Energy Futures Lab

Innovators in Alberta are courageously leaning in to tackle the most complex challenges of the energy transition.

The Energy Futures Lab unlocks non-partisan action to solve Alberta’s, and Canada’s, most complex energy system challenges. By harnessing the power of diversity, the Lab creates trusted spaces where energy system actors collaboratively surface and advance innovative solutions.

The challenge and opportunity

For years, Alberta’s energy system has been at the centre of a fragmented and divisive national debate about Canada’s climate and energy future. The complexity of transitioning Canada’s energy system to achieve net-zero is a challenge this country can and must rise to. But it won’t and can’t if it is divided by distrust and polarization. Every region must be at the table, and none more than Alberta.

For nearly a century, the province has been a leader in energy innovation. Alberta has the skills and assets to help Canada achieve net-zero inclusively, equitably, and prosperously. But moving forward requires unprecedented collaboration and innovation that unifies energy system players across communities, sectors and divides. The good news is, Alberta’s innovators are leaning into the tensions and doing the hard work to advance solutions.

Our approach

Grounded and based in Alberta, the Energy Futures Lab understands how local expertise in everything from subsurface to engineering to AI can be leveraged to address the problem of carbon pollution while simultaneously strengthening Canada’s economy and creating opportunities for net-zero aligned growth. The Lab creates the social infrastructure necessary for the accelerated and successful adoption of technological and innovative solutions as we create the future energy system.

By thoughtfully and deliberately building committed and trusting communities of practice, the Lab unleashes the power of the “radical middle” to accelerate Canada’s energy transition. From supporting an emerging critical minerals industry, to helping realign Alberta’s electricity sector, to identifying the province’s competitive new growth sectors in a transitioning world—the Lab enables new ideas to take root and flourish.

To learn more, contact Erin Romanchuk, Deputy Director: [email protected]

Visit The Energy Future’s Lab Website

Innovators in Alberta are courageously leaning in to tackle the most complex challenges of the energy transition.

The power of partnership

Serving as a bridge between the work of the Lab and the broader innovation ecosystem, our partners help enable and integrate lab-generated solutions, pose challenges to the Lab based on their own innovation priorities, help secure required resources, and act as champions and connectors for the Lab in their networks.

Collaborating to innovate Alberta’s electricity future

How an AI-powered “sandbox” could help us imagine and plan for the electricity grids our future demands

Partnerships and collaboration are critical for us to address the complexities and opportunities that come with a carbon neutral future. We’ll go farther and faster together as we address gaps in the innovation system and barriers to technology commercialization, while striving to meet and exceed our environmental and economic goals.

Justin Riemer

CEO, Emissions Reduction Alberta, Emissions Reduction Alberta

We will not solve complex challenges like Canada’s energy transition by avoiding difficult topics. The Energy Futures Lab and Foresight create a space where committed innovators can lean into honest conversations and arrive somewhere new together. This is innovation.

David Yiptong

Regional Director, Alberta, Foresight Canada

Solution Space: Energy Futures Lab