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Premier Danielle Smith will fly to Dubai for November’s COP28 climate change conference, hyping Alberta’s plan to stick with fossil fuels while promising to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Speaking at Alberta’s Industrial Heartland Association’s annual conference in Edmonton Thursday, Smith said she plans to personally attend this year’s United Nations Climate Change Conference after former environment minister Sonya Savage led the Alberta delegation last year. This year, Smith will be travelling to the United Arab Emirates with Environment Minister Rebecca Schulz.
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“Together we will prove the doubters and the naysayers wrong. Alberta will not be left behind by the global energy transition,” Smith told more than 1,000 attendees gathered to talk about developments in the Heartland — which boasts being the largest hydrocarbon processing region in Canada.
Two days earlier, at the Carbon Capture Canada conference, Smith said it is important the province participate on the international stage, saying she believes carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS), will play a large role in global efforts to transition to a low-carbon economy.
“I think we’ve got a very compelling story to tell about what the future of this energy transition looks like,” said Smith. Critics have said CCUS technology is too expensive, can’t compete with renewables, and won’t meet climate goals.
Smith’s approach contrasts a decision by former UCP premier Jason Kenney in 2021 to not send a delegation to the climate conference in Scotland. He derided the meeting of international leaders as a “gabfest” at the time.
Alberta’s government now has a goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050, but is in the midst of a seven-month pause on new approvals for renewable energy projects, including solar, wind, geothermal and hydroelectric power plants, set to lift Feb. 29.
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Meanwhile, Smith hopes to have a provincial grant program for CCUS announced before COP28 begins on Nov. 30.
On Thursday, Smith touted the importance of geothermal power generation, along with developing Alberta’s ammonia, lithium, liquefied natural gas, hydrogen, and mineral sectors.
“These are the industries of the future, and they are leading to the technologies that will provide humanity with the miracle of cheap and abundant energy and resources, all while reducing carbon dioxide emissions — and Alberta will be a global leader in every respect,” said Smith.
The premier’s opposition to potential net-zero electricity grid requirements from Ottawa underscores her and the UCP’s long-time vocal support of the province’s natural gas sector, including when it comes to petrochemical manufacturing, blue hydrogen, and plastics.
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“We’re giving investors rock solid confidence that Alberta’s fast-growing petrochemical sector is the right place for their investment dollars,” she said.
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Alberta’s Industrial Heartland Association executive director Mark Plamondon told reporters he is confident the region will be able to compete globally regardless of the regulations, or emission caps, governments slap down.
“We’ve got a great de-carbonization story and the government frameworks will be what they will be,” he said.
According to the Canada Energy Regulator, Alberta’s oil and gas industry produced 132.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions in 2020. The provincial government estimates its two main taxpayer-supported CCUS facilities can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by “up to” 2.56 million tonnes per year.
Alberta has put nearly $2 billion towards CCUS-related projects and programs to date.
The Quest Carbon Capture project near Edmonton has been sequestering about one million tonnes per year, but the carbon trunk line is only operating at about 10 per cent capacity, leaving more room for carbon capture growth, Plamondon said.
“You’ve got about 15.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide capture capability, which would more than exceed anything that would come out of the Industrial Heartland,” he said.
Nagwan Al-Guneid, Opposition NDP energy and climate critic on electricity, utilities and renewables, said in a statement Smith’s speech Thursday failed to address the damage her renewable energy moratorium will do to jobs and investment in the province.
“Smith also praised geothermal energy development as her own moratorium grinds projects to a halt. Clearly, it’s long past time for this job-killing moratorium to end,” said Al-Guneid, who said 2,400 jobs and $3 billion are at risk in the Industrial Heartland alone.
lijohnson@postmedia.com
X: @reportrix
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