Brian Jean, Alberta’s Energy Minister, Receives Mandate Letter from the Premier

Alberta
You can read the full letter here. See below, CanGEA’s highlights:

“How we develop our energy resources, including the pioneering and commercialization of emerging green technologies, will have a significant impact on the direction the global community takes in achieving both meaningful emissions reductions and global energy security.”

“Under your leadership as Minister of Energy and Minerals, I expect you to work closely with your Cabinet and Caucus colleagues… to support Albertans by developing and implementing an investment incentive program similar to the Alberta Petrochemical Incentive Program for additional capital-intensive technologies related to the reduction of emissions. This includes carbon capture, utilization and storage, ammonia, helium, lithium, liquefied natural gas, geothermal and mineral development.”

“Reviewing the findings of the Premier's panel on Alberta Energy Futures and recommending which recommendations of the panel should be implemented to strengthen Alberta's global competitiveness in the conventional, non-conventional and emerging energy sectors.”

“Reviewing the policies, operations and mission of the Alberta Energy Regulator and making recommendations to streamline approvals and align policies with the government's goals of increased natural resource production, carbon neutrality by 2050, investment in emissions-reduction technologies and increased energy export.”

“Developing and improving regulatory regimes to incentivize investment in hydrogen, ammonia, helium, lithium, liquefied natural gas, small modular reactor, geothermal and mineral development in our province.”

“I also expect you to regularly and proactively reach out to all ministry-related stakeholders in order to take feedback and identify potential solutions on issues of importance to them, including finding ways our government can reduce burdensome and unnecessary red tape and barriers that are hurting their members’ ability to grow the economy and improve quality of life for the Albertans they serve.”

While CanGEA appreciates goethermal’s inclusion and is generally supportive of the rhetoric in the mandate, we will be actively seeking ways to hold the Ministry accountable to this mandate as it pertains to geothermal – expecting no less than swift tangible action and regulatory adjustments needed to accelerate Alberta’s geothermal industry.