Alberta Invests Nearly $55 Million in 15 Projects to Reduce Emissions and Increase the Competitiveness of Alberta's Industries
Summary
Supporting these innovative technologies will advance the provinces economy, boost competitiveness, and create jobs across established and emerging industries.The announcement was made by Rebecca Schulz, Minister of Environment and Protected Areas, and Heather Stephens, Chief Operating Officer of Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA), on February 13, 2025, at Southern Alberta Institute of Technologys (SAIT) Cenovus Energy Centre. Projects are estimated to create close to 1,600 person-year jobs of employment and $237 million in GDP for the province by 2027.Funding ranges from $500,000 to $10 million for projects that have the potential to dramatically lower costs, reduce emissions, create jobs, and improve the economic competitiveness of Albertas industrial and natural resource sectors: oil and gas, concrete and cement, pulp and paper, forestry, biotechnology, and municipal wastewater treatment. All projects will be piloted, demonstrated, or deployed in Alberta.Projects will reduce costs, emissions, water use, and tailings production in oil sands mining; advance AI-enabled drone infrastructure in remote locations to support wildfire monitoring; increase the effectiveness of sealing oil and gas wells to reduce methane leakage; use machine learning to monitor emissions in combustion equipment, divert hard-to-recycle plastics from landfills, demonstrate a new solar thermal energy technology, and more.Projects being funded through the Industrial Transformation Challenge include:We are grateful for the continued support from the Government of Alberta and Emissions Reduction Alberta as we advance our decarbonization journey. Funding recipients must also report on project outcomes, achievements, and lessons learned, including emissions reductions, job creation, and other environmental, economic, and social benefits.For more than 15 years, ERA has invested revenues from the carbon price paid by large emitters to accelerate the development and adoption of innovative clean technology solutions. Since its establishment in 2009, ERA has committed over $954 million toward 296 projects valued at over $7.4 billion, which are helping to reduce GHGs, create competitive industries, and lead to new business opportunities in Alberta.