Alberta’s high-tech infrastructure has a good start with the Alberta high speed communications super-net. Alberta, other than new schools and hospitals needs the framework or backbone of roads and rail to be expanded and as high-tech as the super-net to fuel Alberta’s future prosperity.
During the cold war in the Soviet Union you heard of stories where grain crops rotted in the fields because there was not a sufficient infrastructure system to get their product to market. The Soviet military had to pitch in to transport grain to the cities. This must have been embarrassing for them; however Alberta is going down the same road unless something is done about the outdated hydrocarbon transport system.
New rail and pipeline systems need to be built now. Alberta needs a leader to recognize this problem and address it.
See “Alberta’s high-tech infrastructure” plan detailed below.
Alberta’s High-Tech Infrastructure: The Plan
Not only will Alberta be the envy of the world economically – especially when Alberta is converted to a hydrogen economy, but it will be renowned for its infrastructure. Building a high-tech infrastructure is not only good but is required and essential. Goods and services must have the base support infrastructure to fuel the future economy.
Even though some projects listed below are unpopular due to cost and profitability studies, the following infrastructure projects must proceed in Alberta:
High speed rail from Calgary to Ft. McMurray. Cost studies say that a high speed rail system between Edmonton and Calgary are not feasible. So what? These transport lines are not a luxury they are a necessity. The high speed transport system needs to connect not only Calgary to Edmonton, but its needs to continue to Ft McMurray to transport workers quickly and safely from the two largest pools of potential workers.
Heavy Load Rail from Nisku to Ft. McMurray. This line is important for many reasons. Pressure vessels and processing skids need to be transported to the Ft. McMurray region quickly and safely. This extra wide heavy duty line needs to be constructed so equipment can be produced in the fabrication facilities in Nisku and Edmonton and then transported to the oil sands region. The result will be higher productivity, increased safety and be cost effective over time.
Expand multiple pipelines and rail line from Edmonton to Prince Rupert to support growing oil sands exports and CO2 imports. Every week you hear a new oil sands expansion project being announced. Where is all this new production going to go? The infrastructure can not handle three million barrels a day production. Multiple pipelines need to be created from Alberta to Prince Rupert. The Chinese and Japanese will pay Alberta to sequester its polluting CO2. Oil Transported out of Alberta to Asian markets and CO2 imported to increase Alberta’s conventional oil production. This is a no-brainer, is the infrastructure ready? The answer is no.
New electricity transmission lines from Alberta to the United States. With the new electricity generated from clean coal plants and Alberta residential fuel cell owners, Alberta will have a major surplus of electricity. A series of electricity transmission lines need to be built now not later. Already Alberta is in trouble because the infrastructure to carry renewable wind power generated from southern Alberta wind farms is not sufficient. As the new wind farms come on line, there is not enough lines to carry this energy to market. Let’s not make the same mistake twice. The Alberta government will have to pay for the new infrastructure. Pay up or approve P3 projects. There is no compromise with this issue.
High pressure hydrogen lines need to be produced now not later. An extra high pressure hub needs to be created. One main line to west to Prince Rupert and then south to Vancouver, one main line east to eastern Canada and United States, one main line south to western United States. Plus all the connecting lines to support residential Alberta. New housing subdivisions should be legislated to support new high pressure hydrogen lines.
Oil upgraders are being produced and expanded in the United States to handle Alberta bitumen. In current weeks EnCana and Conoco Phillips have announced a deal to upgrade Alberta Bitumen in the States and also just currently Marathon Oil in Houston has announced it is looking for a Canadian partner to do the same. I am trying to think of a word other than “stupid”. We need to produce and refine Alberta bitumen in Alberta. Why give money away? The Government needs to pay for all required upgrader refineries and then sell them to private industry when completed or allow P3 contracts or zero tax incentives, any or all methods would work, all we need is a Premier to direct and guide the plan to completion.
It the responsibility of the next Premier of Alberta to guide, encourage and push these needed infrastructure projects forward. Otherwise once the new energy projects start producing the new Premier of Alberta will have to justify why the government did not act. Imagine the news headline “Alberta Government did not see the emerging energy infrastructure problems”.
