Energy industry experts are meeting next week at Western’s Sarnia-Lambton Research Park to assess Canada’s progress in becoming a sustainable energy superpower.
Up to 100 participants are expected for the May 18 workshop to hammer out an action plan and recommendations.
While Canada enjoys a wealth of energy assets in fossil fuels and sustainable power, such as marine, solar, geothermal, hydro, wind and biomass, participants will assess whether Canada ticks all the boxes to be a world superpower.
The event is being hosted by the Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE) and the Bioindustrial Innovation Centre at the University of Western Ontario’s Sarnia-Lambton Research Park.
Clem Bowman, chair of the CAE Energy Pathways Task Force, says an energy superpower is a nation that exports and sustains energy resources, produces energy in an environmentally acceptable way, derives substantial value-added industrial benefits from these assets and manages energy as a system.
By that definition he says Canada falls short on what it could be.
“Canada has at least two energy corridors which have made progress in value-added production – one in Alberta and one here in Sarnia,” says Bowman. “But if we ship raw bitumen to the U.S. for upgrading we continue our reputation as a drawer of water and a hewer of wood.”
In early June, the CAE Energy Task Force plans to provide updates on Canada’s current energy outlook in Ottawa.
From the conclusions of the Sarnia workshop they will present a definition of an energy superpower, Canada’s current position, strategies from successful past Canadian national projects, and a short-list of major Canadian technology projects they feel require public-private leadership to succeed.