Energy Futures Lab: An Opportunity to Catalyze Change

New Forum for Talking About Current & Future Energy Challenges

Last week, Delphi’s VP of Western Canada, Evelyn Walker, attended a two-day Energy Futures Lab workshop facilitated by The Natural Step.  Co-sponsored by Suncor, the City of Calgary, the Alberta Real Estate Foundation and Calgary Economic Development, the workshop was intended to be the first step in an 18-month process to engage innovators and influencers on current and future energy challenges in Alberta.

What is the Energy Futures Lab (EFL)?

Alberta’s energy system is under pressure on a number of fronts, from disputes about market access to climate change mitigation and community impacts. In response, The Natural Step Canada, along with Suncor Energy, Pembina Institute, and the Banff Centre, have created the Energy Futures Lab as a platform to discuss, experiment, and innovate.

A “Sneak Peek” into the Energy Futures Lab

Evelyn and her fellow workshop participants were given a taste of the kinds of activities that will be happening in the Energy Futures Lab (EFL), including:

1. Collaborating with people from various industries, age groups and experience levels on exercises focused on improving the existing energy system. There was plenty of discussion and interaction on barriers, preconceptions and misconceptions, and what needed to happen to get from the current state to potential new views of the future energy system.
2. An interactive game that allowed individuals to explore risks and opportunities by simulating the transition of energy systems. In the game each participant had a specific role, e.g. industry, eNGO, government, municipality, end users, etc., and virtually experienced the challenges, barriers, and opportunities related to the transition to a new energy future.

Evelyn said that the game ended up surfacing some interesting views around energy in Alberta with diverse strong opinions around how to bridge the gap from today to the future.

An Opportunity to Catalyze Change

The EFL is currently looking for a diverse group of individuals to participate in its Fellowship program. Ideally, Fellows will have an open mindset and the support of their organization to participate. It requires a time commitment but is an exciting forum for discussing cutting-edge energy issues, launching new initiatives and for shaping Canada’s future energy system.

 If you are interested in becoming an Energy Futures Lab Fellow, click here for more info.

Thank you to Evelyn Walker for sharing this information with us!

By: Alex Carr – Senior Associate (acarr@delphi.ca)

Jessika Horak — Marketing Coordinator (jhorak@delphi.ca)