All Energy stories

Canada inks hydrogen pact with Germany

Canada is buddying up with its pilsner-drinking, schnitzel-eating ally to kick-start a new clean energy trade market. 

What happened: Canada and Germany agreed to help accelerate the creation of a global market for clean hydrogen gas — a low-emission energy source used to power industrial machines, heavy vehicles, and residential heating — and connect Atlantic Canada producers with EU buyers. 

Alberta says “no” to rampant renewables

                              Alberta       Scared birds

                                           🤝          

 “Maybe we should cool it with all these new wind turbines.”

What happened: After lifting a seven-month ban on new renewable energy projects, Alberta has introduced rules restricting where future developments can set up shop in order to keep prime agricultural lands for farmers and preserve the province’s “pristine viewscapes.”

There’s no end in sight for Canada’s oil pipeline glut

Like us trying to do spreadsheets while also taking a Zoom call, Canada’s pipelines are at full capacity.

Driving the news: Sure as the sun rises in the east, the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion hit yet another delay, this time due to technical issues. The long-awaited expansion is now unlikely to meet its April start date but is still on track to begin operations next quarter. 

Crypto mining is an energy sapper

As provinces play the part of ‘parents trying to keep the energy bills down,’ crypto miners are playing the part of ‘little brother who stayed up all night gaming with the lights on.’

What happened: New crypto mining projects in B.C. will continue to be temporarily barred from tapping into the province’s energy supply after a recent B.C. Supreme Court ruling. 

U.S. hits the pause button on LNG

In a surprise move, Canada’s southern neighbour is pumping the brakes on its booming natural gas business. 

What happened: U.S. President Joe Biden is pausing approvals for new liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facilities in the country, a move that is expected to have a ripple effect on the Canadian energy producers that rely on the U.S. to export their natural gas globally.

The Trans Mountain pipeline hits the home stretch

After hitting more speed bumps than a driver in a school zone, the completion of the Trans Mountain pipeline (TMP) expansion is near. 

Driving the news: After narrowly avoiding a crushing regulatory blow, the TMP expansion will begin filling up with crude oil for the first time next month and is expected to start transporting oil in early April. By year’s end, it’ll be running at full capacity.

Could ocean waves power a province?

Ah, the sea. It’s brought life and death to many a sailor, and it might now do the same to a renewable energy concept. 

Driving the news: For years, various companies have tried to prove that harnessing tidal power from the Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia is a viable source of renewable energy. Most have failed, and now, the whole idea of creating energy via big salty waves is on the brink. 

Alberta dips its toes into nuclear

New year, new power source: Alberta is now dabbling in nuclear power. 

What happened: In a deal that could produce Alberta’s first nuclear power reactor, power producer Capital Power is partnering with Ontario Power Generation to explore building small nuclear reactors (SMRs) in the western province, according to The Globe and Mail

Angola (finally) breaks up with OPEC

Angola’s oil output might be just a drop in the barrel for OPEC — a group of leading oil-producing countries — but its departure could ripple into much bigger changes.

What happened: Angola has left OPEC, declaring it “gains nothing” from staying in the cartel. The country hasn’t been shy about publicly fighting cuts imposed by the group to its production quotas.

Canada taps into geothermal power

A northern Alberta town with a population of 577 people could be the site of a renewable energy breakthrough.

What happened: The town of Rainbow Lake will kick off a pilot project that could power the entire area with geothermal energy — where energy is created by turbines that are spun by heat extracted from underground water — by 2028, the first town in Canada to do so.