Project Lead, Alberta’s Electricity Future, Energy Futures Lab
Throughout her career, Maureen Kolla has built a comprehensive understanding of Alberta’s electricity system with deep experience in consortium building, emerging technology development, and sustainable business strategy.
Maureen joined the Energy Futures Lab in April 2023 as Project Lead for its Alberta’s Electricity Future initiative. The initiative centres on convening a cross-sectoral coalition of industry leaders and change-makers to address systemic challenges to reorienting and reorganizing the province’s unique electricity system to meet the needs of the net-zero economy of the future.
She brings to her role a diverse skill set with expertise in research, strategic planning, project and business development, technology evaluation, fostering collaborative relationships, and effective communications. Maureen has worked as both a funder and a business leader. She managed over $5 million in grant funding for projects related to geothermal energy, energy storage, smart grid, and clean technologies. She also led market entry strategies, business strategies, and carbon related ventures for various clients. In 2017, she founded the Alberta Smart Grid Consortium bringing together Alberta Distribution Facility Owners, the Alberta Minister of Energy and Alberta Innovates to collaboratively assess the impacts and opportunities presented by new grid technologies and their ability to meet the evolving needs of electricity consumers.
Maureen holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Alberta, a Master of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering and a Doctorate in Aerospace Engineering from Toronto Metropolitan University.
Quote:
“I believe we have a moral and economic imperative to ensure that Alberta’s electricity system supports our ambitions for a net-zero future. And to do that, we need broad alignment behind the value of this goal. With a challenge of this scope and scale, we will only succeed if we work together.”