What does a thriving energy system look like?

A blog from Energy Futures Lab Fellow Alex Nnamonu

As Alberta begins grappling with the energy challenges of the 21st century, Alex Nnamonu, Executive Director of Major Legislative Project and Strategic Planning at Alberta Municipal Affairs is thinking beyond technology, beyond numbers…

He’s thinking about soccer.

Growing up in Nigeria, he recalls, “you play soccer in a little patch of ground and when you came back six months later, it was gone. There was a building there or a road there. The actual soccer field became some kind of gravel pit. For me one key parameter for responsible development is that it’s tied to what citizens feel, need and want. As a child, there was development happening, there was growth happening, but there was no longer a place to play soccer.”

As a Fellow of the Energy Futures Lab, Nnamonu will join a lively and challenging new initiative that brings together leaders from across provincial government, industry, and civil society to address the pressing challenges of Alberta’s energy system. They will explore these challenges while considering the needs of the environment, economy and communities.

The goal of the Lab, convened by The Natural Step Canada in collaboration with Suncor Energy Foundation, the Banff Centre, and Pembina Institute, is to develop practical, actionable solutions that start the transition of Alberta’s energy system to a sustainable one.

Thinking of Alberta’s energy future, Nnamonu states, “People should be able to thrive where they live. I see a future where citizens have more tools, more information to participate actively in that dialogue. I believe an opportunity exists to move beyond the simple notion of trade-offs, winners and losers to a different plane of true innovation in terms of becoming world leaders in pursuing resource extraction the right way and adapting or changing when appropriate to do so.”

Fellows of the Energy Futures Lab include representatives from government, NGOs, industry, academia, First Nations and community groups. Together, they will develop practical and innovative solutions to transition Alberta to a sustainable energy system. With Nnamonu’s extensive experience managing multi-stakeholder initiatives and using data to gain system-wide insights, he will be a valuable part of the 40 person team.

“A desirable future is one which is not dominated by “all-or-nothing” thinking, but one which delivers win-win outcomes.” states Nnamonu, “Energy Futures Lab is an opportunity, an unusual opportunity, for people to start talking, start sharing information.”