Alberta Biotech to Strengthen Environmental Performance in the Energy Sector
CALGARY, AB, March 31, 2026 /CNW/ – Genome Alberta, with support from the Government of Alberta, is pleased to announce five new projects, with a total value of $2.9 million to accelerate broader application of genomic technologies for improving environmental outcomes in Alberta’s energy sector.
Genomics is the big data science that allows us to study the genetic material in all living things. Leveraging machine learning and AI tools allows us to understand how things function at a molecular level including how microbes contribute to environmental processes like reclamation, enhance recovery of oil while lowering emissions intensity and interact with hydrogen through production, transportation and storage.
The Genomic Innovations: Energy and Environmental Solutions initiative supports collaborative projects between academic research and industry to scale genomics innovations from the lab and support their real-world deployment for broader benefit.
This initiative brings energy companies and researchers together to bridge the gap between lab-scale innovation and field-scale application enhancing the potential for commercialization of novel genomic technologies.
“Innovation thrives when researchers, industry leaders, and regulators work together. By de-risking earlier-stage projects, we encourage the experimentation needed to spark new ideas and accelerate adoption. These partnerships are crucial for moving genomic tools from the lab to field-scale deployment and we are excited to be advancing these important environmental solutions that strengthen Alberta’s energy sector.”
David Bailey, CEO, Genome Alberta
“By supporting these five projects, we are ensuring we continue to provide the safe, affordable, and responsibly produced energy people and communities need. This collaboration between researchers and industry will increase energy production while protecting the environment for years to come.”
Honourable Grant Hunter, Minister, Environment and Protected Areas, Government of Alberta
New initiatives include:
- DNA Diagnostics for Reclaimed Pit Lakes: This work will advance scientific-based decisions that reduce uncertainty and enable faster, defensible reclamation efforts. The project will generate a set of DNA-based indicators for evaluating the ecological health of oil sands pit lakes to enable earlier, more confident decisions about reclamation progress and outcomes.
- Dynamics of Hydrogen Storage: This work will give operators practical ways to keep underground hydrogen storage safe and reliable, helping Alberta build a strong hydrogen economy. Microbial activity impacts hydrogen and sour gas dynamics in underground salt caverns. Genomics, predictive modeling, and chemical controls can be used to de-risk hydrogen storage in these settings.
- Soil Health Measures for Healthy Forests: These practical tools will help industry monitor soil health, enhance reclamation practices, and support effective recovery of disturbed lands to healthy forests. Integrating genomics with traditional soil and plant measurements, this project will develop a soil health index and identify bioindicators to reflect the recovery of disturbed land.
- Protecting Hydrogen Infrastructure: Developing early warning biosensors will help the emerging hydrogen storage sector avoid unwanted microbial activity that can lead to millions in repairs, prevent environmental leaks and maintain safe hydrogen storage at different subsurface operations. New genomics-based screening tools (bioassays) will detect hydrogen-eating, corrosion inducing microbes in pipelines and underground storage sites.
- Microbes for Lower Emission Oil Recovery: This work will allow for increased productivity, with fewer emissions, supporting Alberta’s goals for lowering the carbon footprint of energy production. Simulating microbial biogas production in underground, hard-to-reach parts of oil sands reservoirs will enable models to predict conditions for enhanced oil recovery with lower emissions.
Projects kicked off in January 2026 and aim to create adoptable outputs with two years.
Funding for the Genomic Innovations: Energy and Environmental Solutions initiative comes from Genome Alberta – with support from the Government of Alberta.
Learn more about these projects at genomealberta.ca/project-portfolio/ .
About Genome Alberta
Genome Alberta is working towards a better future through genomics innovation. Our mission is to promote and support genomics solutions to create value and investment opportunities through excellent science, technology and application development, collaborations, and partnerships. We work on priority areas in health, agriculture, environment & energy, and forestry, driving growth across sectors while helping to develop Alberta’s next generation of talented innovators.
For more information on Genome Alberta, please visit genomealberta.ca.
Related Information
SOURCE Genome Alberta
