CALGARY — The Alberta government is spending $28 million on six new technology projects aimed at boosting energy production while reducing environmental impacts.The funding will be delivered through the industry-funded Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction (TIER) program — the Alberta carbon tax — and awarded under Emissions Reduction Alberta’s Industrial Transformation Challenge.It's expected to create about 1,000 jobs, contributing nearly $167 million to the provincial economy by 2027 and is projected to cut 260,000 tonnes of emissions by 2030.The amounts allocated to the projects range from $625,000 to $12 million.Environment and Protected Areas Minister Grant Hunter says Alberta is “increasing energy production and protecting the environment at the same time.”“The world wants our energy, and these technologies can help us deliver while lowering emissions and keeping our industries competitive for decades to come,” Hunter said.Energy and Minerals Minister Brian Jean added that innovation continues to drive Alberta’s economy and global competitiveness.“Alberta was built by and continues to be built by innovators. It is because of these efforts that we are the economic engine of Canada, and global demand continues to grow for our responsibly produced energy,” Jean stated..RMA voices concerns over Alberta’s proposed renewable energy rules on agricultural land.A major portion of the funding — $10 million — is going to Central Farms, a subsidiary of Taurus Renewable Natural Gas Corp., to build a renewable gas facility in the southern Alberta community of Coaldale.The project — in partnership with Kasko Cattle Co. — will annually convert 130,000 tonnes of cattle manure into renewable natural gas and soil additives.Phillip Abrary, CEO and chair of Taurus, said the facility will produce 360,000 gigajoules of renewable natural gas each year — enough to power approximately 4,000 households — while capturing and sequestering 15,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.“With this support and our capital commitment, we can proceed with a first-of-its-kind, fully integrated renewable energy and carbon capture and sequestration project in the heart of Alberta’s cattle farming region,” Abrary said.“This will pave the way for establishing a globally leading region in renewable energy and sustainable farming practices.”Construction is expected to begin this year, with completion targeted for the end of 2027.Five additional projects spanning Alberta’s energy and agricultural sectors also received funding.Cnergreen Corp. of Calgary received $1.5 million toward a $3.6-million project to improve enhanced oil recovery while reducing energy use and supporting permanent carbon dioxide storage..Alberta implements new rules to balance renewable energy growth and land conservation .The University of Calgary was also awarded $750,000 toward a $2.8-million project to restore old oil and gas sites using advanced in-situ remediation technology.Associate professor Anne Benneker said the technology could remediate thousands of orphan well sites across Alberta and beyond.“We will move the needle on a truly in-situ remediation technology to remove hydrocarbons and salts from soils that are impacted by industrial operations,” Benneker said.Other projects include research in Edmonton to reduce methane emissions from cattle, methane reduction work in Yellowhead County, and new technology testing to enhance the safety of carbon capture pipelines near the southeastern hamlet of Suffield, located 32 kilometres northwest of Medicine Hat.Emissions Reduction Alberta CEO Justin Riemer has said the projects reflect growing momentum in clean technology innovation across the province.“These projects show how Alberta-made innovation is delivering real environmental results and economic opportunity across the province,” Riemer said.
