Canadian Gas Group Launches Recovery Initiative
The Canadian Gas Association (CGA), an industry group representing Canada’s natural gas delivery sector, on October 1 launched a new microsite highlighting the sector’s priorities and recommendations to support Canada’s Covid-19 recovery and transition to a lower-carbon economy.
The microsite, at fuellingcanadaseconomy.ca, includes recommendations to stakeholders for partnerships that can help kickstart economic recovery and a comprehensive list of nearly 70 energy, infrastructure and cleantech projects representing an industry investment of C$11.4bn (US$8.6bn). Potential CO2 reductions from 38 of the projects are estimated at 1.5mn mt.
“Canada’s natural gas utilities are based in communities right across the country,” CGA CEO Timothy Egan said. “From coast to coast, our members are dedicated to delivering the affordable and reliable energy that Canadians have come to depend on daily, both at home and at work.”
And, Egan said, the plan advances the development of renewable gas projects in Canada – consistent with priorities laid out by prime minister Justin Trudeau in his September 23 Throne Speech.
The projects identified would create more than 3,000 jobs, and fall into four categories: renewable gases, including hydrogen and renewable natural gas; green retrofits that incent homeowners and businesses to update their energy consuming equipment; alternative transportation fuels for municipal and freight transportation applications, and; infrastructure and LNG initiatives to support remote power generation and world-scale LNG exports.
“As we look for opportunities to support Canadian communities after the unprecedented impacts of Covid-19 and the lockdowns, the natural gas delivery industry believes that developing partnerships is essential,” Egan said, noting three key recommendations that would advance Canada’s recovery and transition.
These recommendations include giving the natural gas delivery industry a role on the Industry Strategy Council, which is examining how the Canadian economy has been impacted by Covid-19 and its mitigation measures; develop a national renewable gas strategy that also incorporates hydrogen opportunities, and; develop a three to five year cleantech funding partnership, building on the work already accomplished by the CGA’s Natural Gas Innovation Fund and bringing in provincial agencies to launch a national industry accelerator to co-fund cleantech projects.