The Government of Canada has announced more than $76 million in funding to support solar energy projects in southern Alberta, July 12, 2023. (Photo: Stangot | Dreamstime.com)

By David Opinko/LethbridgeNewsNOW

Ottawa announces $76.1 million for solar power in southern Alberta

Jul 12, 2023 | 5:32 AM

CARDSTON, AB – The Government of Canada looks to bolster solar energy production in Alberta.

Minister of Natural Resources Jonathan Wilkinson announced federal funding for solar power projects in the province, including several in the southern region.

“We are investing over $160 million in job-creating solar energy projects, which will contribute 163 megawatts of new power generation across Alberta,” said Wilkinson. “By working with Indigenous partners and industry, the Government of Canada is helping to unlock the economic potential of our clean technologies as we advance toward a prosperous net-zero future.”

The largest project in southern Alberta is a partnership between Concord Green Energy and the communities of Coaldale, Monarch, and Vulcan. A combined federal investment of $45.8 million will help to purchase battery energy storage systems at existing solar arrays, each with the capacity of 15 megawatts (MW) and 34 megawatt hours (MWh). The government said more than 100 jobs will be created.

Ottawa will give $12.8 million to the Métis Nation Power Authority for a 4.9 megawatt project in Métis Nation Region 3 in southeastern Alberta. This investment is expected to create 24 jobs and include training for Indigenous youth.

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A total of $12 million from Ottawa will be spent on the Enterprise Solar L.P. in Vulcan County. As many as 935 jobs are expected to be created as a result of the 65 megawatt facility.

The federal government will also contribute $5.5 million to the Cardston Spring Coulee Solar Limited Partnership. It will use bifacial social panels to generate 29.5 MW of power, creating up to 145 jobs.

The full list of solar projects that will receive federal dollars, as outlined in a news release, includes:

• Capstone Infrastructure Corporation and Sawridge First Nation’s Michichi Solar LP and Kneehill Solar LP projects will each deploy a 25-MW solar farm with smart-grid–enabled solar inverters. These projects are supported by an combined $64-million federal investment and are expected to create up to 240 jobs.
• Concord Green Energy (a Concord Pacific Group Company) and the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation (ACFN) partnered to create the Concord Monarch Partnership, Concord Vulcan Partnership and Concord Coaldale Partnership, each of which will deploy 15 MW/34 megawatt hours (MWh) battery energy storage systems on the sites of existing solar arrays in Alberta, supported by a combined federal investment of over $45.8 million, and are expected to create over 100 jobs.
• Métis Nation Power Authority (MNPA) Inc. will deploy a 4.9-MW solar project in Métis Nation Region 3 in southeastern Alberta, supported by a federal investment of approximately $12.8 million. This is expected to create 24 jobs, together with training for Indigenous youth.
• Chappice Lake Limited Partnership, alongside Cold Lake First Nations, will deploy 14 MW of solar electricity generation equipment paired with 2.9 MW/8.3 MWh of battery energy storage and artificial intelligence (AI) battery dispatch software, supported by a federal investment of approximately $21 million. This is expected to create over 80 jobs.
• Enterprise Solar L.P. will deploy a 65-MW solar energy generation project in Vulcan County, Alberta, supported by a federal investment of approximately $12 million. This is expected to create up to 935 total jobs.
• Cardston Spring Coulee Solar Limited Partnership will deploy a 29.5-MW bi-facial solar plant, using single axis trackers, in Cardston County, Alberta, supported by a federal investment of approximately $5.5 million. This is expected to create up to 145 jobs.

Métis Nation Power Authority CEO Kurt Vouri said their partnership with the Government of Canada will promote harmony, legacy, and collaboration between Indigenous communities, farming families, and Alberta’s ever-growing energy industry.

“As an Indigenous-controlled solar power company, MNPA is excited to work alongside the government to provide renewable energy in a way that is meaningful and empowering to stewards of the land,” said Vouri.

Between all of the Alberta projects, there will be as much as 163 MW of new solar generation and 48 MWh of battery storage capacity.

This is expected to reduce carbon emissions by more than 150,000 tonnes per year.