The Alberta government is proposing additional restrictions on wind and solar farms, following last year’s seven-month moratorium on new renewable energy projects.
Premier Danielle Smith said the province will take an “agriculture-first” approach to regulating the location of renewable energy developments. This includes barring projects within 35 kilometres of “pristine viewscapes,” parks, and protected areas, as well as a near-total ban on prime agricultural land.
“We need to ensure we’re not sacrificing future agricultural yields, tourism dollars, or breathtaking viewscapes to rush renewable developments,” Smith said.
However, groups like the Alberta Wilderness Association have criticized the United Conservative Party (UCP) government for being overly restrictive.
A recent report indicates that new potential regulations could make almost 40 per cent of the province off-limits to renewable energy projects. According to a webinar used in the government’s engagement process, Alberta is considering prohibiting wind and solar farms on irrigated land, and potentially on land that could be irrigable, pending further analysis.
The webinar also suggested restrictions on renewable energy development in most grassland areas, with the viewscape buffer zone alone ruling out about 23 per cent of Alberta.
