The Life Cycle Analysis studies have generated a great deal of interest with stakeholders and expert advisors around the world, especially since AERI invited input at three expert study reviews. In the interest of transparency, AERI has shared the data at various stages.
Just as AERI makes its information available to policy and decision makers around the world, it gathers information from various sources.
The Alberta Energy Research Institute has responded to and continues to respond to the comments and critiques that are put forward and welcomes dialogue. While some comments relate to issues outside the scope of the studies, they are important and relevant to the dialogue. AERI continues to foster, seek and expand Alberta's capacity to incorporate new, emerging and wide-ranging technologies for clean and sustainable energy development. The next phase of study will include further exploration of many of these comments.
This page provides a link to some of the comments and critiques that accompany the timelines and the process for development of the reports.
Stakeholder Comments: In January and March 2009, two "mid-stream" workshops were held to present the methodology and preliminary findings to an international audience of industry, government, academia and other stakeholders - and to invite their perspectives and comments during and after the workshops. The feedback from these workshops is presented in the reports titled "Jacobs - Stakeholder Input" and "TIAX - Stakeholder Input".
The consultants addressed as many of these comments as possible. Due to the project workscope and timelines, it was not possible to address all the comments. The unaddressed comments will be considered in a proposed second phase.
On June 15, 2009, a final workshop was held in Calgary where the key insights were presented. It elicited further comments and critique from Pembina Institute, a research team from the Universities of Calgary and Toronto, and the California Energy Commission. These comments are included in the section titled "Post-Workshop Stakeholder Input".
During the June 15th workshop, ideas were also provided by stakeholders for further work that would be of interest and important to consider. In the next few months, AERI will be engaging organizations in the US and Canada to work together in developing best practice for life cycle analysis to develop the standards needed for the future of a low carbon fuels. A summary of the ideas can be found in "Phase 2 Studies - Brainstorming Ideas at the June 15th Workshop".
Complementary Studies: While the above studies were in progress, complementary studies that included Life Cycle Analysis of Crudes in US refineries by the US Department of Energy (USDOE) and IHS Cambridge Energy Research Associates (IHS CERA) were published. Links to the studies are as follows:
United States Department of Energy Study: http://www.netl.doe.gov/energy-analyses/refshelf/detail.asp?pubID=204
IHS CERA Study: http://www.cera.com/aspx/cda/client/knowledgeArea/serviceDescription.aspx?KID=228