LAKELAND - While it is yet to be determined how companies in the Lakeland region will benefit from the new $50 million Strategic Energy Management for Industry (SEMI) program - which was recently launched by Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA) - the initiative is designed to help oil and gas, construction, and other Alberta industries become profitable by reducing energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions, growing organizational skills and capacity building.
According to information from the government of Alberta, the province - along with the federal agency Natural Resources Canada - is supporting the SEMI program by providing $50 million in funding to the ERA.
Through SEMI, eligible industrial and manufacturing sectors in Alberta will receive not only funding, but also skills and training pertaining to energy management until March 2027.
As stated in a joint release from the Governments of Alberta, Canada, and the ERA, industrial sectors that are eligible to participate in the program include agriculture, forestry, mining, oil and gas extraction, construction, transportation, and manufacturing. Facilities are required to be owned or leased in Alberta and have been in operation for a minimum of one year.
Upon first entering the SEMI program, organizations and companies are required to go through a Facility Readiness Assessment (FRA).
They will have their energy use analyzed and will also receive suggestions for services intended for improving energy management, which includes support for strategic energy management programming, putting into effect energy management information systems, along with capital retrofits.
An announcement for the launch of the SEMI program was made on Oct. 16 during a conference that included provincial and federal government officials, as well as Justin Riemer, CEO of Emissions Reduction Alberta. Applications for the program have been open since Oct. 17.
Rebecca Schulz, Minister of Environment and Protected Areas, stated that Alberta’s industrial facilities are essential to the provincial economy, and they deserve the best programs to ensure their success.
“By investing in ERA’s SEMI program through the TIER fund, we are helping Alberta’s industrial facilities boost their bottom line and increase their competitiveness while promoting energy management for the benefit of all Albertans,” Schulz said.
Jonathan Wilkinson, Canada’s federal minister of energy and natural resources, also praised the new program that is aimed at increasing energy efficiency as well as viability in Alberta’s industrial and manufacturing industries.
“Supporting Canadian industry with their energy efficiency targets is a critical path towards meeting Canada’s net-zero targets and improving competitiveness in a growing global economy,” Wilkinson stated.
Riemer said improving the efficiency of industrial and manufacturing processes and facilities is the quickest, most economical way to decrease energy bills while staying competitive. However, he added, this takes knowledge, expertise, training, and capital.
“With SEMI, Alberta companies now have even more opportunity to invest in energy- and cost-saving technologies, right here in the province,” said Riemer.