$10 million in funding for new technology that cuts greenhouse emissions from the oil sands

By Sue L. Blanchard, Communication Strategist and Writer

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Emissions Reduction Alberta has $50 million in funding for producers of new oil sands technology that cuts greenhouse emissions by 2020 and makes bitumen more marketable and affordable to produce and process. Even more money is available for lower methane and other fossil fuel emissions.

Each new or retrofit oil sands technology related to in situ or mined oil sands work is eligible for funding up to $10 million.

"We are advancing oil sands technology that has been proven in concept but is not commercially operational in Alberta today," notes an ERA spokesperson. "Our aim is to accelerate solutions that could be commercially deployed in 5-10 years. Viable projects must involve prototype testing, field piloting, commercial demonstration or first-of-kind technology deployment."

ERA's funding is ongoing with the deadline for expression-of-interest proposals due September 7, 2017 for oil sands work. Examples of oil-sands projects ERA considers for funding include:

• Alternative steam generation methods for in situ recovery

• Advanced reservoir technologies including solvent recovery, electromagnetic systems and hybrid processes

• Novel surface mining and bitumen ore processing technologies

• Improved bitumen upgrading and partial upgrading processes

• Solutions for tailings reductions and management

Propose other ways to lower GHG emissions by 8,000,000 tonnes by 2020

If the September deadline is out of reach, watch for others. ERA will shortlist ideas and ask for detailed proposals for projects to:

• Demonstrate climate change leadership through high-impact investments in Alberta

• Leverage and augment Alberta’s natural strengths and build on existing capacity

• Demonstrate the value and potential of directing government funds towards innovation and technology solutions

• Provide a clear line of sight for where funding will flow to achieve outcomes.

• Invest exclusively in solutions that align with Alberta’s needs

• Leverage Alberta’s unique assets to attract and retain the best technologies and innovators

• Contribute to Alberta's economic prosperity and diversification by developing and demonstrating technical innovations and the businesses behind them

• Map potential tactics for solutions that align with strategies that give a clear understanding of the specific responsibilities of players

• Identify milestones and deliverables towards achieving ERA's outcomes through measurable benchmarks and opportunities for real emissions reductions

Alberta is working to achieve economic growth; job creation; actual environmental and economic performance reporting against originally identified targets; and effective communication tools for understanding and demonstrating progress.

Direction from Alberta's Climate Leadership Plan

Working with government and industry, ERA helps Alberta lower carbon emissions and diversify economically. Alberta's Climate Leadership Plan explains the province's goals for moving forward on carbon pricing and renewable energy

ERA also seeks ideas to cap emissions from methane and coal-generation.

On January 1, 2017, the province announced plans to use carbon pricing to drive lower emissions and fund innovative fossil-fuel projects. Pricing carbon pollution rewards Albertans, industries and companies which take steps to lower their emissions.

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