Sarnia-Lambton's growing and evolving energy cluster was highlighted Monday during the 2023 Energy Summit.
Ontario Energy Minister Todd Smith, along with several other MPPs and industry leaders, toured the Imperial Oil facility during the conference, showcasing what our region has to offer.
The tour was followed by a roundtable discussion at Lambton College, hosted by the Sarnia-Lambton Chamber of Commerce.
Smith said the group was given a first-hand look at the sustainable technologies that Imperial is implementing.
"Imperial is on board with the energy transition, and they want to play a role in it," he said. "We saw very innovative ways of improving our air quality, making sure that we have sustainable practices in place when it comes to biofuel, and the recyclable plastics that they're making on-site. They want to play a very productive role in our electricity supply with the battery storage facilities that they've installed on-site."
Smith said Sarnia as a whole is ready and well suited to grow, and added the community is well-suited to become a hydrogen hub in Ontario.
"That's for a number of different reasons including the assets that are already here, the access to the waterways, and the willingness to participate as a hydrogen hub for our province," he said. "We've started our Hydrogen Innovation Fund in Ontario and there are companies in Sarnia that can participate. We're going to need centres like Sarina to put forward ideas on how we can advance hydrogen and ensuring that supply and demand issues are worked out as well. There's so much innovation here in Sarnia, and we need to support it. My main job is to make sure that we have a reliable, affordable, clean and safe energy system in this province. Certainly, I know Sarnia wants to play a role in that."
The transition to cleaner energy comes with a number of challenges including intensifying environmental regulations, aggressive net zero targets, increasing global competition, feedstock volatility, and large investments required to modernize plant operations.
Canadian Fuels Association spokesman Landon Tresise said they're looking to make the change to more low carbon fuels.
"That's everything from biodiesel, ethanol and hydrogen," said Tresise. "All of these moves are going to take a great deal of investment. What we require, on our side, is those economic conditions to make sure that they're done in Ontario and in Canada. The conditions are changed quite a bit with the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) which has really changed the game for how we're dealing with things. We've seen some members end plans to build facilities out in BC and we'd hate to see that happen here. We're looking for that regulatory certainty around what we can plan moving forward."
Minister Smith said the province really encouraged the Federal government to 'level up' to what was happening with the IRA south of the border.
"You've seen multi-billion dollar investments in Ontario as a result of that," he said. "I think we're going to continue to see those, not just on EVs, EV batteries and chargers, but you'll also see that on other aspects including new clean energy for the province where they brought in tax credits."
Chemistry Industry Association of Canada VP of Policy Greg Moffatt agreed that transparency, predictability and certainty from regulatory and investment perspectives are key.
He also said a 'Team Canada' collaborative-style approach is needed to be successful.
"We talk about a 'circular economy'," said Moffatt. "Society wants post-use plastics to be captured and recycled. NOVA has done work in that regard, and that comes with a lower CO2 input. Electrification is certainly an opportunity but, when it comes to large chemical facilities, in addition to electricity they really need the steam. The technology is there, it's being developed, but it takes some time. So carbon capture is, again, very important for us."
Groups represented at the Energy Summit included the Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership, BASES, Canadian Fuels Association, the Chemistry Industry Association of Canada, Sarnia Building Trades, Sarnia and District Labour Council, Sarnia Construction Association, Bluewater Power, and the Bowman Centre For Sustainability.
Meanwhile, the Petrochem Canada conference is taking place on Tuesday and Wednesday at Progressive Auto Sales Arena.
Over the two days, about 150 delegates will learn from dozens of industry leaders and technical experts about the exciting opportunities within Canada's downstream sector.
