Energy Futures Lab

Lab Notes - Winter Edition, Issue #2 is now out! In this issue: ?? Celebrating A Decade of Impact – And Marking a Critical Moment for Canada’s Energy Future: At the?Energy Futures Lab, we've spent the last?10 years?proving that collaboration, innovation, and diverse perspectives can drive meaningful change. As we mark this milestone, we’re more committed than ever to shaping a thriving, competitive, and sustainable energy future for Canada. ?? Meet our?2025-26 “All-Star” Fellowship Cohort?– 50 exceptional leaders tackling today’s most pressing energy challenges. ?? Share your insights?– Help inform our work by identifying the biggest tensions putting the dampers on energy systems change. ?? Electricity system solutions incoming?– Learn how Alberta’s Electricity Future is developing actionable prototypes to accelerate a future-fit grid in Alberta. ?? Competitiveness research?update – From regional economic opportunities to critical materials and battery value chains, we’re uncovering the pathways to a competitive future for Alberta's economy. ?? Read the latest issue, here: https://lnkd.in/gJUniWrw] ???Subscribe here?to stay connected: https://lnkd.in/gmWAGsDV #EnergyTransition #Leadership #Innovation #FutureOfEnergy #Canada

Regional energy resilience starts local. https://lnkd.in/g_Wr7ArU In 2020, the Energy Futures Roadshow headed to Whitecourt, Alberta. Working alongside the Town of Whitecourt and the WhitecourtDistrict Chamber of Commerce, we helped them co-create a vision for the community’s energy future. The conversations sparked by local leaders and businesses uncovered opportunities that are now shaping the region’s economic development outlook. From the recent news, innovations in the region are being taken seriously and gathering momentum. Well done to everyone driving this work forward! Learn about the Energy Futures Roadshow: https://lnkd.in/eBZf2fbj #EnergyTransition #CommunityLeadership #NetZero #RegionalResilience #Innovation #EnergyInnovation

"How do we build the energy infrastructure of the future without repeating the mistakes of the past?" is a tough question. This thought provoking piece from Generate Canada's No Bad Questions series dives into the inherent complexities that come with the territory. https://lnkd.in/gedXHqJR Alison Cretney contributed to this conversation alongside thought leaders shaping Canada’s future economy in the first part of this series, with more on on engaging people in this transition to follow.

Mass timber offers Canada a unique opportunity to strengthen regional economies, create permanent jobs, and drive a competitive future. With demand for sustainable building materials growing both domestically and internationally, Canada can position itself as a global leader— but only by adopting the right strategies and collaboration. ?? Learn more and read the report?: https://lnkd.in/gWawagzp The Mass Timber Roadmap, produced in collaboration with Forest Products Association of Canada, Canadian Wood Council, and Energy Futures Lab, outlines clear targets, goals, and actionable steps to advance the mass timber industry in Canada.??

Perhaps now more than ever the power to bridge divides is crucial to tackling the complex challenges ahead. Alison Cretney joins Steve MacDonald and Alicia Dubois, B.Sc., J.D., ICD.D to discuss the importance of thoughtful language in the ESG space at GLOBExCHANGE 2025

?? 10 years strong: announcing the 2025-26 Fellowship. ?? Today the Lab is kicking off a year-long celebration of our 10 year journey leading social innovation for Canada’s energy future. We’re proud to launch the 10th cohort of the Energy Futures Lab Fellowship, featuring 49 diverse and dynamic leaders ready to tackle Canada’s most complex energy challenges. ? This milestone comes at a critical moment for our energy system—with rapidly growing demand for energy and a simultaneous imperative to decarbonize, as well as shifting trade agendas—making the need for collaboration even stronger. “Our 10th anniversary “all-star” cohort exemplifies the bold leadership and innovative thinking Canada needs to thrive amid today’s challenges,” says Alison Cretney, the Lab’s Managing Director. ?? Meet the Fellows and learn more about the Fellowship’s role in shaping a secure and competitive future for Canada's regional economies: https://lnkd.in/grCcvq8A #EnergyInnovation #ABEnergy #EnergyFuturesLab #EFL10Years #ABInnovation Aaron Foyer, Aidan Bodsworth, Alison Thompson, Aurelio Zanni, Barbra Korol, Bill Whitelaw, Bradley Nickel, Bronwyn Hyland, Cameron Brown, Chelsea D., Chris Brown, Christina Kehrig, Christophe Owttrim, Dani Hansen (Urton), David Ghoris, Demetria Zinyemba, Donald Jantz, Duncan Mundell, Eric Pelletier, Ericka R., Gabriela Wilson, Geoffrey Tauvette, Junan (Jacob) Rao, Jolaine Healy, Kari Hyde, Kelty Latos, Kim Welby, Krystal Northey, Lacy Brooke Gielen, Lauretta Pearse, Leoni Rivers, Mark Hopkins, Martin Boucher, Matt Toohey, Michael Benson, Michelle Goodkey, Morgan Rodwell, Nic R., Paola Casillas, Patricia Bailey

Elections, resignations, tariffs, and sovereignty. The new year arrived in a swirl of political shifts and growing polarization on hot-button issues. But amidst the noise, hope is on the horizon. We'll soon be announcing the next cohort of Energy Futures Lab Fellows - a dynamic group of leaders spanning diverse energy interests. Tristan Walker, P.Eng is a current Fellow and recently spoke with David Dodge about his experiences working with the Lab to depolarize conversations, and drive solutions-focused innovation. In this short segment for Green Energy Futures, Tristan reflects on the power of dialogue and his work with the Lab’s Alberta's Electricity Future Innovation Challenge. With the support of voices like Tristan’s committed to blazing a trail towards our energy future, the Lab continues to bridge divides and support changemakers and problem-solvers to make progress on the energy challenges of our times. https://lnkd.in/gdJ4v8zN #efllab #energyfutures #albertaenergy #depolarization #energytransition #movetheneedle #climatechange #electrification #greenenergy

?? ONLINE MEETUP FEB 18 @12-1pm Presented by Energy Futures Lab ??Shaping Energy Future Competitiveness in Edmonton?? Shifting global markets present economic opportunities for Alberta’s future. The Energy Futures Lab and the Transition Accelerator are conducting a Net Zero Competitiveness study to identify economic opportunities that offer export growth possibilities for Alberta and consider Alberta’s unique competitiveness and innovation potential. Join us to: ?? Explore top growth opportunities where Alberta is positioned to lead in a net zero economy. ??Discuss how to leverage opportunities to build the region’s competitiveness as global markets shift. ??RSVP https://lu.ma/gfqwar2g #Entrepreneurs #Innovation #YEGConnect #Webinars #ERIN

???? This week the Lab's Director of Government Relations, Brian Nicholson, joined Tamara Krawchenko and Nathaniel Gosman in a discussion about innovative policy approaches for growing the economy at the British Columbia Public Sector Network Innovation Forum. The conversation was expertly moderated by Peter Snelling. Brian drew in numerous examples of how the Lab's work emphasizes the importance of avoiding one-dimensional approaches to energy and climate policy. He also shared insights into how public sectors across Canada can bring about more inclusive and long-term benefits to taxpayers by: ?? embracing the complexity and interconnectedness of energy challenges ?? examining and utilizing tensions to generate insights rather than wishing them away ?? convening broader, more representative coalitions to truly understand the trade-offs of choices being made He also emphasized that the Canadian public service shouldn't be expected to do this in isolation: in fact, there may be an advantage to utilizing trusted, third party convenors such as the Lab to bring their expertise to bear on framing and convening conversations in order to bring about healthier policy outcomes. ?? Learn more about the areas where the Lab is applying our unique approach at energyfutureslab.com Photo by Kevin Ehman #policyinnovation #energypolicy #climatepolicy #publicsector

?? Unlocking Alberta’s Electricity Future: Key Challenges and Opportunities ?? Alberta’s electricity system is at a crossroads, straining to cope under pressures it wasn’t designed to handle—shifts in generation, market dynamics, system reliability, and rising customer expectations. These challenges impact affordability, the competitiveness of local industry, and Alberta's appeal as a destination for business and investment in a world increasingly committed to reducing energy emissions. ?? As part of the previous phase of the Alberta’s Electricity Future initiative, the coalition of partners identified 10 key challenges that highlight the systemic barriers to transforming Alberta’s electricity system. The resulting challenge statements articulate the best opportunities that we see for collaborative action to accelerate progress toward the project's vision and drive meaningful change. ?? Explore the challenge statements and discover where you can play a role in shaping Alberta’s electricity future. ?? Download: https://lnkd.in/g93F7QxC Together, let’s build a competitive, sustainable and future-fit electricity system for Alberta. #AlbertaElectricityFuture #NetZero #EnergyInnovation