TECHNOLOGY
at the table when these projects are developed and technologies rolled out .
Implementing change in an industry that has been operating for decades will bring with it problems and challenges . Regulatory challenges , cost challenges , but Zinck believes that one huge challenge is proof of concept .
“ We often talk about the industry being risk adverse but that is only one part of it , an adoption of a new technology is not necessarily always going to be due to risk . And risk is not always coming from those who are the adopters . There are regulatory risk and challenges that need to be overcome ,” says Zinck
“ If you take a new technology that ’ s green and hasn ’ t been adopted before , there ’ s the issue of being first . Realistically , no one wants to be the first adopter of a new technology because if you are then you ’ re the one who has to go through the whole proof , whether it will respond and deliver what ’ s expected of it in terms of environmental performance .”
As for regulatory challenges , Canada has a strong and stringent environmental regulatory process that controls and often dictates the way in which new technologies and new processes are both developed and implemented .
One particular challenge that has presented itself to the GMI has been reacting , responding and in some ways staying ahead of what Zinck describes as the “ innovation curve .”
“ There is always the challenge in moving technologies along the innovation curve . From early stage concepts or at the R & D stage to actually implementing them , these things could make perfect sense at those early
18 September 2016