On behalf of its minerals industry members, and with the financial support of Western Economic Diversification Canada (now PrairiesCan), the International Minerals Innovation Institute (IMII) commissioned and is releasing two reports on energy innovation and technologies that may be applicable to Saskatchewan minerals industry and its effort to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the medium and long term.
“While Saskatchewan’s potash and uranium sectors are already among the most sustainable in the world, technological advances and their deployment will be needed to support the climate goals that governments and companies have set for themselves over the medium and long term,” says Al Shpyth, IMII executive director. “New technologies must be deployed at a scale appropriate to industry and present commercially viable low-carbon options if they are to help put the minerals sector on a sustainable path to net-zero emissions by 2050.”
In the medium-term (5 – 10 years), a study by March Consulting Associates concluded that small modular reactors and combined heat and power systems are the clean power options with the better application for Saskatchewan mining operations with demand for both electricity and heat.
In the longer-term (10 – 20 years), a study by PreScouter concluded that the most promising decarbonization technologies for development and deployment in Saskatchewan mining operations may come from the hydrogen ecosystem, small modular reactors and carbon capture utilization and storage systems (CCUS).
The IMII believes that innovation is key to fostering new energy technologies and advancing existing ones and expects the release of these public reports contributes to the development and deployment of additional low carbon technologies in the province. While focused on Saskatchewan’s principal minerals products, the information in these reports will be of interest to other mining and minerals sectors and governments.
Access This Research
Versions of these two reports are available to the public free of charge – Reducing GHG in Uranium and Potash Mining: 2030-2040 (imii.ca) and Microsoft PowerPoint – 20184-1600-PM-PPT-0001_for distribution (imii.ca).
The full reports are available to IMII’s funding members.
Connect with IMII through [email protected].
