Alberta’s 6 New Proposals for Safe Carbon Storage Hubs & Emission Reduction in Edmonton Region

On March 30, 2022, the Government of Alberta issued a media release to further the development of 6 new carbon dioxide storage project hubs in the Edmonton region. This announcement by the province demonstrates the Edmonton region’s role in future CO2 Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) projects, ultimately helping to attract future investment while also contributing to greenhouse gas emission goals across a range of sectors.

The list of proposals and companies includes:

• Meadowbrook Hub Project: led by Bison Low Carbon Ventures Inc. for a potential sequestration hub north of Edmonton
• The Open Access Wabamun Carbon Hub: led by Enbridge Inc., for a potential sequestration hub west of Edmonton
• The Origins Project: led by Enhance Energy Inc. for a potential sequestration hub south of Edmonton
• Alberta Carbon Grid™,: led by Pembina Pipeline Corporation and TC Energy for a potential sequestration hub north and northeast of Edmonton
• Atlas Carbon Sequestration Hub (Atlas Hub): led by, Shell Canada Limited, ATCO Energy Solutions Ltd. and Suncor Energy Inc., for a potential sequestration hub east of Edmonton
• Wolf Midstream and partners for a potential sequestration hub east of Edmonton.

These companies will be invited to work with the Alberta government to further evaluate each location’s suitability for safely storing carbon from industrial emissions. If the evaluation demonstrates that the proposed projects can provide permanent storage, the companies can then work with the government on an agreement that provides them with the right to inject captured carbon dioxide. This agreement will also ensure they will provide open access to all emitters and affordable use of the hub.

“Carbon capture and storage is proven, safe and effective. We are ensuring that carbon capture and sequestration will be deployed responsibly and strategically over the long term in the best interest of Albertans. This will help meet the increasing demand from industry and help significantly reduce emissions.” Sonya Savage, Minister of Energy.  

In the media release, the province did indicate that the Alberta Energy Regulator will ultimately approve only projects that meet their rigorous safety and environmental standards.

Alberta’s skilled workforce and years of expertise in carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) are critical to helping industries in Alberta – and across Canada – meet our country’s emissions goals. For example, the Quest and Alberta Carbon Trunk Line projects have safely captured and stored more than seven million tonnes of carbon dioxide since starting operations. CCUS is also used in several jurisdictions globally to reduce emissions, including Saskatchewan, several U.S. states and Norway.

Continuing to advance this technology will help to attract investment to the province, and also help to diversify its economy while reducing emissions in many different industries, including concrete and fertilizer, and hydrogen development.

Read the full media release here