The Honourable Gary Lunn, Minister of Natural Resources, today announced several initiatives that will advance clean energy technology in Canada, during his tour at the Institute for Sustainable Energy, Environment and Economy at the University of Calgary.
"Our Government is ensuring that Canada is at the leading edge of clean technologies to reduce emissions and adapt to environmental change. That is why in Budget 2008, we announced $5 million for this Institute to complete important work: to collaborate with stakeholders and address outstanding issues in the deployment of carbon capture and storage technologies," said Minister Lunn. "I would also like to announce a Call for Proposals under our two new funds that will accelerate the development of clean energy technologies in Canada."
Industry can submit proposals under two new funds:
* A $125 million fund to advance carbon capture and storage technologies that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the oil sands and coal-fired electricity plants;
* A $15 million fund to advance the development of technologies that will reduce the environmental impacts of oil sands production, such as tailings ponds.
"This federal support will enable us to advance carbon capture and storage (CCS) solutions that help Alberta and Canada reduce greenhouse gas emissions," says Dr. David Keith, Univeristy of Calgary's Canada Research Chair in Energy and the Environment. "Implementing CCS is one of the best options we have for achieving large cuts in emissions within reasonable costs and timeframes."
The $5 million commitment in Budget 2008 is intended to ensure the Institute for Sustainable Energy, Environment and Economy can collaborate with stakeholders on outstanding regulatory, economic and technological issues in response to the Canada–Alberta ecoENERGY Carbon Capture and Storage Task Force Report
For more information on the two calls for proposals and the ecoENERGY Technology initiative, visit www.ecoaction.gc.ca.