econext asking members to help inform long-term clean fuels strategy for Newfoundland and Labrador

For Immediate Release
February 9, 2023

Newfoundland and Labrador is well positioned to become a global leader in clean fuels production:

NL has some of the best onshore and offshore wind resources in North America
NL has an abundance of hydroelectricity (developed and undeveloped) for base load and backup
NL has significant available and accessible crown land and fresh water
NL has a series of established industrial-focused ice-free deep seaports with land access to support development
NL is the closest point in North America to Europe and is on major shipping routes
NL has a robust energy sector supply chain with specialized expertise in areas such as: engineering; fabrication; marine transportation; logistics; safety; environmental monitoring; etc.
NL has a workforce with transferable skills and experience in large scale construction and energy projects.

A land nomination process in the Fall of 2022 resulted in 31 submissions from prospective onshore wind development projects within the province, many of which were focused on hydrogen production. A competition is currently underway for access to crown land for development in Newfoundland and Labrador, with proposals due March 3, 2023. Meanwhile, a clean diesel facility is under construction and the province has underutilized biomass resources available for development.

With a bright future for clean fuels production ahead for Newfoundland and Labrador, it is an ideal time to explore opportunities associated with clean fuels production that will emerge (beyond production). econext intends on developing a series of specific recommendations for decision makers, and is asking its members to help inform a discussion paper.

What are the medium to long-term opportunities that Newfoundland and Labrador can seize that relate to its emerging clean fuels industries?

Given domestic access to locally produced clean fuels, production infrastructure, supply chains and workforce, what additional opportunities exist in the medium to long-term for the province to expand the economic opportunity? This could include secondary processing, adjacent industrial development, value chain expansion, decarbonization initiatives, research and development activities, etc.

Members interested in sharing their ideas can contact econext CEO Kieran Hanley at kieran@econext.ca. In the coming weeks econext will produce a draft discussion paper which it will share with its members for review and feedback.

econext is a not-for-profit association of businesses that accelerates clean growth in Newfoundland and Labrador, working on behalf of over 200 members to envision, support, and drive environmentally sustainable economic development within the province. More information about econext can be found at https://econext.ca.

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Media Contact:
Kieran Hanley
CEO
kieran@econext.ca