Hydrogen & Renewable Energy Opportunities in Alberta, Canada

Alberta is an emerging global leader in energy decarbonization, having made strides in reducing the carbon intensity of its electricity grid and its oil and gas sector. This is being achieved through a series of targeted reductions, a transition away from coal, the development of world-scale renewable energy projects, and investment in a growing carbon capture, use and storage (CCUS) industry.

By early 2024, power generation in Alberta will be coal free, and the electricity grid will produce roughly 20 megatons of GHG emissions a year. Alberta’s deregulated market ensures it remains a low-cost electricity jurisdiction throughout this transition making it an ideal for utility-scale solar energy projects and wind resources, advancing renewable electricity production and usage at affordable rates worldwide. 

Alberta is home to the fourth-largest oil reserves in the world and 70% of Canada’s marketable natural gas in Canada and critical minerals including lithium and magnetite. Alberta’s supply of natural low-cost resources is vast and reflects a low-cost basin tested through multiple commodity cycles.

The affordable, abundant, resources and strong commitment to environmental, social and governance (ESG) throughout the established energy sector provides eco-friendly international investment opportunities, including clean technology and environmental services.

The Leduc Aquifer harbors a substantial lithium-rich brine resource, positioning Alberta as a leader in the emerging North American lithium battery market. With an estimated 16.9 Mt of Lithium Carbonate Equivalent (LCE) in both Measured and Indicated, and Inferred categories, Alberta’s lithium reserves are a compelling draw for the electric vehicle and renewable energy sectors, which are rapidly expanding due to the global push for clean energy transitions.

E3 Lithium’s proprietary Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) technology offers a more efficient and environmentally friendly alternative to the traditional lithium extraction processes. The lithium battery process starts with the extraction of lithium salts from salty water or brine. Once extracted, these salts refine to produce lithium hydroxide or lithium carbonate, which are key components in lithium-ion batteries, central to electric vehicles and renewable energy systems worldwide.

Alberta is utilizing CCUS and existing facilities and infrastructure to expand into low-carbon petrochemical products, such as blue methanol and blue hydrogen. This includes the development of clean hydrogen hubs, expanding the hydrogen value chain, and supporting hydrogen-powered vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell technology. Alberta’s extensive oil and gas infrastructure also allows the potential to produce blue hydrogen at a lower cost than any other jurisdiction in the world. 

Alberta is home to two of the world’s 18 large-scale projects. The Alberta Carbon Trunk Line, can sequester 14.6 million tonnes of CO2 per year. The ACTL Edmonton Alberta Carbon Trunk Line Edmonton Connector, another major hydrogen project is currently being expanded and Wolf Midstream will be partnering with Air Products who are developing one of the lowest-carbon-intensity hydrogen networks in the world.

Alberta was the first regional government in North America to commit to a methane emissions reduction target for the oil and gas sector. By early 2024, Alberta’s oil sands industry, with Imperial Oil Limited at the forefront, has made significant progress in reducing GHG emissions intensity, targeting a 10% reduction by the end of 2023 compared to 2016, and aiming for a 30% reduction by 2030, along with a goal to achieve net zero emissions in oil sands operations by 2050.

Alberta’s decarbonization efforts are supported by a large pool of talented researchers, technical professionals and entrepreneurs who understand the oil and gas industry and its needs.

Furthermore, the government of Alberta has developed a Hydrogen Roadmap, pursuing clean hydrogen exports to meet global market demands.