Environment Committee on Dec. 1st, 2009

[Peter Boag]

I'm not an expert, obviously, in those sorts of things, but certainly our view, and the view of a number of provinces we're trying to work with who are looking at fuel issues, is that you can't look at fuel exclusively, that transportation emissions, ultimately, are based on—we use the description of a three-legged stool. Yes, you've got fuel carbon intensity, you've ultimately got vehicle efficiency, and then you've got driving habits and vehicle uses.

So you really do need to take a systematic approach that looks at all three of those legs of that stool if you're going to be serious about driving down transportation emissions.

[Peter Braid, Conservative, Kitchener—Waterloo, ON]

Mr. Lloyd, you placed a great deal of emphasis on the importance of investing in new and transformative technologies to reduce greenhouse emissions and make industry more competitive. Could you touch on some of the immediate technology opportunities in your area? Could you also give us an idea of opportunities over the short and mid term, which I would define as three to five years?

[Gordon Lloyd]

Most of these opportunities are medium and long term rather than short term. Breakthroughs such as the Dupont adipic acid process for producing nylon made for spectacular improvements in the 1990s. These things have huge payoffs. The chemical industry is looking at catalysts that I think will be helpful in those areas. Solar energy is something that Dow is looking at. Some of it is more near term. We provide chemicals that go into making insulation and other things that improve ordinary energy efficiency. That's not high-tech, but these incremental improvements could be important and short term. That's happening all the time, and that's where we think we need to put our support.

[Peter Braid, Conservative, Kitchener—Waterloo, ON]

Mr. Watkins, could you tell us about opportunities for transformative technologies in the steel industry?

[Ron Watkins]

The World Steel Association, which is the global industry association, has a very aggressive program called the CO₂ breakthrough program. It is looking at technologies like carbon capture and storage, which is potentially applicable in our industry. I think it's often thought of only in an oil and gas context. Electrolysis, hydrogen—a number of technologies are being researched around the world. Here in Canada, at McMaster, there's research on carbonization, which will produce significant benefits, not more carbon. We're trying to pursue these technologies collectively through the World Steel Association. We also participate in the Asia-Pacific partnership with six other countries, including the U.S., China, Japan, and so on. There's a lot going on.

[Peter Braid, Conservative, Kitchener—Waterloo, ON]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

Witnesses, if there were any questions you wanted but never got, I encourage you to put them in writing and submit them to the clerk as quickly as possible. We are soon going to be proceeding to clause-by-clause on the bill.

On behalf of the committee, I want to thank all of you for your insight, your thoughtful presentations, and your conversation today. Mr. Lloyd, Mr. Boag, Mr. Macerollo, Mr. Watkins, Madam Chan, Mr. Boucher, and Mr. Masterson, my thanks to all of you for appearing.

Did you have a question, Mr. Bevington?

[Dennis Bevington, NDP, Western Arctic, NT]

Yes. I wanted to check on the status of the minister.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

I believe we sent the letter requesting him. He is trying to look at his schedule to make himself available to appear before the committee.

[Dennis Bevington, NDP, Western Arctic, NT]

He has to do it before the 10th.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

Yes. We are trying to get him here, but it all depends on his schedule.

Mr. Bigras.

[Bernard Bigras, Bloc, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Did you at least receive an acknowledgment from the minister?

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

There have been discussions. They're aware of it.

With that, I'll entertain a motion to adjourn.

Thank you, Mr. Watson. The meeting is adjourned.