Government pressured to place a moratorium on solar projects on certain types of farmland, particularly irrigated land
The Alberta government plans to look at ways to balance renewable energy development with protecting farmland as rural residents grapple with a boom in industrial-sized solar and wind projects. “There’s going to be a big consultation in this province regarding renewables, regarding agricultural land, regarding our electricity grid,” said Agriculture and Irrigation Minister Nate Horner. […] Read moreTag Archives renewable energy — page 3
Odour reduction ‘too little’
People fighting a proposed biodigester facility in Alberta were angered by an estimate that it will reduce the odour from an associated feedlot by 42 percent. “You can’t sit outside in the summer in High River,” said resident and retired farmer Ann Suitor about the smell from the nearby Rimrock Feeders feedlot, which affected the […] Read more
‘Tearing communities apart’
Bitter divisions are growing in rural Alberta over the construction of industrial-scale renewable energy projects such as solar and wind on farmland, said a rural leader. “It’s getting serious. People are really upset,” said Paul McLauchlin, president of the Rural Municipalities of Alberta. “It’s tearing communities apart.” Developers of early renewable projects in the province […] Read more
Solar developers say they work closely with farmers
According to the solar industry, many inquiries about projects are from producers interested in reducing their energy bills
Farmers and renewable energy developers can work together to transform how agriculture is practised in Alberta, said a solar power advocate. Solar Alberta has made recommendations on where to place solar projects in the province, said executive director Heather MacKenzie. One of the goals of the non-profit organization is to educate the public about solar […] Read more
Solar projects help with oil, gas well remediation
Company’s pilot project will take advantage of existing infrastructure by erecting solar panels on inactive well sites
The cleanup of inactive oil and gas infrastructure in Alberta is daunting but a renewable energy company is looking to lighten the load while producing electricity through solar generation. RenuWell opened its Municipal District of Taber project this month. “We have over 170,000 inactive wells throughout Alberta — most of them in southern Alberta — […] Read more
Renewable energy increases on Canadian farms
More than 22,500 farms reported renewable energy use in last year’s ag census, up from a little more than 10,000 in 2016
The number of Canadian farms reporting use of renewable energy has more than doubled in the last five years, according to the latest data in the 2021 Statistics Canada agricultural census. More than 22,500 farms nationally reported having renewable energy production on their operations, up from a little more than 10,000 in 2016. The biggest […] Read more
Unreliable renewable energy is costly
We are constantly being told that wind and solar power are cheaper than fossil-fuel power if you add up the true costs of using each type. These arguments have always been dubious on their merits, if not outright disingenuous. Yes, the wind is free and the sunshine is free, but nothing about capturing either one […] Read more
Transition to renewables hits headwinds
Moving away from fossil fuel as our main source of energy is not going to be easy. The scientific community is adamant that we must do this if we are to have any chance of getting climate change under control. That means replacing fossil fuel mainly with renewable sources of energy. It doesn’t mean scrapping […] Read more
Placing solar panels on building seen as preferred option
Solar projects should first be encouraged for former industrial sites or the roofs of urban buildings before turning to rural farmland, says a conservationist. The issue is something producers are going to increasingly need to confront as Canada transitions to a low-carbon economy, said Ian Urquhart, executive director of the Alberta Wilderness Association. “And I […] Read more
Solar project location near lake draws alarm
A proposed solar project east of High River, Alta., is to be built near a lake listed as one of Canada’s most important areas for birds, raising concerns it could harm species such as waterfowl. Sunlight inadvertently reflected by about 445,000 photovoltaic modules or panels at the Foothills Solar Project could potentially be mistaken by […] Read more
