Calgary – The Government of Alberta is committing almost $30 million from the Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction (TIER) fund into two new programs to reduce methane emissions in the province’s oil and gas industry.
An investment of $22.4 million will go towards Emissions Reduction Alberta’s (ERA) new Methane Reduction Deployment Program, focused on incentivizing commercial-ready technologies for methane reduction. An additional $7 million is for the NGIF Accelerator’s (NGIF) new Methane Reduction Demonstration Program to advance near-commercial technologies.
Rebecca Schulz, Minister of Environment and Protected Areas, made the announcement on Wednesday, November 12, at Spartan Controls in Calgary, alongside Justin Riemer, CEO of ERA, John Adams, President and CEO of NGIF Accelerator, and other industry representatives. The two programs are designed to help oil and gas producers develop and deploy methane-reduction technologies that improve efficiency, reduce emissions, and position them ahead of regulatory requirements.
“The world needs more responsibly produced energy, and Alberta is answering that call. When it comes to methane emissions, our industry continues to deliver results by developing and testing new industrial technologies and retrofitting existing sites. Solutions developed in Alberta are being deployed here and around the world. These new investments and programs will continue to help lower costs, protect jobs and attract investment to maintain Alberta’s leadership in this space.”
Rebecca Schulz, Minister of Environment and Protected Areas
“The Methane Reduction Deployment Program will make it easier for energy producers to deploy innovative technologies that are already in market. With access to capital, oil and gas companies can cut methane emissions and expand internationally.”
Justin Riemer, CEO, ERA
“The Methane Reduction Demonstration Program will make it easier for energy technology startups to develop, validate and refine their methane reduction solutions through pilot demonstrations within energy company operations. By providing a unified access point for industry and Alberta government funding, these startups can fast-track their methane solutions from development to market impact.”
John Adams, President and CEO, NGIF Accelerator
ERA’s Methane Reduction Deployment Program will provide up to $1 million for each project to support the rapid deployment of commercial-ready technologies. Successful applicants may receive up to 50 per cent of the eligible project costs for commercial-ready solutions that achieve measurable methane emissions reductions.
The program is open to owners and operators of upstream and midstream oil and gas facilities located in Alberta. Funding is available for technologies that detect, quantify, and reduce methane emissions; strengthen regulatory readiness, and improve economic performance across the oil and gas sector.
NGIF Accelerator’s Methane Reduction Demonstration Program partners with its Industry Grants program to advance and validate emerging methane abatement technologies selected through an industry peer review and proven through field pilots and demonstrations. NGIF will invite applications from startups and SMEs developing emissions-reduction technologies for energy company operations.
Applicants may receive up to $750,000 per project through a combination of Industry and TIER funding, covering up to 75% of eligible costs. Selected recipients may also have the opportunity to demonstrate their technologies across multiple operator sites, accelerating market validation, strengthening operator confidence, and driving adoption across Alberta’s energy industry.
“ERA and NGIF Accelerator’s new methane reduction programs will support our industry’s collective goal of producing energy responsibly and efficiently. Access to capital is essential for us to invest in and deploy leading-edge technology that improves environmental performance and enhances our market competitiveness.”
Blake Wickland, Executive Director, Methane Emissions Leadership Alliance (MELA)
“Today’s technology has been deployed in the field, supporting the achievement of Alberta’s 45 per cent methane emissions reduction goal early. Spartan Controls has been an important partner to industry in this success, having executed hundreds of emissions reduction projects. Continued investment in these programs will help keep us competitive while enabling industry to deploy low cost per-tonne technologies. We have proven we can deliver emissions reductions and responsibly develop our energy opportunity. There is more we can do.”
Doug Ndegwa, President & CEO, Spartan Controls Ltd.
Alberta is a global leader in monitoring, managing and reducing methane emissions. The province has reduced 52% of methane emissions from the conventional oil and gas sector since 2014, and 17 million tonnes of emissions have been prevented from being released through technology funding.
The province was the first oil and gas-producing jurisdiction to put requirements on emissions from flaring, starting in the early 1990s, and the first regional government in North America to set a methane emissions reduction target for the oil and gas sector.
About Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA)
For 16 years, ERA has invested revenues from the carbon price paid by large emitters to accelerate the development and adoption of innovative clean technology solutions. Since its establishment in 2009, ERA has committed $1 billion toward 323 projects valued at over $10.6 billion, which are helping to reduce emissions, create competitive industries, and lead to new business opportunities in Alberta. These projects are estimated to deliver cumulative reductions of 33 million tonnes of CO₂e by 2030 and 92 million tonnes of CO₂e by 2050. They are also anticipated to generate over 46,500 person-year jobs in Alberta and have $7 billion GDP impact in the Province by 2027.
About NGIF Accelerator
NGIF Accelerator is the not-for-profit arm of NGIF Capital and operates all technology and innovation programs. The NGIF Accelerator mandate is to de-risk and accelerate technology development by supporting startups through their pilot projects, field trials, and industry validation. It will coordinate with federal and provincial governments to co-fund projects to advance market commercialization. NGIF Accelerator currently operates the Industry Grants program and administers the NGIF Emissions Testing Centre program.
About Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction (TIER) Funding
The Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction (TIER) Regulation is at the core of emissions management in Alberta. The TIER system implements Alberta’s industrial carbon pricing and emissions trading system. TIER helps industrial facilities find innovative ways to reduce emissions and invest in clean technology to stay competitive and save money.