Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

How SFU is contributing

• Engagement
• Teaching and Learning
• Research
• Operations

Renewable Cities

Renewable Cities is a global program of Simon Fraser University’s Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue in Vancouver, Canada. Its mission is to work with policymakers and practitioners to accelerate the transition to renewable, restorative, resilient cities through meaningful engagement, critical research, capacity building and policy innovation. Using research-based dialogue, collaboration, and thought leadership, Renewable Cities works towards urban energy solutions with cities, governments, the private sector, utilities, researchers, and civil society.

2023 Clean Energy Summit

SFU partnered with the City of Burnaby on the inaugural Clean Energy Summit, which celebrated Burnaby as a hub for clean energy, and showcased groundbreaking technologies, policies, and business practices that shape our sustainable future. SFU professor and Canada Research Chair in Fuel Cell Science and Technology Development Erik Kjeang was a member of the Summit's Energy Production Panel.

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Clean Energy Canada

Clean Energy Canada is a climate and clean energy program within the Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue at Simon Fraser University. It works to accelerate Canada’s clean energy transition by sharing the story of the global shift to renewable energy sources and clean technology.

Learn more on the Centre for Dialogue website
 

Research, Teaching and Learning

SFU Celebrates First Graduating Cohort of Sustainable Energy Engineering Program

Simon Fraser University (SFU) marked a milestone with the graduation of its first cohort from the Sustainable Energy Engineering (SEE) program during the 2023 Spring Convocation. Established in 2019 at the Surrey campus, the SEE program is the first of its kind in Western Canada, designed to equip students with the skills needed to lead in renewable energy and clean technology fields. With accreditation from the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board, the program emphasizes interdisciplinary learning, critical thinking, and sustainability. Graduates have already secured positions in industries focused on energy efficiency and sustainability, poised to make a significant impact.

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SFU Launches Clean Hydrogen Hub to Drive Energy Innovation and Decarbonization

SFU has established the Clean Hydrogen Hub at its Burnaby campus to lead Canada in clean hydrogen technology development. Supported by over $9.4 million in federal funding and additional contributions from industry and government partners, the hub aims to scale up hydrogen production and innovation, reduce carbon emissions, and create jobs in the hydrogen sector. The facility will serve as a testbed for emerging technologies and help position British Columbia as a leader in the global hydrogen economy, contributing to Canada's climate and economic goals.

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SFU Professor Investigates Carbon Storage Potential Beneath Metro Vancouver

SFU Earth Sciences professor Shahin Dashtgard is leading research to assess the potential of storing large volumes of carbon dioxide (CO2) deep beneath Metro Vancouver, aiming to help British Columbia meet its net-zero emission goals. Supported by over $899,000 in funding, Dashtgard’s team is exploring a novel approach—dissolving CO2 in water, creating a brine-like solution, and storing it thousands of meters underground. The project is also assessing seismic risks and using advanced geological data to identify viable storage sites. The research could also provide insights into geothermal energy and offer a model for similar evaluations in tectonically active regions.

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Global experts propose a path forward in generating clean power from waste energy

SFU professor Vincenzo Pecunia has led a team of more than 100 internationally recognized scientists in creating a comprehensive “roadmap” to guide global efforts to convert waste energy into clean power. To realize the full potential of energy harvesting technology, Pecunia and 116 leading experts from around the world have published their Roadmap on Energy Harvesting Materials in the Journal of Physics: Materials.

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Clean Energy Research Group

A non-profit volunteer-based group associated with SFU dedicated to studying the challenges and opportunities for the global transition from fossil fuels to renewable, clean energy systems.

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Research Centres and Labs

• The Energy and Materials Research Group
• Engineered Interfaces for Sustainable Energy
• Clean Energy Research Group
• Clean Hydrogen Hub

Facts and Figures

• 425 research publications related to SDG 7, 2019-2023 (source: SciVal)
• 150 active research projects related to SDG 7 funded from 2019 - 2023
• Since the 2018/19 academic year, SFU has offered 10 courses relating to SDG 7, representing over 902 students

Operations

Climate Change Accountability Report (2023)

This PSO Climate Change Accountability Report for the period January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023, summarizes our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions profile, the total offsets to reach net-zero emissions, the actions we have taken in 2023 to minimize our GHG emissions, and our plans to continue reducing emissions in 2024 and beyond.

View the report

SFU Strategic Energy Management Plan

Over the years, SFU has embarked on various energy management initiatives that have generated significant energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction. The plan allows SFU to remain on track to achieve 2025’s interim target of 50% reduction. The plan also supports University Energy Utilization Policy (GP 43) and the Strategic Sustainability and Climate Action Plan 2022-2025 with the following targets:

• Reduce operational GHG emissions by 50% from 2007 by 2025
• Shift 50% of the fossil-fuel based energy used by SFU to renewables by 2025
• Reduce electricity and thermal energy by 1GWh and 5,000 GJ through energy saving

View the plan