ST. JOHN’S, N.L. — Andrew Robinson
The Telegram
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@TelyAndrewR
It’s a very interesting time to be heading up an industry non-profit focused on clean economic growth in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Kieran Hanley joined the team at econext (then known as Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Industry Association) in 2012 for marketing and communications support. Initially taking on the executive director role in 2016 on an interim basis, he was in that job permanently by the end of the year. The job title was changed to CEO in 2022, less than a year after the organization rebranded.
So far in 2023, there’s been a lot of movement and money announcements tied to green energy projects. The provincial government recently approved nine bids for Crown land from an identical number of companies to move on to stage two of an ongoing process linked to interest in wind-hydrogen development.
World Energy GH2 Inc. already has approval through environmental assessment t setup a maximum one-gigawatt (GW), 164-turbine onshore wind farm on the Port au Port Peninsula that would power a 0.5-gigawatt hydrogen-ammonia production facility in Stephenville for global export.
I think the speed at which things are occurring is something that we’ve never seen or experienced before- Kieran Hanley
Argentia is very much in on this activity too. Port of Argentia recently welcomed $38-million in federal funding to expand a dock, which its own CEO Scott Penney recently touted in a news release as a further step towards attracting major foreign investment from the renewable energy, offshore and marine transportation sectors. Port of Argentia also recently announced an agreement with Pattern Energy that could see a 300-megawatt wind energy facility developed locally for a proposed wind-to-ammonia energy project.
“I think the speed at which things are occurring is something that we’ve never seen or experienced before,” said Hanley. “I think people in Newfoundland and abradr have always had a good sense that we have all of these clean energy resources, like lots of hydroelectricity, lots of wind blowing, that’s for sure.
“How come we haven’t been able to take advantage of that? I guess part of the problem was that traditionally, the only way to get that electricity to the people who needed it was by the electric cable, because we don’t need any of that electricity here. We’ve already got a very green energy grid.”
Hanley said the whole concept of using clean electricity to produce hydrogen energy gained significant momentum during the COVID-19 pandemic. Given Newfoundland and Labrador’s untapped energy production potential in this regard, that opened doors for Newfoundland and Labrador and its energy export potential.
“Now we can turn it into a fuel and ship it to another jurisdiction, not unlike oil,” Hanley said. “We don’t use much of the oil that we drill. We ship it away, and the same is going to be the case with these renewable energy resource. So ativity has really ramped up, and it’s been really exciting to see.”
Already have supply chains
Coming from an organization working on behalf of over 200 members for what econext calls an effort to “foster environmentally sustainable economic development,” Hanley believes firmly there are a lot of Newfoundland and Labrador companies with a role to play in this development activity.
“One of the great benefits that we have here is that we have supply chains in other really big industries, whether it’s oil and gas or mining, who are used to working on big projects,” he said. “They’re used to the types of things that are involved and can pivot quite easily.
“Are there some extra skills that are going to be required? Yes, for sure, and in fact, econext is leading some activity to investigate what some of those skills gaps will be to work in these clean energy projects. But there’s some which are really unique. Someone who has to physically go up on a wind turbine and physically do som mainteance. But for the most part, we’re talking about pipe fitters, electricians … who have all of the baseline skills and credentials. They just need a little bit more understanding of how they are applying it in a different context. But it’s not a giant leap.”
Of course, Newfoundland and Labrador has not been the only province in Atlantic Canada garnering wind-hydrogen development interest, with Nova Scotia attracting a lot of attention too. Hanley admits there’s some natural competition happening for projects, but added the global demand for energy would suggest there’s room for multiple jurisdictions to be involved in offering solutions.
“That would include Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia. There’s a playful competition there, I’m sure, but we’re confident we’re going to see the industry play out all over Atlantic Canada.”
1 . What is your full name?
Kieran James Hanley.
2 . Where were you born and where do you live today?
Same answer — St. John’s.
3 . Who do you fllow on ocial media?
I’ve become pretty detached from social media, to be frank, so I don’t really follow anyone.
4 . What would people be surprised to learn about you?
I think people who I know personally would probably be surprised to see how serious my days are nine-to-five. But people I know professionally would probably be surprised to learn how foolish I am the rest of the time.
5 . What’s been your favourite year and why?
I try not to spend too much time looking backwards. So I always hope that this year is going to be my favourite year.
6 . What is the hardest thing you’ve ever done?
I’d say admit defeat and accept help. I lived away from Newfoundland for most of my 20s and came back with my tail between my legs. Thanks to finding a little humility and some friends who were willing to help, I managed to recover and figure life out. But it’s hard to first accept the fact that you can’t go through life alone.
7 . Can you describe one experience that changed your life?
I thin the momet I discovered that there was an actual profession related to the type of work that I wanted to get involved in. Even from a young age, I always had this interest of growing communities and achieving progress. I was a really passionate Newfoundlander and Labradorian and wanted to figure out how can my work help move the needle or help it achieve its potential in some way.
At some point, I figured out there’s a job for that and it’s called economic development. I managed to magically fall into a situation where I had access to a couple of experts in that field, and they really helped me explore my interests and supported me along the way as I built myself in that profession — and here I am. So I think that was a pretty life-changing moment for me.
8 . What is your greatest indulgence?
Peanut butter.
9 . What is your favourite movie or book?
I would say any movie that features Christian Bale as Batman.
10 . What do you like to listen to?
My wife. She is a great storyteller, ut the chalenge is that the stories are so detailed, you need to set aside an hour or two to take one in.
11 . How do you like to relax?
Walking. It helps me to clear my mind. It seems to really help with creative thinking and exercise and fresh air. Not much to dislike.
12 . What are you reading or watching right now?
A book called “Trench Warfare: The Exploits of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment in the Trenches of Gallipoli, France and Flanders.” That’s written locally from James G. Lynch.
13 . What is your greatest fear?
That I won’t get to the Georgestown Bakery in time to get fresh bagels.
14 . How would you describe your personal fashion sense?
Missing in action.
15 . If you had to perform karaoke, which song would you choose and why?
I think I’d pick “Piano Man” (by Billy Joel), because I’d force my buddy to play the piano, and he’d take all the attention away from me.
16 . What is your most treasured possession?
I would say some toys from my dog Scout, who passed away thi year. I wa never a dog person, but she certainly taught me why dogs are man’s best friend.
17 . Which physical or personality trait are you most grateful to a parent for?
Well, I would say my mother taught me to see situations from different angles, and my father taught me the joy and satisfaction of a perfectly shovelled driveway.
18 . What would you say is your best quality, and what would you say is your worst quality?
I am relentlessly optimistic when times are tough, but can be a bit of a buzz kill when everything seems to be going great. So, whatever that natural instinct is to seek the middle ground, that’s both my best and worst quality, depending on who you ask and when you ask them.
19 . Where is your favourite place in the world?
There’s a little nook below Queen’s Battery on Signal Hill. It’s shielded from the wind and you get a wicked view of both the city and the harbour and the ocean at the same time, and it’s pretty unbeatable.
20 . Which three people would join yu for your deam dinner party?
I think it would be too hard to pick between my friends, so I’d set up an elaborate competition and whoever the winners were, I’d invite them.
