REGINA - The Petroleum Technology Research Centre (PTRC) has announced on Monday the creation of a new centre advancing sustainable energy research and development in Canada.
Situated in the PTRC’s building at Innovation Place in Regina, the Energy Innovation Hub (EIH) will provide industry, governments and research scientists with access to resources, advanced equipment and personnel to foster the growth of different energy resources to support Saskatchewan’s Prairie Resilience Plan.
Innovation Saskatchewan is investing $1.5 million in funding to help operationalize the new centre.
“The new Energy Innovation Hub is a significant achievement for our province and will further elevate Saskatchewan’s position as a global leader in innovative energy research,” Minister responsible for Innovation Saskatchewan Jeremy Harrison said.
“Our government is proud to support the world-renowned research at PTRC, which will create new opportunities for Saskatchewan people and continue to drive economic growth in the province.”
The Energy Innovation Hub will allow the PTRC to continue its focus on improving energy efficiency, reducing emission and lessening the surface impacts from enhanced oil recovery. The new hub will also encourage collaboration with researchers, municipalities and industry partners involved in other kinds of subsurface energy production to improve existing operations or investigate new options.
“PTRC was instrumental in providing a pre-feasibility geothermal study to the City of Regina, which ultimately led to its decision to include geothermal heating in the new Lawson Aquatic Centre,” said PTRC CEO Ran Narayanasamy. “We are interested in helping Saskatchewan and Canada develop the best energy mix across industries like energy and mining, and this innovation hub will not just provide access to expertise, but also access to advanced equipment and testing."
PTRC’s announcement earlier this year of an agreement with Mitacs – a not-for-profit agency that matches the company’s funding for university graduate, doctoral and post-doctoral researchers – will further allow the EIH to train highly-qualified personnel in an array of sustainable energy projects.
Work has already begun on options like compressed air energy storage and ground-sourced heating.
“The training and retention of researchers to help the province – and Canada – reach zero-emissions while assuring a secure energy future will be a key goal of this new centre,” said Narayanasamy. “We are committed to making Saskatchewan a focal point for such innovation.”
