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EDMONTON — Alberta is launching two new programs aimed at cutting methane emissions while supporting a planned doubling of oil and gas production by 2035.
The province is investing $29 million through the industry-funded Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction system to help companies adopt and test technologies that reduce methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Officials say the programs are intended to lower costs for producers, attract investment and keep Alberta competitive in global energy markets.
The first initiative, a $22 million Methane Reduction Deployment Program delivered through Emissions Reduction Alberta, will provide up to $1 million per project and cover as much as half of eligible costs. The funding is meant to help companies install proven methane reduction technologies already available on the market.
A second program, led in partnership with the NGIF Accelerator, will offer $7 million to help startups and small firms test emerging methane reduction tools at Alberta energy sites. Successful applicants can receive up to $750,000, covering as much as 75 per cent of project costs.
The province says Alberta has reduced methane emissions from the upstream oil and gas sector by 52 per cent since 2014, even as oil production rose more than 54 per cent over the same period. Officials credit a province led approach that includes testing centres, retrofitting older equipment and supporting new industrial technologies.
Industry groups say the new funding will help companies put more equipment into the field, advance pilot projects and strengthen the environmental performance of Alberta’s energy sector.
Alberta has invested about $129 million in methane reduction initiatives since 2019. More information about both programs is available through Emissions Reduction Alberta and the NGIF Accelerator.
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