Province gives $70M to help slash emissions

A new innovation fund is set to cut emissions and boost investments in Alberta after the province announced $70 million in funding through the industrial efficiency challenge.

The money comes from Alberta’s climate leadership plan and will leverage more than $200 million in 11 Alberta projects, expected to eliminate more than 5.3-million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, the province said.

Two of the projects will see low-carbon fuels used to make cement and another recovering heat from a refinery to generate electricity.

“These innovative technologies will help our major industries reduce emissions while creating jobs, cutting costs and making them more competitive in global markets,” Environment and Parks Minister Shannon Phillips said in a statement.

“Our investments in innovation continue to position Alberta as a forward-thinking investment jurisdiction and industrial leader.”

The projects were selected and funded through Emissions Reduction Alberta, an organization working to accelerate development and demonstration of emission-reducing technologies.

If successful, the province said many of these new technologies are adaptable across industrial sectors.

Kate Strachan, plant manager for Lafarge Exshaw cement plant, which received funding, said the money will help the company better understand environmental benefits.

“The Exshaw low-carbon fuels project will go a long way in helping us reach our ambitious corporate goal to produce 40 per cent less net CO2 per tonne of cement by 2030. This support from ERA helps us move this project forward,” said Strachan.

“We hope that any positive results or lessons learned will encourage others in our industry to do the same, giving this investment a greater, far-reaching impact.”

The following projects were selected for funding:

Imperial Oil Ltd.: Kearl ConDex ■

Flue Gas Heat and Water Recovery Project

Lafarge Canada: Lower Carbon ■

Fuels Project

Suncor Energy Inc. Oil Sands: ■

Digital Optimization using Advanced Process Control in an In-Situ Facility

TransCanada Energy: Supercritical ■ CO2 Waste Heat Recovery and Utilization Technology

TAQA North Ltd.: Crossfield Gas ■

Plant Energy Efficiency and GHG Reduction Project

ConocoPhillips Canada: Field ■

Pilot of Multilateral Well Technology to Reduce GHG Intensity of steam-assisted gravity drainage

Alberta-Pacific Forest Industries ■ Inc.: Kraft Pulp Mill Flue Gas Energy Recovery Project

Repsol Oil and Gas Canada: ■

Demonstration of the Transition from Hydrocarbons to Inert Gas Technology for Gas Blanketing and Purge in the Gas Processing Industry

Athabasca Oil Corp.: Energy ■

Intensity Reduction through Flow Control Devices and Non-Combustible Gas

Energreen Solutions: Strathcona ■ Works — Waste Heat to Power Project

Enmax Generation Portfolio ■

Inc.: Crossfield Energy Centre Hybrid Fuel Project