publications
APEGGA Position paper
alberta's provincial
energy strategy-
Capable and effective leadership is needed if Alberta is to fully realize the vast potential of our energy resources. APEGGA acknowledges the clear vision and directions established by the Government of Alberta in the strategy laid out in Launching Alberta’s Energy Future. Our professions believe that society will be better served by raising the bar to produce our energy resources more cleanly, and by walking the talk within Alberta by consuming energy more wisely. Achieving these objectives, particularly in a way consistent with sustainable economic prosperity, will entail significant technical challenges. As they have in building Alberta’s energy industry since 1949, APEGGA’s engineers and geoscientists — now 57,000 strong — will meet these challenges with enthusiasm and creativity.
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Background
This position paper responds to publication of the Government of Alberta’s Provincial Energy Strategy.
The strategy is aimed at three outcomes for Alberta:
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clean energy production
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wise energy use
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sustained economic prosperity.
Seven “levers” (i.e. areas of focus) are outlined to address the outcomes:
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address the environmental footprint of energy production
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advance the energy product portfolio up the value chain
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change the energy consumptive behavior of Albertans
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improve innovation capability; technology leadership, develop people
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enhance capacity of electricity system
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improve public knowledge and awareness of energy issues
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ensure alignment of government regulations, policies, programs
with strategy.
With 15 APEGGA Members per 1,000 population, Alberta has one of the highest intensities of engineers and geoscientists of any jurisdiction in the world. This extraordinary “receptor capacity” will facilitate implementation of the strategy. This human capital is a sustainable competitive advantage for Alberta.
APEGGA Members are committed to environmental protection and safeguarding the public. A Guideline for Environmental Practice (one of 36 professional practice guidelines published by APEGGA) has been in place since February 2004.
APEGGA’s Role
Within the above areas of focus are numerous technical challenges which will be addressed by APEGGA Members who are planning, designing, constructing or renovating projects which produce energy or transport it, or buildings which consume energy. Upon request by government, APEGGA, as a professional association, can also provide tangible assistance.
APEGGA can continue to provide high level review and comments on tactics, plans and policies as they are developed under this policy; the government can rely on thoughtful, balanced and frank feedback.
APEGGA can nominate Members who are technically knowledgeable and skilled strategists, to participate in scenario planning or other out-of-the-box exercises to identify key enabling technologies.
Some technical challenges will require early stage research or expensive pilot projects, which will require government participation or financial incentive to proceed. APEGGA can nominate expert, non-partisan Members to serve on advisory agencies which prioritize such projects and the attendant government funding.
Where multi-disciplinary expertise is required to develop best practices or regulatory parameters, APEGGA can take the lead by engaging with and coordinating the relevant professional bodies (a recent example of this is development of regulations for remediation of wellsites, where APEGGA was the prime mover together with five other professional bodies to develop comprehensive and integrated protocols).
Updating regulations or codes to align with the strategy can in some cases be a years-long process because of the detailed consultative processes. Through professional development programs, APEGGA can facilitate the informing and encouraging of Members who plan and design to be proactive in adopting best practices before they are formally required by code, thus accelerating the alignment process.
APEGGA has for many years played a key role in encouraging junior high and high school students to explore careers in engineering and science. The “big vision” outlined in the strategy can be highlighted in APEGGA school presentations and science fair initiatives, to appeal to the students’ motivation to help people by improving their environment and their quality of life. Similar motivation will attract engineering and geoscience graduates to the energy industry and will attract high quality people to pursue advanced degrees, then careers in R&D, to solve the tough technical challenges necessitated by the strategy.
APEGGA's Position Paper on Alberta's Provincial Energy Strategy |
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Contact
Jim Beckett, P.Eng., President
Chair, Public Interest Issues Committee
president@apegga.org
Head Office
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email@apegga.org www.apegga.org
Calgary Office
2200 Scotia Centre, 700 2 Street SW, Calgary AB T2P 2W1
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