All Posts By

Ashley Meller

Sep 26 2024
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Powering Progress: Energy Futures Lab Launches Electricity Leadership Council

By | EFL Initiatives, Latest News, Working Visibly: EFL Initiatives | No Comments

Electricity experts & community leaders will lead multi-stakeholder solution prototyping to accelerate vision-driven modernization of Alberta’s electricity system

The Energy Futures Lab (EFL) is announcing the imminent start of Phase 3 of its Alberta’s Electricity Future (AEF) initiative. This phase of the project marks a significant milestone in the second year of its three year arc: the start of a sprint series focused on solution prototyping.

SOCIAL INNOVATION’S ROLE IN ELECTRICITY SYSTEM MODERNIZATION

While innovation is often thought of as purely technological, innovation in business models, policies, resources and investments, relationships and narratives (known collectively as social innovation) is also required to smooth paths to commercialization and mass adoption of new technologies as well as the transformation of associated policies, processes, and paradigms. What, for the industrial revolution, took centuries, must now be accomplished in a matter of decades in order to avoid the worst effects of climate change, which makes these often-overlooked social dimensions of change management critical. Grid modernization is just one of the innovation areas where the EFL is applying its award-winning expertise in social innovation-focused solution prototyping.

ALBERTA’S ELECTRICITY FUTURE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL

This latest phase introduces a new governance structure to the project: the Alberta’s Electricity Future Leadership Council, that will provide strategic advice to the project delivery team, surface emerging opportunities or barriers to the solutions in development, and identify high-leverage opportunities to explore new solution areas.

The council includes electricity leaders and experts representing diverse perspectives from within the system and regions within the province. Founding members include:

  • Cameron Brown – Vice President, Energy, Environment and Resources with Global Public Affairs
  • Cayla Saby – Vice President of Government Relations & Commercial with AltaLink
  • Graham Halsall – Director of Sustainability & Risk Management with ONE Properties
  • Jesse Row – Executive Director of Alberta Energy Efficiency Alliance
  • Kevin Dawson – Vice President, Strategic Integration at Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO)
  • Matthew Davis – Director, Regulatory with Capital Power
  • Megan Gill – Executive Director of Alberta Direct Connect Consumer Association
  • Peter Casurella – Executive Director of SouthGrow Regional Initiative
  • Riley Georgsen– Executive Director External Affairs and Communications at Alberta Utilities Commission
  • Rishikesh Kumar – Director, Emerging Customer Solutions with FortisAlberta
  • Steve Saddleback – Partner with Opimoyaso Group
  • Vicki Zinyk – CEO of Alberta Cooperative Energy
WORKING GROUPS & SOLUTION AREAS

The council will also provide guidance to the project’s Working Groups, teams of subject matter experts responsible for hands-on solutioning, launching in October 2024. The Working Groups will initially focus on the following solution areas:

Incentivizing Optimization: creating novel mechanisms for utilities to prioritize optimizing the grid

Decentralized Future: exploring new ways to harness the benefits of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs)

Enhancing Demand Participation: exploring wholesale market opportunities for demand-side solutions and participation

PROJECT HISTORY

These solution areas were selected by the AEF Coalition, a group of 60+ representatives from Alberta’s electricity system engaged through Phase 1 of the initiative, as well as additional project contributors. Phase 1 also convened these groups to develop, test and enhance the co-created vision and principles for Alberta’s Electricity Future: Leading the Charge: A Vision for Alberta’s Electricity Future. The final version of the document, originally released publicly in draft form on March 4, 2024, is now available for download.

In Phase 2 of the initiative, the Energy Futures Lab conducted a review of over 60 studies, reports and electricity system modernization plans spanning 5 countries to uncover both regional and universal barriers to electricity systems change. The barriers were then assessed using an Alberta lens to unearth the top 10 systemic barriers to advancing grid modernization in Alberta. Briefs on each of the 10 systemic barriers are now available for download on the Energy Futures Lab website.

PHASE 3

Through its solution prototyping in Phase 3, the Energy Futures Lab aims to develop actionable and scalable solutions that help orient the province’s electricity landscape towards a system that is customer-driven, innovation focused, attractive to investors and which enhances Alberta’s future competitiveness by supporting regional growth industries and jobs they create.

“Technology alone will not be enough to solve the challenge of electrifying Alberta’s economy quickly and affordably,” says Alison Cretney, Managing Director of the Energy Futures Lab. “Change at this scale requires coordination at the highest levels of our electricity system. Supported by industry and policymakers seeking actionable, impactful and lasting solutions, Alberta’s Electricity Future Phase 3 utilizes the Lab’s trusted leadership in innovation to unlock the most promising collaborative solutions for a reliable, affordable and sustainable electricity system.”

“Electricity is the lifeblood of a modern economy, “ comments Peter Casurella, AEF Leadership Council member and Executive Director of SouthGrow Regional Initiative. “As a rural economic developer, I have a vested interest in ensuring that rural perspectives are considered as we determine how to prepare Alberta’s grid for significant growth in demand. I believe the Energy Futures Lab’s unique approach offers the greatest opportunity to create, implement and scale workable solutions that fairly represent everyone connected to the system—from rural economic regions, to transmission system owners, to residential electricity customers.”

CONTEXT OF THE WORK

Notably, this next phase begins as the Government of Alberta, Alberta Utilities Commission, and Alberta’s Electric System Operator (AESO) continue or commence their own consultations and processes for modernizing the province’s electricity system. The Energy Futures Lab’s process is not intended to be duplicative of existing efforts underway, but rather complementary and additive to ongoing work, contributing additional perspectives and analysis to the conversation.

For more information about the initiative or to learn more about how to get involved, please visit: energyfutureslab.com/innovations-challenges/albertas-electricity-future

Jul 04 2024
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The Natural Step Canada gets a New Name, New Look

By | Energy Futures Lab News & Updates | No Comments

Building on three decades of impact and growth, The Natural Step Canada, the parent organization of the Energy Futures Lab, is rebranding with a new name, new look, and new approach to surfacing the solutions Canada needs now.

On July 3rd, the Natural Step Canada is becoming Generate Canada. Its mission, in partnership with the Smart Prosperity Institute, is to connect problem-solvers to tackle the most complex challenges at the heart of economy, environment, and society. By working together, we will generate solutions for a strong and inclusive economy that thrives within nature’s limits.

Why the rebrand?



While The Natural Step Canada’s vision has stood the test of time, our way of achieving it has evolved. The focus has shifted from influencing single organizations to influencing whole value-chains. By bringing together problem-solvers across the solutions ecosystem and putting all the tools of change on the table (policy, business practice, technology) we can achieve this. The new name speaks to this new approach – generating collaboration, innovation, and solutions.

The Energy Futures Lab is proud to be a solution space of Generate Canada.

Learn more about it at GenerateCanada.ca and follow them on LinkedIn and X.

Sep 13 2023
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Announcing the Energy Futures Lab’s Strategic Shift

By | Energy Futures Lab News & Updates, Latest News | No Comments

Dear Lab Community,

Over the past nine years the Energy Futures Lab (EFL) has been hosting innovation processes and supporting collaborative solutions to create the energy system the future requires of us. 

Throughout that time, we’ve been working within a dynamic energy system in a constant state of change – one that looks vastly different than it did even just a few years ago. Over the years, the ground has been readied and we are now seeing the seeds planted by the EFL over the years grow into opportunities in need of further acceleration, and solutions requiring our support to scale. 

Announcing a Strategic Shift

In response, the EFL is evolving our approach to accelerating the energy transition in Alberta. This responsiveness is a part of our nature as a social innovation lab, and one of the  collective strengths we have been cultivating together over the last nine years.

The EFL model, established in 2015, was created in response to widespread polarization on the subject of energy transition in Alberta and Canada. Together with our incredible network of Fellows, Ambassadors, partners and advisors, we have achieved collaborative action and policy impact on many fronts critical to the energy transition: battery metals value chain alignment, sustainable aviation fuels, digital innovation solutions, transition finance policy, engaging rural communities, and Indigenous economic reconciliation, to name just a few. We have also contributed to culture and strategy shifts in key organizations and deepening our shared journey and commitment to truth and reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples in Canada.

Over that time, we’ve also undertaken a number of strategic pivots – adapting our way of working to meet the evolving needs of the system in order to make the most impact. 

Most notably, this next transformation involves changing how we convene our core community of diverse innovators, leaders and energy transition champions, while ensuring that we carry forward the essential characteristics that make the EFL and its community so unique and special.

Where are we going now?

In part because of the work we’ve done together in the past nine years, the challenges we’re responding to now are different, and require an update in approach. Broadly, it’s now less about addressing the questions of “why do we need an energy transition, what it means and how should we work together?” and more about moving on to the challenge of “what are the top priorities and how do we get there at the pace and scale required?” 

FOCUS

Given this context, beginning in January 2024 the Lab will focus its resources (and capacity for multi-stakeholder engagement) on enabling new growth industries that will position Alberta’s economy to thrive in a net-zero future. Our emphasis on doing this in a way that is inclusive, equitable, and in alignment to the spirit of Truth and Reconciliation with Indigenous people, partners and communities will continue.

EVOLVING THE LAB STRUCTURE

In service of this direction, the Lab will convene around a maximum of two-to-three Innovation Challenges at any given time. These are multi-year, multi-phased, deep-dive explorations of urgent and “wicked” challenges undertaken with coalitions made up of industry and subject matter experts, partners, communities and Rights Holders. 

By focusing our efforts in concentrated areas, we believe that we can better mobilize our resources and our network to achieve outcomes that will have a significant impact toward creating the future energy system. An Innovation Challenge will result in smaller, specific scoped initiatives that will be supported by the EFL in ways that are required for their success (e.g. design and facilitation, fundraising, partnership brokering, communications, evaluation). Our initial confirmed Innovation Challenge is Alberta’s Electricity Future, with others to be identified and added over time.

Alongside the Innovation Challenge stream, the Lab will also undertake a series of Strategic Inquiries. These will be time-bound projects of a smaller scale, designed to explore the possibility of establishing an Innovation Challenge. To identify, prioritize and scope the challenges the EFL will work on, we will undertake research as well as convening the broader network to help sense what is most important to address in the energy system at the time.

FELLOWS, AMBASSADORS AND OUR LAB COMMUNITY

Since the Lab’s earliest days, the heart of the EFL has been its Fellowship. As we keep an eye to what role the system needs the EFL to play now, we are evolving how we engage this exceptional network of leaders.

As of September 2023, the Lab will no longer be accepting applications for its Fellowship and will evolve to a hyrbid model Ambassador program, designed specifically for past Fellows, partners, and strategic advisors. The 2024 hybrid EFL Fellowship and Ambassador Program is designed to accommodate different needs and engagement preferences within our community. Open to all current and past Fellows, this program provides participants with the flexibility to apply either as a Fellow or an Ambassador

EFL Fellows and Ambassadors, collectively, continue to be a group of innovators and influencers working in today’s energy system who explore and hold the significant tensions inherent in our mission. We will continue to leverage the network built over the past nine years to system sense, contribute to Innovation Challenges, and show leadership in mobilizing others to advance toward our shared vision.

This hybrid approach offers a singular cohort and program with roles tailored to individual preferences. The program aims to provide a dynamic and inclusive platform for all past Fellows, Ambassadors, and Alumni, fostering continuous learning, collaboration, and organizational support.

While we are not currently accepting applications for intake to our core Fellow & Ambassador community from the general public for 2024, we are committed to ensuring that our wider community is able to continue to contribute their ideas, knowledge, and skills to our mission in meaningful ways. We encourage you to stay informed and connected by signing up for our quarterly EFL Newsletter. This newsletter is your gateway to receiving updates and discovering opportunities for learning and active participation in our initiatives. It’s an excellent way to stay closely connected to the Lab and engage with our work.

The EFL Way

We attribute much of the Lab’s success over the past nine years to our co-creation and nurturing of a unique organizational DNA, informed by the strength of the commitment, lived experiences and hearts of those who have shown up to contribute to this incredible community. In particular, the emphasis on intentional and thoughtful approaches to convening diverse perspectives, our attention to equity in our work, as well as our commitment to continuously improve how our work includes and benefits Indigenous people and communities, and contributes to advancing their priorities and perspectives. These principles have emerged as important cornerstones of ‘The EFL Way’. How these shape our work and our collective achievements is core to the value we bring to the system, and will remain so going forward.