Alberta launches second round of competition to reduce industrial emissions
SUMMARY
Industrial Transformation Challenge will fund the scale-up and commercialisation of emission reduction technologies.
By Dale LunanThe government of Alberta on May 10 launched the second round of its Industrial Transformation Challenge, making C$50mn (US$36.6mn) available to help industries develop and commercialise innovations required to reduce emissions.
With funding from its Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction (TIER) fund and alongside Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA), the 2024 round of the challenge will offer up to C$10mn to successful applicants, with a minimum request of C$500,000.
The Challenge is open to a wide range of projects, from eliminating methane emissions and other emissions from everyday agricultural or forestry operations to practical projects like fuel switching and electrification or critical minerals extraction.
It focuses on scale-up, pilot, demonstration and first-of-their-kind commercial projects for use in the energy, agriculture, forestry, industrial manufacturing and other natural resource sectors. It will help these industries not only reduce emissions and waste, but also cut costs and stay competitive in global markets.
“We are helping develop, test and commercialise the technologies that companies need to stay competitive and attract talent while they drive innovation,” said Rebecca Schulz, Alberta’s Minister of Environment and Protected Areas. “The last industrial funding challenge led to more than a dozen ground-breaking projects, and I look forward to seeing even more impressive ideas this year.”
The first round of the Industrial Transformation Challenge was launched in 2022 at COP 27. In 2023, as a result of that first call, the government and ERA provided C$60mn to 14 projects with the potential to reduce 700,000 tonnes of emissions by 2030. Across all initiatives, ERA has committed C$935mn in provincial funding towards 267 projects worth C$8.8bn and offering emission reductions estimated 42.5mn tonnes by 2030.
“This annual offering demonstrates there is an ongoing opportunity to support Alberta’s natural resources and industrial sectors through the acceleration of transformative technology,” ERA CEO Justin Riemer said. “Like several other technologies we have funded before, this $50mn Industrial Transformation Challenge will help accelerate the development and commercialisation of some of the most promising innovations the province needs to reduce emissions and maintain competitiveness.”
Deadline to apply is June 21, with successful projects to be announced in early 2025. Potential applicants are invited to visit the Industrial Transformation Challenge website for more information.
