Energy Innovation Brief
Issue 42| September 2024

Dear Readers,

After four years of exploring energy innovation together, the time has come to bring the Energy Innovation Brief to a close. It’s been an electrifying (?!) journey that has allowed us to report on some incredible advancements as well as challenges across the energy sector.

Although this is the final issue, the innovation doesn’t stop here. The future of energy holds boundless potential and we encourage you to keep pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.

For this last issue, I leave you with my top five reflections—the lessons I am taking away from the 42 issues we published.

With sincere appreciation,
Marla Orenstein

1. Energy efficiency was relatively neglected in the EIB.

The cheapest and cleanest energy is the energy you don’t have to produce at all. However, improvements in energy efficiency often come from better design of systems and processes, rather than shiny new innovations. As explained by energy efficiency guru Amory Lovins, energy efficiency is neglected by governments and media coverage “because it’s not a technology. It’s a bloody design.” 

We were guilty here as well. But in the spirit of repentance, I invite you to discover how innovation is being used to improve energy efficiency at Pizza Pizza and in hockey rinks such as the one in Diamond Valley, Alberta. And have a look at Jotson, the new residential energy management app founded by former Suncor CEO Mark Little.

2. The U in CCUS is the unsolved key to the emissions problem.

We can capture carbon, but as long as it’s a waste product that costs money to dispose of, it’s a headache. What would turn the problem around is large-scale demand for carbon as a product. This definitely hasn’t been cracked yet. The only large-scale solution that has been identified is putting captured CO2 in concrete to both sequester emissions and improve the concrete’s properties. Some fantastic Canadian companies, such as CarbonCure, are working in this space. 

There are also a small number of companies working on the critical problem of “what else can we do with captured carbon?” I urge you to check out Carbonova, Carbon Upcycling and Raincage. Their work has huge potential to sequester carbon in things like cosmetics, paint and fabrics, while also improving those products. 

However, these companies face the huge task of building markets for captured carbon while also doing their core work of  capturing that carbon. My solution? I think Canada and/or some of the provinces (looking at you, Alberta and B.C.) should start up materials development centres that work with potential end-users to help them identify how adding different forms of carbon to their products could be beneficial. This shouldn’t be on the shoulders of these small companies if we want to rapidly reduce emissions and increase circularity.

3. Western Canada is a highly innovative energy cluster.

For all the debates and challenges, Western Canada has something to be really proud about. With respect to environmental impacts there is a long way to go, but we shouldn’t neglect the successes that have been made so far. And like it or not, the hydrocarbon sector is at the heart of these innovations—as technology creators, adopters and investors.   

Let’s also remember to celebrate and support the networks and independent organizations that do a lot of the heavy lifting by working with start-ups, governments and communities. We wrote a whole issue on these “energy transition enablers” and they continue to do really important work. Some of the organizations I had the privilege to work with and see up close include Avatar Innovations, the Energy Futures Lab and Foresight—but there are dozens more, such as the B.C. Centre for Innovation and Clean Energy, the International CCS Knowledge Centre, Quest, the Transition Accelerator, the Business Renewables Centre and many others.  

4. Absolutely everything about energy in Canada affects Indigenous peoples.

I am pleased that the conversation about the role of Indigenous peoples and organizations in energy has really changed over the last four years. The saying “nothing about us without us” is becoming more of a reality. Indigenous groups are now full or partial owners of many energy and infrastructure projects, are key suppliers, and are more involved in project approval and decision-making. Indigenous groups are also the generators of some excellent ideas on how to pair sustainability with prosperity. But it’s not all good news; when resource development projects have adverse impacts, it is very often Indigenous groups that bear the brunt.   

The EIB frequently returned to the theme of Indigenous involvement in the energy transition. We profiled Indigenous partnerships creator Justin Bourque; highlighted the role of initiatives like Indigenous Clean Energy, the First Nations Climate Initiative, the First Nations Major Projects Coalition, the Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation and the British Columbia Indigenous Clean Energy Initiative; and discussed projects like the Haisla Nation’s Cedar LNG terminal. We only scratched the surface, and I am certain that there will be exponential growth in this area.  

5. And my final high horse: emissions are important but are not the only important thing.

Hand me a soapbox and this is the topic I will talk about. It is absolutely essential that we reduce emissions and minimize climate change. I am pleased that this is now an intrinsic part of pretty much all conversations about energy, at least in Western Canada. 

But at the same time, energy transition needs to happen in a way that doesn’t jeopardize other important systems. We are coming to critical inflection points for many ecosystems, for biodiversity, for the continued existence of many species, and for water quality and availability. Improvements in emissions reduction cannot come at the expense of permanent damage to these things. We cannot rob Peter to pay Paul. 

And the final piece of my rant. People and communities affected by energy development have the right to a say in how it is done. When major project development happens, there is often a sharp difference between who receives the benefits and who experiences the impacts. We can’t expect the same communities and segments of society to just keep taking it on the nose because of climate change. Fairness and equity matter. 


I want to thank all the people who have contributed to writing and editing the EIB over the last four years: Ryan Workman, Brendan Cooke and Jade McLean as co-writers and editors; and story contributors Abayomi John Oyedola, Annelore Dietz, Connor Watrych, Devika Subash, Gordon Brasnett, Jasleen Bahia, Kevin Franceschini, Kristina Pearson, Marissa Dimmell, Mehera Salah, Nayantara Sudhakar, Nicolas Barry-Hallee, Shreya Shah, Sumaiya Talukder, Taylor Blaisdell, Taylor Sterzuk, Tyler Robinson and Zachary Cunningham. Many thanks also to Sophie Lacerte for consistently brilliant design work and to Jamie Gradon, Sean Myers and Ruth Klinkhammer for their editorial prowess.