over the past few years is to not avoid the hard conversations. It’s when we open up and listen to the other side that we can find our biases and also points of alignment. For the past two years, I’ve co-chaired an informal problem-solving group of 4 CEOs of oil companies and 4 executive directors of environmental groups. We came together a number of times to just try and understand each other. To try and figure out whether or not we could get on the same page. As soon as we started talking, we right away realized that in fact we weren’t even having the same conversations. We were talking past each other entirely. We don’t have all the answers but I think we’re now asking the same questions. We are starting to have the same conversation and part of that was in being willing to face the hard stuff and challenge our own biases. I remember after a particularly hard conversation about climate change, one of the CEOs said, “You know, I didn’t realize that on no other issue do I surround myself with people who agree with me and choose to avoid the conversation.” Similarly, in a conversation with a different CEO, he said to me, “It’s interesting that you have such faith in disruptive technologies and you have no faith in our existing technologies. Fair enough, I realized. Sure, it was those CEOs and ENGO executive directors that stood on the stage and changed the culture of the conversation by supporting the Alberta Climate Plan. Certainly it was a lot of the kudos go to the Andrew Leach Commission and the Notley government, but what’s really interesting is the polls show today that Albertans support the Plan. Alberta is an oil jurisdiction that set one of the highest carbon taxes in the world, and no one has all the answers about what that’s going to look like moving forward. But, there has been a dramatic culture shift in Alberta that has also really changed the conversation with the oil industry globally and for Canada nationally. I think if Alberta hadn’t done what it did, we wouldn’t be having the national climate policy conversations we’re having now. One of the greatest opportunities is for Alberta to become a model for supply side regions in being a climate leader. We can show other resource producing countries how the low carbon transition works. People talk a lot about what’s happening in Norway and while they’ve accomplished a lot, they haven’t addressed how much carbon they’re keeping in the ground. If you compare, our policies now in Alberta to Norway’s policy, they’re pretty strong. Some would say even stronger than what we’re seeing in Norway. I think we have the potential to be a global leader and a model for the rest of the world. I think that’s what we should be. Toby:  I think back to in the ’80s when I was growing up in Alberta seeing the bumper stickers, “please God, let there be another oil boom. I promise not to piss it all away next time.” I think that describes what is happening now. A lot of people I went to school with that had great jobs in the oil patch and were making great salaries, but now it’s really tough times. There are tens of thousands and maybe more people that are affected by this. There are no easy answers here. Alberta’s modus operandi for too long has been boom to bust. I think we only have a couple of these booms left so we really had to make the most of them. I know this isn’t comforting to Albertans right now, but we have to say to ourselves, “Okay, we’ve got a few more juicy periods left.” How can we can squeeze this juice and really set ourselves up so have a steady path of upward progress? When we look at best practices, Norway comes up almost ad nauseam. Norway’s 96% powered by hydropower and one in 5 new cars bought there is an electric car. I think one of the most important lessons, is how they’ve taken the wealth they get from offshore oil and they reinvest that in their hydro, wind and transmission of assets that will provide them dividends well into the future. They invest along paths that will remain when they can no longer depend on the same oil wealth. I think Alberta has similar potential with its hydro power. There’s abundant hydropower potential for 11,000 megawatts. Instead of making a dash to gas which some are banking on, there’s a huge opportunity to replace coal with water. Geothermal is also a big opportunity. We hold some drilling technology and expertise if somebody is really going to make the big leap with progress on it. Why not Alberta? Chad:  What a great note to end on.  I think you’ve both captured the challenges and also the momentum that’s happening right now in Alberta and right across the globe. It’s been great chatting with you both. Thank you. #Culture_Shift #Clean_Technologies #Future_Economy #2016 #Hydro_Power #Geothermal_Energy

Thought Leaders Series | Toby Heaps and Tzeporah Berman Part Three

Part Three: Opportunities for Alberta’s Energy Future Following last month’s GLOBE Conference in Vancouver, Energy Futures Lab Director...

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Part Two: Updates from GLOBE Conference 2016 Following last month’s GLOBE Conference in Vancouver, Energy Futures Lab Director Chad Park caught up with two members of the Energy Futures Lab Advisory Council, Tzeporah Berman and Toby Heaps, both of whom had important roles at GLOBE and its surrounding events. The following is part two of the three-part discussion and focuses on infrastructure and policy to guide energy transition. Part one explored some of the big international developments that Tzeporah and Toby believe are changing the playing field for the global energy system, while part three focuses on specific considerations and opportunities for Alberta’s energy future. Toby Heaps  is the CEO and Co-Founder of Corporate Knights, CK Capital and the Council for Clean Capitalism. He spearheaded the first global ranking of the world’s 100 most sustainable corporations in 2005, and in 2007 coined the term “clean capitalism.” He sits on the Sustainability Accounting Standards Advisory Board and the University of Toronto’s Environment and Finance Committee. He is also is a member of the Advisory Council for the Energy Futures Lab. Tzeporah Berman  BA, MES, LLD (honoris causa) has been designing environmental campaigns and working on environmental policy in Canada and beyond for over twenty years.  She is an Adjunct Professor of York University Faculty of Environmental Studies and works as a strategic advisor to a number of First Nations, environmental organizations and philanthropic foundations on climate and energy issues. Tzeporah co-chairs a small oil industry/ENGO problem solving forum in Alberta on oil sands policy and was appointed last year to the BC Government Climate Leadership Team. She is a member of the Advisory Council for the Energy Futures Lab and is the former co-director of Greenpeace International’s Global Climate and Energy Program and Co-founder of ForestEthics. Chad: Both Tzeporah and Toby are recognized leaders on the global stage in their respective areas of expertise – Tzeporah as a prominent environmental activist and Toby as an expert and advocate in the role of capital markets and institutional investors in sustainable development. They each have strong personal ties to Alberta and also bring a global perspective. Whether or not we agree with all of their views, I believe it is important to consider this perspective as the Energy Futures Lab ponders how Alberta will position itself and evolve in the rapidly changing global energy system. Chad : Tzeporah, you surprised a lot of people at GLOBE by the exchange you had with Dr. Michael Porter regarding his latest report on the opportunities for natural gas in the energy transition. Tzeporah : Here’s the thing. I agree with some of Dr. Porter’s conclusions. For example, to regulate methane, to set regulations for environmental risks, and to ensure continuous improvement and compliance. The analysis is good but his math is wrong because he doesn’t take the carbon budget into consideration. Dr. Porter’s analysis overlooks the limits needed to secure a safe climate, whether you think that’s 1.5 or 2 degrees. His analysis assumes the market will take care of that. It assumes that we can still burn gas so long as we minimize other environmental impacts. I feel like he’s avoiding the big questions of how much unconventional oil and gas development we can afford and where it should come from. We also talked about his premise that more investment in oil and gas, the unconventional production, helps the development of a low carbon economy because it creates stronger economic conditions. My response to the panel was that gas is replacing coal, but that that’s not good enough anymore. Gas is only a transition fuel if we have a transition plan and we’ve seen a number of studies even from the US Energy Information Agency that show that higher natural gas production can lead to higher emissions levels in the US in the long term because it is displacing renewables. I think it was clear that Dr. Porter’s paper was written before the Clean Power Plan was finalized and before the Supreme Court win on demand response and tax extension . Both of those things are huge game changers because they show that good regulations can speed the transition and we shouldn’t just rely on the market. Toby : Most people would look at the emissions from a gas power plant and a coal power plant and see 50% less emissions from the gas power plant. It seems like it’s only half as problematic. We think gas is buying us some time, but we’re not counting the methane that we’re leaking from fracking. Actually, what we’re doing might be twice as bad in terms of emissions . Gas used to be viewed as essential to getting off coal, but at that time we didn’t have the renewable technologies available today. Certainly, the price of solar was 5 times higher. The price of wind was probably 3 to 4 times higher. Circumstances are different now, and in a lot of jurisdictions we can leap right over gas and go straight to a renewables-dominated grid. Chad : How do we balance these competing considerations? How could we address the need for a carbon budget while determining the role of fossil fuels in the transition? Toby : A growing number of investors are now imposing carbon budgets on themselves and there are jurisdictions integrating carbon budgets into their frameworks for accepting institutional investment. We’re noticing that some of the more sophisticated investors, like the Norwegian Oil Fund, have identified a large group of companies as being particularly vulnerable to the energy transition. They want to understand whether a company fits in a 2-degree world. They want to see credible business plans. There are over a 122 businesses now that have signed up to the Science Based Targets initiative . Suncor might be one of the first energy companies if they move forward with support of the shareholder resolution for a 2-degree business plan. Investors want to see that you are part of the solution, not clinging to the past. This is all going to have to be backed up by capital and R&D expenditures, and by a change in the portfolio on aggressive timelines. Tzeporah : I’ve been having a similar conversation, but in the public policy arena. How do we make decisions about projects, like national pipelines in Canada’s new climate era? There is uncertainty about where we’re headed because we don’t have nation-wide targets. Setting these targets is hard because of the difficulty of defining a given jurisdiction or sector’s fair share of responsibility. How do you decide yes or no on a project? One way is to look at the greenhouse gas emissions of a project, or even the potential expansion of the pool of carbon that it accesses, and use this as a climate test. The second way is to start including use and usefulness analysis in our business analysis. The National Energy Board does this, and it’s done provincially for environmental assessments as well. That business case analysis is currently based on business as usual projections. We’re assessing projects based on whether or not they make sense in a 6-degree warming world. If we actually also do analyses consistent with a 1.5-degree world, then we’ll get different answers. We need to align our infrastructure and our decisions with up-to-date climate targets. #Culture_Shift #Clean_Technologies #Future_Economy #2016 #Sustainable_Finance #Renewable_Natural_Gas

Thought Leaders Series | Toby Heaps and Tzeporah Berman Part Two

Part Two: Updates from GLOBE Conference 2016 Following last month’s GLOBE Conference in Vancouver, Energy Futures Lab Director Chad Park...

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Part One: The Latest International Developments Following last month’s GLOBE Conference in Vancouver, Energy Futures Lab Director Chad Park caught up with two members of the Energy Futures Lab Advisory Council, Tzeporah Berman and Toby Heaps, both of whom had important roles at GLOBE and its surrounding events. The following is part one of the three-part discussion and focuses on some of the big international developments that Tzeporah and Toby believe are changing the playing field for the global energy system. Part two explores infrastructure and policy to guide energy transition, and part three focuses on specific considerations and opportunities for Alberta’s energy future. Toby Heaps  is the CEO and Co-Founder of Corporate Knights, CK Capital and the Council for Clean Capitalism. He spearheaded the first global ranking of the world’s 100 most sustainable corporations in 2005, and in 2007 coined the term “clean capitalism.” He sits on the Sustainability Accounting Standards Advisory Board and the University of Toronto’s Environment and Finance Committee. He is also is a member of the Advisory Council for the Energy Futures Lab. Tzeporah Berman  BA, MES, LLD (honoris causa) has been designing environmental campaigns and working on environmental policy in Canada and beyond for over twenty years.  She is an Adjunct Professor of York University Faculty of Environmental Studies and works as a strategic advisor to a number of First Nations, environmental organizations and philanthropic foundations on climate and energy issues. Tzeporah co-chairs a small oil industry/ENGO problem solving forum in Alberta on oil sands policy and was appointed last year to the BC Government Climate Leadership Team. She is a member of the Advisory Council for the Energy Futures Lab and is the former co-director of Greenpeace International’s Global Climate and Energy Program and Co-founder of ForestEthics. Chad: Both Tzeporah and Toby are recognized leaders on the global stage in their respective areas of expertise – Tzeporah as a prominent environmental activist and Toby as an expert and advocate in the role of capital markets and institutional investors in sustainable development. They each have strong personal ties to Alberta and also bring a global perspective. Whether or not we agree with all of their views, I believe it is important to consider this perspective as the Energy Futures Lab ponders how Alberta will position itself and evolve in the rapidly changing global energy system. Chad:  Let’s discuss the major international developments and events in recent months that promise to have a big influence on energy policy both in Canada and globally. Events like Paris, Davos and GLOBE in Vancouver – you two have been a part of these events in one way or another. What do you think is important for people to know coming out of them? Toby:  The key thing for people to know from the Paris climate talks is that in an unprecedented move, 195 countries all agreed to usher in a zero net carbon economy sometime this century. That’s a total game changer. At zero net emissions, there’s not a lot of room for burning fossil fuels, unless we have many advances in carbon capture and use technology. I don’t think it has totally sunk in, how unprecedented this is. It was way beyond what I expected to happen. Of course, it’s not legally binding, but these things are more meant to establish new norms and understandings of what the world is going to look like. These agreements send signals to markets to start factoring in new realities and expectations. Tzeporah:  I agree. I think we’ve seen a few game changers in the past year. For one, there is now a recognition of the urgency of climate change. This is now mainstream and the era of climate denial is over. The Alberta Climate Plan is a great example of this. It’s the first time that major oil companies stood up and acknowledged that they’re going to have to support significant climate policy, not just generic statements about carbon pricing. We’re seeing a huge shift in the narrative around climate change, which also has its new challenges. I think while the era of climate denial is over, we’re now in the era of “yes, and” or “yes, but.” It’s still a complex conversation and there are still people dragging their feet, but we’re starting to have the same conversation now. We’re starting to ask the right questions together, both in Canada and internationally. I would say the second game changer is the emergence of a serious conversation around a carbon budget. Science is now telling us that two-thirds of remaining fossil fuel reserves need to stay in the ground if we’re going to keep the world at safe climate levels. Now, the majority of the world’s governments are not just arguing for 2 degrees, but are talking about 1.5 degrees to ensure a climate safe world. Toby:  In addition to narrative changes, there is also a really interesting dance going around in terms of market expectations. Most of the market is expecting a slow pulse year round with respect to how we’re going to price emissions and regulate away certain types of things like thermal coal. The market is looking at this and saying, “Okay, it’s going to happen but it’s not going to happen tomorrow and we’ll have some time to adjust.” What changed after Paris was the market saw that this is going to happen in a more pronounced fashion, more quickly than we thought just a month ago. What this is ultimately doing is creating room for companies that want to build a bridge to a new energy future to now announce some pretty bold moves that they wouldn’t have for fear that it would affect their share price. Tzeporah:  The bottom line is that these companies in the past were banking on climate policy failure. Reports from several major oil companies, where if you dug into why they were not responding to the carbon bubble analysis and the issues around carbon budget, it was because they simply did not believe that the world would get its act together and that climate policy was a serious threat to developing greater reserves. Now, post-Paris, they are looking at the writing in the wall saying, “Oh, in fact, that wasn’t a very safe bet of ours.” Toby:  Probably the most interesting takeaway from Davos wasn’t in the headlines, but it was that the Carbon Tracker was there. The folks that pioneered the notion of the carbon budget are out to popularize it. They held a lunch and a surprise guest showed up at lunch. It was the chairman of one of the largest coal companies in the world, Tony Hayward from Glencore. The fact that he showed up to this lunch is pretty suggestive of how fast this issue has moved. He wouldn’t even have had 10 minutes to listen to those guys before. He’s there now because his investors are starting to tip the stock card. He’s there because he has to be there. #Culture_Shift #Clean_Technologies #Future_Economy #2016 #CCUS #Sustainable_Finance

Thought Leaders Series | Toby Heaps and Tzeporah Berman

Part One: The Latest International Developments Following last month’s GLOBE Conference in Vancouver, Energy Futures Lab Director Chad...

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Reflections from our Energy Futures Lab Fellows As a fourth generation Albertan and Manager of CSR & Sustainability at Enbridge, MaryAnn Kenney has a deep understanding of the energy system here and respects “everything that the individuals and companies have built to create the current energy system.” At the same time, she believes “with the information we now have about climate change – and the information we have had for a long time about energy inequity– we can no longer continue operating under the status quo”. MaryAnn is one of 40 influential leaders from across Alberta’s energy system selected for the Energy Futures Lab (EFL) Fellowship. She will join representatives from industry, government, First Nations groups, and NGOs to begin to chart a path for the province towards an energy system characterized by sustainability, resilience, and innovation. “We have a lot going for us,” MaryAnn states on the political will, entrepreneurial spirit, technological expertise, and potential for renewable energy in Alberta. With all of these key ingredients, she believes the province is well positioned to be a leader in energy innovation. Linda Coaty, Enbridge’s Chief Sustainability Officer with Enbridge shares her enthusiasm for MaryAnn’s involvement in the Lab: “MaryAnn is passionate about her home province of Alberta, and about how its various stakeholders can work together to find energy solutions that align with the emerging social, economic and environmental demands of the 21st century. I am certain that she will be an asset to the work at hand, and that her participation will create value for our company and stakeholders.” #Culture_Shift #Fellowship #2016

MaryAnn Kenney: Working Together to Create Innovative Solutions

Reflections from our Energy Futures Lab Fellows As a fourth generation Albertan and Manager of CSR & Sustainability at Enbridge, MaryAnn...

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A group of Fellows visits Landmark Group/AcQbuilt’s innovative net-zero home production facility before engaging with founder and CEO Reza Nasseri and the Landmark transition story (Edmonton, Jan 2016) “It’s easy for people to have opinions, and be wildly pro or against something. But Fort McMurray is the literal front line of our national energy industry. It’s the bleeding edge of the boom bust cycle, that’s what this community experiences. I think it’s really important for people, when having a provincial or even national energy system conversation to have a bit of an experience of what it’s actually like up there.” - Sean Collins Can we credibly explore the energy transition in Alberta and not visit Fort McMurray? Next month the EFL Fellows are coming together for their third in-person workshop. This time they are setting aside their busy schedules and journeying to the city that in many ways is a ground zero for the big issues and debates about the province’s energy future. For years, Fort McMurray and the vast oil sands resource surrounding it, have been a focus of criticism nationally and internationally and the poster child for those highlighting Canada’s reputation as a laggard on climate policy, spurring visits from the likes of James Cameron, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Desmond Tutu. These visits have often intensified the polarization around energy, climate and the future role of these high carbon resources. EFL Fellow Sean Collins, born and raised in Fort McMurray, is looking forward to having his Lab colleagues join him in his hometown next month. “It’s easy for people to have opinions, and be wildly pro or against something. But Fort McMurray is the literal front line of our national energy industry. It’s the bleeding edge of the boom bust cycle, that’s what this community experiences. I think it’s really important for people, when having a provincial or even national energy system conversation to have a bit of an experience of what it’s actually like up there.” We agree. The first day and a half in Fort McMurray will be spent on “Learning Journeys” before the Fellows take the new insights garnered from these explorations to refine their prototypes and high leverage lab initiatives in the 2-day workshop that follows. Learning journeys are an opportunity for the Fellows to broaden and deepen their understanding of the current system, and to engage with a diversity of people and perspectives that they are not regularly exposed to. In Fort McMurray, the EFL Fellows won’t be exposed to ‘canned’ presentations, but rather hosts and visitors engaging in open and honest dialogue. Interacting with real people and real communities ensures that the challenges and complexity we are trying to address in the Lab don’t just exist on paper or in our heads, but that we also have some lived experience of them. These are journeys outside of our day-to-day experiences and narratives, and outside of our own assumptions and paradigms. That may sound exciting or it may sound scary, but we do know this is an essential part of the hard work of collaborating with diverse stakeholders on our most complex challenges. We applaud the Energy Futures Lab Fellows for stepping directly and bravely into this inquiry. They will be wrestling with some of the toughest questions around energy transition from numerous angles – the role of fossil fuels in a low carbon future, the possibilities for resilience in resource dependent communities, and so on. The future of a high carbon resource in a low carbon economy A group of fellows will see the footprint of the oil sands from the air, tour an oil sands mine and visit Ft McKay to engage with a variety of community members affected in different ways by oil sands development. Whether fellows have made countless trips to Fort McMurray or will be visiting for the first time, they will be challenging one another to ‘see with new eyes’, and to avoid letting the experience simply reinforce pre-existing narratives. For example, can the engineers in the group who may tend to be wowed by the engineering marvel of the oil sands view it through the lens of an aboriginal elder as ‘keeper of the land’, or perhaps take the perspective of a future generation? Building community resilience in a time of energy transition Meanwhile, another group of fellows will visit some of the community’s social service organizations – shelters, employment agencies, food banks, and engage in dialogue with Mayor Melissa Blake. Others will tour a local First Nation-owned and operated company, and engage further with the Regional District, the business community and the region’s Social Prosperity road map. They will be wading into debates about whether this is a time to grin and bear it and hope for an oil price rebound, or whether this is a moment to tackle some of the tougher, deeper questions around resilience, transition and our shared future. We expect to uncover many challenges, and also to be inspired by some new ideas for solutions. Undoubtedly there will be numerous lessons that are equally applicable to other towns across Alberta – from Medicine Hat to Grande Prairie, Hanna to Rocky Mountain House. And of course there are things that are unique to Fort McMurray as well. When I asked EFL Fellow Sean Collins what not to miss when we visit his hometown he replied, “Don’t miss the raw emotion of Fort McMurray. It’s different. People swear, people are rough around the edges. And people are super genuine and caring. I find Fort McMurray to be a more unpolished version of the rest of Alberta. To get an accurate portrayal of Fort McMurray, I wouldn’t try to polish the edges too much.” #Culture_Shift #Regional_Pathways  #Fellowship #Alberta_Energy_Narrative_Hearts_and_Minds #Community_Resilience #2016

Alison Cretney: Why is the Energy Futures Lab Going to Fort McMurray?

A group of Fellows visits Landmark Group/AcQbuilt’s innovative net-zero home production facility before engaging with founder and CEO...

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Diversity of opinions makes us stronger as families, Lab participants and frankly, as a nation. Our unique life experiences and narratives are not what define our separateness but are critical contributions to a more realistic, whole view of a system. With the support of the Alberta Real Estate Foundation we’ll be taking The Newtonian Shift across Alberta by invitation of municipalities, businesses, and other organizations. I have a big family—sixteen aunts and uncles and many, many cousins. Thanks to our grandparents we all seem to share a passion for debate. One of the more heated and reoccurring discussions is on the topic of climate change. This is not surprising given I have generations of family members working in the Alberta oil sands as engineers, marketing executives, and environmental assessments experts. I also have family members who lead environmental organizations and who have been on the front lines of pipeline protests and the divestment movement. My family is not unique. In boardrooms and around kitchen tables across Canada we are grappling with competing narratives. Like most debates, we are generating the kinds of insights needed to drive change, but we are also entrenching the positions that keep systems stuck in old patterns. Enter the Energy Futures Lab (EFL) and the Energy Futures Fellows. These 40 diverse experts are committed to the difficult conversations that are necessary to create breakthrough business models, and ‘future-fit’ policies and practices. As bellwethers and cultural influencers they are willing to share these big conversations with their networks – families, colleagues and communities. The Fellows do not yet agree on the specific innovations needed or the policies that will lead to the energy system of Alberta’s sustainable future, but they do agree that it is vitally important to engage Albertans in the conversation. This is what sets EFL apart from other system changing labs. Traditional labs have been built around a Chatham House Rule approach. Difficult, complex conversations are facilitated among a tight group where individuals experience transformational leadership opportunities, and build mutual trust. This leads to new collaborative approaches and initiatives. However, many past lab participants have found reintegrating into their organizations and businesses more difficult than expected. Their colleagues, families, and communities have not taken the same journey or experienced the same shifts in perspective. They have not been exposed to the same new ideas. What looked promising from inside the lab runs into real world resistance. The EFL is taking a different approach by opening the space to broader conversations. The Lab is guided in part by the Geels multi-level perspective on transitions. Frank Geels, a Dutch researcher, examined how disruptive technology, such as the car, came to shape global culture and massively shift human behaviour. In his seminal work, Geels identified three levels that must be affected in order for system-wide change to occur: Culture – is made up of the dominant paradigms (narratives) and shared mental frames (values) that underlie an entire system. It is culture that shapes goals and definitions of success. Regimes – are the political, economic and social institutions, regulatory frameworks, infrastructures and technologies, (rules of the game) as they exist. Together these pieces make up complex societal and economic systems that tend to be resistant to change. Niches – are protected spaces in which innovators are able to experiment with new technologies and approaches that challenge the dynamics of the current system. They often fail to infiltrate the system because of stabilizing feedback loops between culture and regimes. Adapted from Geels, F et al., (2012) Culture plays an essential role in allowing models that exist at the niche level to scale and take hold in regimes. Shifts at the cultural level can support new innovations from the niche level, enabling and facilitating change in regimes. Most system change processes focus almost exclusively on technological innovation and large-scale policy shifts to integrate and scale innovations. The EFL recognizes that engaged citizens co-create a receptive culture, and that this is essential to the long-term success of new innovations. This is democracy at its best and a model for the world. The EFL design has two strategies to engage Albertans and is adding more as Fellows identify new ways to connect with communities across the province. First, in the Fellows’ second workshop in January, they prioritized a long list of topics to facilitate “big conversations” with the media and other public channels. They also identified other influencers with distinct viewpoints to engage in dialogue over the next six months. Such conversations will continue to roll out over the course of the Lab, and our hope is that it will spark conversation amongst Albertans at home and at work. Secondly, and more directly, is the Energy Futures simulation game, The Newtonian Shift . The game allows individual Albertans with or without direct experience in the energy system to play key decision-making roles in a simulated energy system. The more than 30 roles in the game include oil, gas and renewable energy executives, mayors of cities and rural communities, coal and steel company marketing executives, and key leaders of First Nations and NGOs. In our polarized cultural space the game invites individuals to experience the system from multiple vantage points. It is surprising how real life situations are mirrored in the game, and how an entrenched perspective can dramatically shift when complexity and pressure are applied. Many players state that it is the closest they have come to putting themselves in someone else’s shoes. In the extensive debriefing session following the game the dominant theme is that each player has new insights and empathy for the role they played. And they express an appreciation for how difficult, convoluted and necessary it is to be working together to achieve a thriving, prosperous and sustainable future. We call this the “radical middle”. With new experiences and perspectives we can co-create a space where we build trust and begin to strategize on a desired future where our children and grandchildren can thrive. Diversity of opinions makes us stronger as families, Lab participants and frankly, as a nation. Our unique life experiences and narratives are not what define our separateness but are critical contributions to a more realistic, whole view of a system. I believe my grandparents, who are part of the generation that rolled up the sleeves and built health care and education systems for their communities, would likely say “finally – now get on with it!” References Frank W. Geels, Rene Kemp, Geoff Dudley and Glenn Lyons. (2012). Automobility in Transition? A Socio-Technical Analysis of Sustainable Transport.  http://www.sustainabilitytransitions.com/files/Automobility%20in%20Transition%20-%20Content%20+%20Preface%20+%20Introduction.pdf #Culture_Shift #Fellowship #Alberta_Energy_Narrative_Hearts_and_Minds #2016 #The_Newtonian_Shift

Meeting in the Radical Middle: Shaping a New Energy Futures Narrative

Diversity of opinions makes us stronger as families, Lab participants and frankly, as a nation. Our unique life experiences and...

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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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