Department of Energy Key Initiatives

 

Each year the Premier Ed Stelmach presents his  mandate letters to the province’s 23 Cabinet Ministers.  In his letter to Energy Minister Mel Knight, the Premier identified the key priorities and issues he expects to be accomplished. The mandate letter also refers to the government’s five priorities and the Premier has asked Minister Knight to take the lead on the first priority, “Ensure Alberta’s energy resources are developed in an environmentally sustainable way.”   In his letter, the Premier also asked the Energy Minister to lead the following initiatives:

• Implement the vision in the Provincial energy strategy
• Review the regulatory framework for energy activities in Alberta to ensure efficient and streamlined delivery of provincial resource and environmental management strategies; (competitiveness study) 
• Implement carbon capture and storage research, and initiate large-scale demonstration projects through the Carbon Capture and Storage initiative; and
• Support research on new oil sands extraction processes that use less energy, less water, reduce tailings ponds, improve land reclamation and support the Oil Sands Strategic Plan.
• Implement strategies to increase upgrading and refining capacity in Alberta, including the implementation of Bitumen Royalty-in-Kind.
• Develop and implement policy to ensure sufficient and reliable electric transmission facilities are available in a timely manner to support continued economic growth in the province.