January 23, 2017

Alberta is energy.

Energy has long been one of Alberta’s principle and fundamental industries. In the current environmental and economic climate, the conversation around the need to diversify how that energy is produced and harnessed has increased.

As Alberta begins to diversify its energy sources with renewable energy activities, an opportunity exists for Southeast Alberta (SE AB) to continue their success in the oil and gas industry while emerging as a provincial and national leader for renewable energy projects.

Recognizing the opportunities for SE AB in renewable energy projects, three partners have collaborated on a study of the impacts these projects would have on the regional economy and labour market. Alberta Labour, Economic Development Alliance (EDA) of Southeast Alberta, and Medicine Hat College will present their findings at the upcoming Southeast Alberta Energy Diversification Symposium (SEEDS) being held on March 2 and 3, 2017 at Medicine Hat College.

“This project was about the jobs and the opportunities for our region.” said Tracy Stroud, manager of business development at Medicine Hat College. “We are excited to share the report and bring together an amazing array of speakers and panelists to round out a robust discussion about energy diversification in SE AB.” 

With a broad range of keynotes and panelists, this symposium is targeted toward community decision makers, businesses, and job seekers who are looking to develop a better understanding of the labour and economic impacts of renewable energy in SE AB.

 “Solar and wind resources in SE AB are some of the most abundant in Canada.” according to Theresa Hardiker, executive director of Economic Development Alliance of Southeast Alberta. “Combine those opportunities with Southeast Alberta’s lengthy history as an energy hub and this region can leverage our expertise and experience to develop a strong renewable energy industry in Southeast Alberta.”

Hardiker explains further, “The name of the symposium says it all. What we are talking about here is diversification. Not the replacement of an energy industry reliant entirely on fossil fuels with one solely comprised of renewable activities, but an environment where both oil and gas and new sustainable efforts can work in concert. This collaboration will open lots of doors and allow Southeast Alberta to help set the standard and emerge as energy leaders instead of being forced to follow the pack in the years to come.”

SEEDS opens on the evening of Thursday March 2, 2017 with a keynote address from Chris Turner, author and sustainability & global cleantech expert, on “Surviving and Thriving in the New Low-Carbon Economy”. A full day of speakers and panel sessions on a variety of renewable energy and energy diversification topics follows on Friday March 3, 2017.

More information including an agenda and speaker details is available along with registration information at www.mhc.ab.ca/SEEDS, and you can get regular updates on twitter @SEEDS_2017.