July 31, 2024 Edmonton, Alberta Natural Resources Canada
Canada is moving toward a more reliable and efficient energy future by increasing generation capacity to provide more affordable, reliable and clean energy to homes and businesses when and where they need it. Investing in clean energy projects and supporting communities to become affordable, sustainable places to live are critical to delivering good jobs and unlocking economic opportunities.
That is why today, the Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages and the Member of Parliament for Edmonton Centre, on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, announced $23.7 million through the Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program (SREPs) for the City of Edmonton's district energy system in the neighbourhood of Blatchford. This project will create an additional 13.1 MW of heating and 12.3 MW of cooling capacity to the existing District Energy Sharing System (DESS) to help accommodate development and growth within the community.
The total project value is $79.2 million, with the remainder being provided by the City of Edmonton. Blatchford is a carbon-neutral community being developed on the site of the decommissioned City Centre Airport in Edmonton. The project will improve the efficiency and reliability of Blatchford's electricity supply. It will also reduce impacts on peak electricity demand and cut greenhouse gas emissions by providing reliable, renewable heating and cooling energy.
This project includes installing an additional heat pump to increase heating and cooling capacity, extending the neighbourhood's distribution piping network, and designing and building a new Sewer Heat Exchange Energy Centre, generating heating and cooling energy for the growing community.
The Government of Canada will continue to work with communities and municipalities, such as Edmonton, to provide clean energy and new technologies while creating new economic opportunities, good jobs and a clean, reliable and affordable electrical grid for all.
