SEMI program

Overview of the SEMI program program:

The FRA is the first step in accessing the Strategic Energy Management for Industry (SEMI) program, administered by Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA) with funding from Alberta’s TIER fund and Natural Resources Canada. The SEMI program helps industrial and manufacturing facilities reduce greenhouse gas emissions and energy use by offering co-funding for a series of structured, facility-focused activities. These include energy assessments, training, software/hardware systems, and capital retrofits. The FRA itself is a comprehensive assessment conducted by ERA’s designated service provider (Enerva Energy Solutions Inc.). It analyzes energy usage across your facility, develops an energy model, benchmarks performance, evaluates existing energy systems and practices, and recommends a path forward. The goal is to help participants identify and prioritize opportunities to improve energy productivity, competitiveness, and sustainability. While the FRA is mandatory to unlock other SEMI offerings, participation in the follow-up activities it recommends is optional. Funding for subsequent activities can reach up to $1 million per facility for capital retrofits and additional support for assessments, training, and systems. For for-profit organizations, up to 50% of FRA costs can be covered in-kind through staff time or past energy activities; Indigenous and non-profit applicants may receive up to 100% coverage.

Benefits of the SEMI program program:

• Detailed facility-wide energy audit conducted by certified professionals
• Tailored roadmap of next steps for energy efficiency improvements
• Access to significant co-funding for eligible retrofits, systems, and training
• In-kind contribution options allow small and mid-sized businesses to participate without upfront cost
• Professional engineering review of findings
• Opportunity to participate in advanced energy systems planning (EMIS, SEM, CFD, etc.)

Eligibility criteria of the SEMI program program:

• Eligible Applicants:
• Must own or lease an eligible facility in Alberta
• Must not be insolvent
• Includes for-profits, non-profits, co-operatives, public entities, and Indigenous-owned organizations (min. 51% Indigenous ownership)
• Eligible Facilities:
• Located in Alberta
• Operating for at least one year
• Belong to qualifying NAICS sectors:
• Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, and Hunting
• Mining, Oil, and Gas
• Utilities
• Construction
• Manufacturing
• Transportation
• Waste Management and Administrative Services