Southern Alberta boasts great potential for renewable energy projects
ALEX MCCUAIG W
ith nearly 750 megawatts of wind and solar energy projects on standby in the Alberta Electric System Operator’s (AESO) Medicine Hat region and more in its Empress region north of the city,
there is no lack of potential for renewables.
But when it comes to existing projects in southeastern Alberta, the grand total is 6 MW of renewable energy being produced — all from the three turbines that make up the Box Springs Windfarm.
Following the scrapping of the 775 MW Wind Steer Butte wind project that in itself would have doubled the number of renewable potential for the region, NaturEner’s combined 400 MW project north of the Cypress Hills leads the way in scale.
But that shovel ready and approved Wild Rose 1 and 2 project continues to languish due to market conditions.
The other major regional project, GTE’s Brooks solar field, also appears to find itself in the same boat with regulatory approval for its 15 MW installation but apparently not the right market conditions.
Alberta's Climate Change Plan announced last year is being trumpeted as a world-leading policy and could potentially tip the table in ways favourable in building those market conditions.
But until that plan is fully flushed out, projects will continue in the doldrums, according to one renewable executive.
"The announcement was long on hope and promise and short on detail," said Greg Copeland, NaturEner vice-
president of development, in December.
"You can't go to the bank and say, 'I've got a hope and a dream here I'd like you to loan money on."
Despite that and possibly a sign the potential and interest for renewable energy production remains strong in the region, with BluEarth proposing two solar projects near Bow Island, with a combined output of 39 MW, and Joss’s proposed 120 MW project near Jenner.
Tom Bird, a BluEarth director said during community consultations late last year, there were three reasons the alternative energy company selected the locations it did for the projects.
“The basic criteria for the locations are that it needed to be sunny enough, have a good solar resource. Two, they had to be in areas that did not have environmental constraints, and three, we have to build them near where there is electrical connection that will allow for the capacity,” said Bird.
And that project is not without its concerns, highlighted by County of Forty Mile Councillor Chantel Timmons, who would be seeing one of the projects constructed in her division.
“Some of the negatives I have been hearing are about if it will be aesthetically pleasing, the traffic (during construction), if the solar panels could withstand an Alberta hailstorm, and if there will be a decrease in land value,” said Timmons. “On the plus side, the tax revenue would be good for the county. It would be nice to see one of these projects.”
Ben Thibault, with the environmental thinktank Pembina Institute, believes things are beginning to come together for renewable energy in the province.
The government’s stated goal outlined in its climate change strategy of having 30 per cent of Alberta’s grid powered by renewables by 2030 is one of those pieces of the puzzle, Thibault said.
“Now there will be a process the government will be going through to help figure out what are the policy measures that need to be put in place in order to attain those commitments,” he said.
“In that sense, it’s still coming ... But I know there is already a lot of interest building in the province in doing some of the up-front engineering in order to figure out where to do projects.”
One of the recommendations Alberta is weighing to meet that 30 per cent goal is a competitive bidding process for producers to provide the province with renewable electricity.
“The government would enter into a contract with a developer to acquire from them the renewable energy credits for the energy produced for that program,” said Thibault.
“I think that type of program would be able to bring on more renewables in the province and what could drive more of this uptake.”
But for now and despite business interest in the region, the largest of the current regional renewable projects having received regulatory approval, the need for jobs and desire for clean energy, the puzzle in how to get these renewable energy projects off the ground is far from complete.
In many ways, it has yet to be started. ■
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