Saskatchewan Polytechnic has officially opened a 1000-square-foot, net-zero, cutting-edge Energy Resources laboratory at its Moose Jaw campus, thanks in part to the donation of $1.35 million from PrairiesCan and SaskPower.
The Energy and Resources Lab, located at 750A McDonald Street, represents a leap forward for Sask Polytech students and for Saskatchewan as a whole, said Brenda Suru, interim dean for the faculty of Technology and Skilled Trades. Students will gain invaluable hands-on knowledge of current tech, but will also be positioned to respond to changing industry requirements and contribute to theoretical and applied research in the future.
"Sustainability is the future, the whole world is moving in that direction, and our new Energy Resources lab will help Sask Polytech students not only to stay up to date with industries, but be able to contribute to future developments in the field," Suru explained. She said students will be able to experiment with solar panels, geothermal heating and cooling technology, wind-generated power, biofuels, smart energy grids, energy-efficient home construction, and advanced battery technologies.
Sask Polytech's industry partnerships across the province mean that areas like mining, structural engineering, and natural resources can intersect at the lab, which is itself designed to operate at a net-zero energy loss.
Event attendees included Clive Tolley, mayor of Moose Jaw; Rob Clark, CEO of the Moose Jaw and District Chamber of Commerce; Dr. Larry Rosia, president and CEO of Sask Polytech; Dr. Has Malik, provost and academic VP of Sask Polytech; Cheryl Schmitz, Sask Polytech's CFO and VP of administrative services; Tim Eckel, SaskPower's VP of Energy Transition and Asset Management; and Darrell Hawman, president of the New Southern Plains Métis Local #160, who signed a memorandum of understanding with Sask Polytech last year.
"This is a great day for Saskatchewan Polytechnic, and I gotta tell you, I'm thrilled about this announcement," Dr. Rosia said. "It's been a long time in the making, and (has taken) some heavy lifting and hard work from people within our organization, and some generous investments from our partners.
"It's clear that a real transformation shift is taking place in (the energy sector), a shift to alternate energy technologies and a shift towards more sustainable methods of harnessing and using our precious energy resources. And that's why the centre that we're opening, the Energy and Resources Lab, and the investment we've received from both PrairiesCan ... as well as SaskPower to open this facility is so, so important."
Suru read a letter from Dan Vandal, federal minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development, congratulating Sask Polytech on the lab's opening, and thanked Arla Cameron and Brendan Manz, who represented PrairiesCan in person.
"At SaskPower, our goal is to be net-zero by 2050 or sooner, we're really striving to get there, and we will get there," said Tim Eckel. "To reach this goal, we must replace generation options that we've relied on for decades. That's why we're excited to play a role in the development of this new Energy and Resources Lab. I have no doubt that the skills and training that are taught here will help move forward on alternate energy solutions."
"The cutting edge equipment (in this lab) will address climate change, promote sustainability, and advance renewable energies. For myself personally, I look forward to utilizing this lab to further my education," said Erica Anaquod. Anaquod is a nêhiyaw woman from Plains Cree territory located in Treaty 4, the owner and CEO of Moyeyihtamowin Consulting Limited, and will be a four-time alumna of Sask Polytech once she completes the Environmental Engineering Technology Diploma and the Business Certificate at Sask Polytech Moose Jaw — programs she is currently taking concurrently.
"Great job Saskatchewan Polytechnic for pushing the limits and making this vision happen, and a big thank-you to PrairiesCan and SaskPower for the investment to make this a reality," Anaquod added.
The lab represents another fulfilled vision of the late Jamie Hilts, the former dean of the schools of Natural Resources and Built Environment, Mining, Energy and Manufacturing, and Co-operative Education. Suru characterized Hilts, who died in 2022, as an inspiring visionary whose push for partnerships, future-looking applied research, and improved Indigenous relations has had a profound and lasting impact on Sask Polytech.
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