The government of Premier Jason Kenney has decided to end a 44-year moratorium on open-pit coal mining in southern Alberta
Desperate times sometimes lead to catastrophic measures. In Alberta, the beleaguered provincial government is in a financial situation that could be characterized as desperate, suffering from the double-whammy of collapsed resource revenues and, of course, the massive spending required to address the social wildfire known as the COVID-19 pandemic. The desperate measure that the United…
How well prepared is Alberta for the disruptive change coming to the province’s energy sector?
This past week has seen further waves buffeting the oil industry. Millions of people around the world marched on Friday demanding climate action, and British Columbia won a court ruling that temporarily blocks Alberta’s turn-off-the-taps legislation. Against this backdrop, the recent Energy Disruptors conference in Calgary was timely indeed. The event brought about 1,500 energy…
Weaken the regulatory framework at your peril. Sloppy regulation begets sloppy industrial operation. And that drives investment away
Grant Sprague and Bev Yee, Alberta deputy ministers of energy and environment respectively, are very capable senior bureaucrats. Here’s hoping they bring to bear all their skills for the review of the Alberta Energy Regulator. They should keep in mind that the review ought not to be the witch hunt the current political framing suggests…
Electricity sector is playing in reducing Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions
Greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in Canada’s electricity sector have declined by 34 per cent since 2005 and further reductions are expected, says the Conference Board of Canada in a new report released on Tuesday. “Canada-wide, the electricity sector is undergoing fundamental transformation. In each province, electricity generators are playing a leadership role in the move…
CEO Melanie McClare talks about its revolutionary technology and the role the Creative Destruction Lab played in growing the company
Melanie McClare is CEO of Swirltex. What is Swirltex and what does it do? McClare: Swirltex is a Canadian water tech startup based in Calgary. Our vision is to unlock opportunities to reuse and recycle the toughest waste waters and decrease the global industrial water footprint. We have developed a revolutionary membrane technology that can…
Many politicians would rather look to the past than mobilize to fight our greatest challenge
The Alberta provincial election is a case study of the collective Canadian avoidance of climate change. Albertans are told to focus on either cutting various government programs or making deficit expenditures on new social programs, arguing about the pros and cons of taxes (especially carbon taxes), and a generalized hope for a return of high…
Dan Balaban of Greengate Power Corp. talks about the company’s footprint in Alberta and its big plans for expansion
Dan Balaban is president and CEO of Greengate Power Corp. What is Greengate Power and what does it do? Balaban: Greengate Power is a renewable energy company based in Calgary. We are a developer of utility-scale wind and solar energy projects, providing a low-cost and clean source of power for Albertans by taking advantage of…
Alberta experienced a 4.1% decline in household emissions from 2009 to 2016: StatsCan
Alberta's oil and gas extraction industry emitted the equivalent of 118 megatonnes of carbon dioxide, up 28.7 per cent from 2009 to 2016. That contributed significantly to Alberta producing the most greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Canada, according to a new study released on Wednesday by Statistics Canada. The federal agency said GHG emissions…
Natural beauty distinguishes Alberta from so many places. Let’s follow the will of the majority and protect this beautiful region
It’s disappointing to see that the Alberta government's proposal to create new protected areas in west-central Alberta has led to a partisan political brawl. Over the last week, the government cancelled public information sessions for the Bighorn Country proposal because of reports of intimidation and threats by opponents to the proposal. The local MLA, Jason…
The new developments are expected to create about 1,000 jobs and generate about 760 megawatts of affordable renewable electricity
The Alberta government says private companies are partnering with First Nations to invest around $1.2 billion in renewable energy projects in Alberta. The intent is to create new jobs and continue with record-setting low power prices for Albertans. The government has announced five new wind projects as part of Alberta's Renewable Electricity Program. It includes…
Desperate times sometimes lead to catastrophic measures. In Alberta, the beleaguered provincial government is in a financial situation that could be characterized as desperate, suffering from the double-whammy of collapsed resource revenues and, of course, the massive spending required to address the social wildfire known as the COVID-19 pandemic. The desperate measure that the United…
