We develop and invest in applied research and innovation programs to sustain, grow and diversify the energy and resource industries, develop clean technology, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and protect Alberta’s environment.
We develop and invest in applied research and innovation programs to sustain, grow and diversify the energy, agriculture, food and forestry industries; develop clean technology; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; increase productivity; add value to commodity products, and protect Alberta’s environment.
We support resource and technology companies, small and medium enterprises, and post-secondary institutions in their research, technology development and commercialization.
We help industry clients accelerate technology development and deployment, grow their businesses, and enhance competitiveness. Market pull is assured through direct end-user support of all invested projects.
We provide technical insights to the Government of Alberta on resource development, energy diversification, climate leadership, and water/land policies.
We provide technical due diligence and project management services to Emissions Reduction Alberta.
This Clean technology program contributes to low carbon fuels and value-added product creation through a focus on waste conversion and renewable fuels. We seek to leverage our existing oil and gas infrastructure and activities to support a growing bioenergy supply chain. We explore waste material diversion and conversion across large and small communities to realize the value and mitigate the impacts of waste.
We are excited about the emerging technology pathways that can support cross-sectoral industries to reduce or mitigate carbon emissions, decarbonize fuel systems or create novel materials required in new clean technologies. Our carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) focus can help Alberta to demonstrate its leadership in supporting many industries to decarbonize, including supporting the growing hydrogen economy in Alberta. From lithium to vanadium, novel metals, minerals and materials extraction and utilization leverages Alberta’s existing natural resource skills and infrastructure to build new clean tech supply chains in Alberta.
Alberta Innovates’ TIER Economic Recovery Program (Program) will consist of a set of “shovel-ready” projects that will accelerate innovation in support of GHG emissions reduction, increase long-term economic competitiveness and stimulate growth in critically important sectors of Alberta’s economy.
The Cleaner Hydrocarbon Production (CHP) program supports new/improved methods of extracting hydrocarbons through the Recovery Technologies sub-program, technologies in detecting and mitigating industrial methane releases in the Methane Emissions Reduction sub-program, and emerging technologies in the Digital Oilfield sub-program. In addition to technology development, CHP also supports ecosystem growth though leadership in collaborations such as the Solvent Leadership Series, Canadian Emissions Reduction Innovation Network, and Digital Innovation in Clean Energy.
The Innovative Hydrocarbon Products (IHP) program supports the development of technologies to refine raw bitumen into a pipelineable product through the Bitumen Partial Upgrading sub-program, technologies to convert bitumen into valuable non-fuel products (e.g. carbon fibre, asphalt binder, activated carbon) in the Bitumen Beyond Combustion (BBC) sub-program, and novel methods to convert natural gas into new products through the Natural Gas Value Add sub-program. Similar to above, IHP also supports ecosystem growth through leadership in collaborations such as the National Partial Upgrading Consortium and the BBC Strategic Advisory Committee.
The Land and Biodiversity program works collaboratively with partners in government, academia, industry and others in the private sector to find innovative solutions that will help minimize or resolve impacts to land and biodiversity from land-use activities. Focus areas include: Environmental Monitoring; Oil Sands Tailings; Remediation and Restoration; Climate Adaptation; and more recently Abandoned Well Reclamation.
Our focus on electricity generation and grid modernization supports renewable and alternative energy development from individual technology components to systems-level integration. The future of electricity systems involves the generation, transmission, distribution and storage of energy using smart, data-enabled, and digital solutions. New opportunities for generation from geothermal to nuclear help in transitioning to low-carbon electricity.
The Water Innovation Program (WIP) is designed to achieve the goals of the Alberta’s Water for Life Strategy. Broadly speaking, the WIP research portfolio is designed to advance knowledge and technology to support policy, operations and best practices leading to sustainable water resource management in Alberta. The program invests in four key themes: (i) Future Water Supply and Watershed Management; (ii) Healthy Aquatic Ecosystems; (iii) Water Use Conservation, Efficiency, and Productivity; and (iv) Water Quality Protection.
Smart Agriculture and Food invests in research and innovation supporting data driven decision making and automation for growth of Alberta’s agriculture and food sector. Supporting development of a network of Smart Farms facilitates validation and demonstration of emerging technologies as well as education of the next generation of Alberta’s agribusiness operators.
Bioindustrial Materials supports economic development and diversification by investing in greener products and processes using Alberta biomass. This portfolio supports the agriculture and forestry sectors to optimize sustainable resource use and develop new revenue streams for byproducts and residuals.
Alberta Innovates and the Clean Resource Innovation Network (CRIN) are announcing the completion of Phase I of the Carbon Fibre Grand Challenge and the launch of Phase II. 19 teams from across Canada, the United States and Australia participated in Phase I of the competition where several demonstrated they could produce strands of carbon fibre from Alberta bitumen.
Alberta’s government is spending $50 million from the industry-funded Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction (TIER) system to create jobs, grow our clean-tech industry and cut emissions.
Alberta Innovates provided $200,000 from its Digital Innovation in Clean Energy (DICE) program to accelerate development of Validere’s platform – with added benefits for the environment as well as companies’ bottom line.