David van den Assem, Program Director for Clean Technology (CT), a program within Alberta Innovates which funds projects that develop innovative clean technology, says Alberta — and Canada as a whole — must manage energy effectively. This, van den Assem says, is the only way to "stay ahead of change and to stay relevant."The CT program has received over $13 million in provincial funding across 22 projects, this includes clean technology for pipelines..On Canada's economic growth, van den Assem states, "if we look at that, the latest data shows Canada at the bottom of that pack with 1.4% real GDP per capita growth and 19.6% overall growth."He says Alberta and Saskatchewan have the highest per capita growth in terms of investment.In Canada, "we have a spectacular set of resources," states Van Den Assem."We have expertise."."There is incredible expertise in this country, and we have the ability to serve the growing global demand, as well as ourselves, and improve our well-being export capabilities."He says that in terms of clean energy, there is a missed opportunity to capitalize on the market when considering Canada's resources."To me, that's a bit of a missed opportunity in that we, collectively as a country, put a lot of money into developing those solutions — and then the advantages that come from the improvements, we don't get to see until someone else has already experienced them."
