On the sidelines of the Calgary Stampede last week, Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson announced more than $26 million for 17 clean energy projects across Alberta and Saskatchewan.

The funding is spread across several focus areas. The largest chunk — $14.9 million across 10 projects — goes toward energy storage, solar and wind development, interprovincial electricity transmission planning, Indigenous-led clean energy projects, and workforce development. Several of those projects are led by First Nations communities in Alberta, including the Blood Tribe, Ermineskin Cree Nation, Samson Cree Nation, Saddle Lake Cree Nation, Bigstone Cree Nation, and Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation.

The University of Calgary is receiving $4.2 million to research and advance interprovincial electricity transmission in Western Canada. Another $5.9 million supports engineering and design work for two facilities that would convert waste biomass into renewable natural gas with carbon capture. A further $3.5 million targets methane emissions reduction and low-emissions cement alternatives, and $2.3 million supports higher energy-efficiency building codes.