Alberta
National recognition for RDC’s Alternative Energy Initiative

RDC’s Alternative Energy Initiative recognized nationally as a leader in sustainability
Red Deer College’s commitment to environmental stewardship has been recognized on the national stage with two honours.
The College is proud to be recognized by Clean50 for its use of sustainable technologies to provide learning and research opportunities for students, faculty and industry partners, as well as to reduce its energy consumption. In addition, RDC’s Alternative Energy Lab has received LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver certification from Canada Green Building Council.
Clean50 Top Project for 2021
RDC’s Alternative Energy Initiative has been named one of Canada’s Clean50 Top Project Award (https://clean50.com) winners and this project has been declared a Clean50 Top Project for 2021.
Clean50 celebrates innovation among organizations who contribute to a sustainable low-carbon Canadian economy to expedite collaboration and constructive change.
“RDC takes great pride in receiving this national recognition as a leader in sustainable technology, through the reduction of the College’s overall carbon footprint,” says Dr. Peter Nunoda, RDC President. “The Alternative Energy Lab, which is part of the College’s larger Alternative Energy Initiative, is a hub for alternate energy education and research, in addition to providing RDC’s faculty and students with opportunities to collaborate with, and support, central Alberta businesses.”
RDC’s Alternative Energy Initiative provides a framework to guide the College’s development as an alternative energy technology leader, reducing operational utility demands and costs.
The project submitted by RDC to Clean50 highlighted initiatives such as the College’s installation of more than 4,200 solar panels, which is the largest array among Canadian post-secondary schools, as well as a combined heat and power unit, replacement of exterior lighting with new energy efficient LEDs, and the Alternative Energy Lab, which is a vital teaching and learning space.
“RDC’s alternative energy projects play a significant role in reducing the institution’s carbon footprint which positively impact RDC’s operations and the environment. Electricity production at the College from alternative energy sources equates to powering 1,300 homes or removing 1,100 cars off the road each year,” says Jason Mudry, RDC’s Director of Campus Management.
“These projects also help RDC drastically reduce its utility costs by up to $750 thousand annually. These savings provide funds for use in other educational and operational initiatives.”
RDC’s Alternative Energy Initiative has vastly trimmed RDC’s use of external sources of electricity. At times, the College is able to sell power to surrounding communities in central Alberta as the largest independent electrical producer in Red Deer.
LEED Silver Certification for RDC’s Alternative Energy Lab
The College’s Alternative Energy Lab is among the newest learning spaces on RDC’s main campus, opening in 2019. This nationally-recognized LEED Silver certification highlights the College’s efforts to ensure the Lab embodies sustainability in its design, construction and ongoing operation.
“RDC’s Alternative Energy Lab offers tremendous value to a variety of stakeholders, including to more than one thousand students annually in a wide range of programs,” says Kylie Thomas, RDC Vice President Academic & Research. “The Lab enhances the entire immersive alternative energy educational experience for our students by offering an engaging platform to learn about these systems and apply their knowledge and skills to real-world situations. These incredible opportunities help prepare our learners for a variety of promising careers in the growing sector of alternative energy.”
Canada Green Building Council recognized RDC’s Alternative Energy Lab with LEED Silver certification for reasons including:
- the facility was built with a high-performance building envelope that has about fifty per cent more insulation value than a typical building
- an extensive photovoltaic array attached to the building that produces a significant amount of electricity for use in the Lab and other locations of main campus
- the Lab uses high-efficiency building mechanical systems to reduce energy consumption
RDC is also LEED certified with its Four Centres and Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre. RDC’s new Residence was also designed with sustainability in mind, as it is constructed with renewable structural materials and a high-performance building envelope.
Alberta
Big win for Alberta and Canada: Statement from Premier Smith

Premier Danielle Smith issued the following statement on the April 2, 2025 U.S. tariff announcement:
“Today was an important win for Canada and Alberta, as it appears the United States has decided to uphold the majority of the free trade agreement (CUSMA) between our two nations. It also appears this will continue to be the case until after the Canadian federal election has concluded and the newly elected Canadian government is able to renegotiate CUSMA with the U.S. administration.
“This is precisely what I have been advocating for from the U.S. administration for months.
“It means that the majority of goods sold into the United States from Canada will have no tariffs applied to them, including zero per cent tariffs on energy, minerals, agricultural products, uranium, seafood, potash and host of other Canadian goods.
“There is still work to be done, of course. Unfortunately, tariffs previously announced by the United States on Canadian automobiles, steel and aluminum have not been removed. The efforts of premiers and the federal government should therefore shift towards removing or significantly reducing these remaining tariffs as we go forward and ensuring affected workers across Canada are generously supported until the situation is resolved.
“I again call on all involved in our national advocacy efforts to focus on diplomacy and persuasion while avoiding unnecessary escalation. Clearly, this strategy has been the most effective to this point.
“As it appears the worst of this tariff dispute is behind us (though there is still work to be done), it is my sincere hope that we, as Canadians, can abandon the disastrous policies that have made Canada vulnerable to and overly dependent on the United States, fast-track national resource corridors, get out of the way of provincial resource development and turn our country into an independent economic juggernaut and energy superpower.”
Alberta
Energy sector will fuel Alberta economy and Canada’s exports for many years to come

From the Fraser Institute
By any measure, Alberta is an energy powerhouse—within Canada, but also on a global scale. In 2023, it produced 85 per cent of Canada’s oil and three-fifths of the country’s natural gas. Most of Canada’s oil reserves are in Alberta, along with a majority of natural gas reserves. Alberta is the beating heart of the Canadian energy economy. And energy, in turn, accounts for one-quarter of Canada’s international exports.
Consider some key facts about the province’s energy landscape, as noted in the Alberta Energy Regulator’s (AER) 2023 annual report. Oil and natural gas production continued to rise (on a volume basis) in 2023, on the heels of steady increases over the preceding half decade. However, the dollar value of Alberta’s oil and gas production fell in 2023, as the surging prices recorded in 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine retreated. Capital spending in the province’s energy sector reached $30 billion in 2023, making it the leading driver of private-sector investment. And completion of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project has opened new offshore export avenues for Canada’s oil industry and should boost Alberta’s energy production and exports going forward.
In a world striving to address climate change, Alberta’s hydrocarbon-heavy energy sector faces challenges. At some point, the world may start to consume less oil and, later, less natural gas (in absolute terms). But such “peak” consumption hasn’t arrived yet, nor does it appear imminent. While the demand for certain refined petroleum products is trending down in some advanced economies, particularly in Europe, we should take a broader global perspective when assessing energy demand and supply trends.
Looking at the worldwide picture, Goldman Sachs’ 2024 global energy forecast predicts that “oil usage will increase through 2034” thanks to strong demand in emerging markets and growing production of petrochemicals that depend on oil as the principal feedstock. Global demand for natural gas (including LNG) will also continue to increase, particularly since natural gas is the least carbon-intensive fossil fuel and more of it is being traded in the form of liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Against this backdrop, there are reasons to be optimistic about the prospects for Alberta’s energy sector, particularly if the federal government dials back some of the economically destructive energy and climate policies adopted by the last government. According to the AER’s “base case” forecast, overall energy output will expand over the next 10 years. Oilsands output is projected to grow modestly; natural gas production will also rise, in part due to greater demand for Alberta’s upstream gas from LNG operators in British Columbia.
The AER’s forecast also points to a positive trajectory for capital spending across the province’s energy sector. The agency sees annual investment rising from almost $30 billion to $40 billion by 2033. Most of this takes place in the oil and gas industry, but “emerging” energy resources and projects aimed at climate mitigation are expected to represent a bigger slice of energy-related capital spending going forward.
Like many other oil and gas producing jurisdictions, Alberta must navigate the bumpy journey to a lower-carbon future. But the world is set to remain dependent on fossil fuels for decades to come. This suggests the energy sector will continue to underpin not only the Alberta economy but also Canada’s export portfolio for the foreseeable future.
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