Harper Government Celebrates Success of Carbon Capture and Storage Project

ESTEVAN, SK, May 29, 2015 /CNW/ - Ed Komarnicki, Member of Parliament for Souris–Moose Mountain, on behalf of the Honourable Greg Rickford, Canada's Minister of Natural Resources, today participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating a milestone for Petroleum Technology Research Centre's (PTRC) Aquistore project in Estevan, Saskatchewan. PTRC has successfully completed its first injection of CO₂ as part of Canada's first deep saline CO₂ storage project.

The carbon capture and storage project is among a handful of pioneer projects worldwide designed to demonstrate the permanent underground storage of CO₂ — providing a safe, workable solution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. With Aquistore, the CO₂ captured comes from SaskPower's Boundary Dam Integrated Carbon Capture and Storage Demonstration Project — another project supported by the Government of Canada.

Since 2008, the project has received a total of $14 million from the Government of Canada, including $5 million through Sustainable Development Technology Canada's (SDTC) SD Tech Fund™ and $9 million through NRCan's ecoENERGY Technology Initiative (ecoETI). By supporting initiatives like these, the Government of Canada continues to demonstrate global leadership in advancing carbon capture and storage, as well as ongoing efforts to protect the environment, reduce emissions and promote jobs and opportunities.

Quick Facts

• SDTC's SD Tech Fund™ has supported 269 projects with $684 million allocated by the federal government.
• The SD Tech Fund™ supports projects that address climate change, air quality, clean water and clean soil, providing solutions to key Canadian industries that increase efficiency and enhance environmental responsibility.
• In Budget 2013, the Government of Canada provided an additional $325 million over eight years to SDTC for continuing to support the development and demonstration of new, clean technologies that create efficiencies for businesses and contribute to sustainable economic development. 

Quotes

"Our government is pleased to have invested $14 million in this project as part of our efforts to protect the environment and develop Canada's energy resources in a responsible manner. This project, a first of its kind, demonstrates Canada's global leadership in advancing carbon capture and storage."

Ed Komarnicki
Member of Parliament for Souris–Moose Mountain

 Related Products

• Backgrounder – Carbon Capture and Storage – Aquistore

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SOURCE Natural Resources Canada

Media may contact: Alexandra Lemieux, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Natural Resources, 613-996-2007, or; Media Relations, Natural Resources Canada, 613-992-4447; Kelly Crowe, Communications, SDTC, 613-234-6313 ext. 243; The general public may contact: Mon.-Fri., 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. EDT, Telephone: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]