National clean energy research fuelled with $25M funding

Calgary, AB – Alberta’s provincial government is providing $25-million provincial for a University of Calgary-anchored, nation-wide research network that will bring together more than 100 experts to advance clean energy development in Canada.

The funding to Carbon Management Canada will help to establish national research teams to develop technology and insights to reduce carbon emissions in Canada’s fossil fuel energy sector – including the coal, natural gas, conventional oil and oil sands sectors.

The network will be based at the University of Calgary and will focus and mobilize at least 100 energy, environmental and social science researchers from 21 Canadian universities. Research teams will work with partners in industry, government, non-government organizations and major carbon management networks around the world.

The network was created with support from the federal Networks of Centres of Excellence program, and in conjunction with founding sponsors the Canada School of Energy and Environment and the Institute for Sustainable Energy, Environment and Economy at the University of Calgary.

It includes top energy, environmental and social sciences researchers from 21 universities in eight provinces, and from Natural Resources Canada and the National Research Council. The network also includes collaboration with 13 private companies, seven non-governmental organizations and industry associations, and four governments.

Priority research areas include:
• Techniques to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the extraction, processing and use of fossil fuels;
• Technologies to significantly reduce the cost of capturing carbon at large fossil energy facilities;
• Processes to ensure safe, secure and verifiable long-term storage of CO2 deep underground in geological reservoirs; and
• Expert advice on effective regulatory regimes and market mechanisms to speed up implementing publicly supported low-carbon emission technologies and practices in the fossil fuel energy sector.

“Fossil fuels are necessary and central to our economy, but the challenges associated with emissions and climate change must be addressed more collaboratively and strategically” said Bruce Carson, chair of Carbon Management Canada’s board and executive director of the Canada School of Energy and Environment. “Alberta’s support for Carbon Management Canada will help drive the transformative technological change necessary to significantly reduce emissions in this sector of the economy.”