Grainswest - Tech 2022

Tech 2022 Grains West 32 Renewable energy projects on their way to a field near you I n February, the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) approved ABOWind Canada’s Buffalo Plains Wind Farm proposal, an 83-turbine project scheduled to begin spinning in farm fields near Lomond in the winter of 2023. The Buffalo Plains project is just one of a surging tide of renewable energy investments proposed for southern Alberta that carries clear benefits as well as potential risks for area farmers. “I know there are people out there who hear wind and solar [renewable projects] and break out in an allergic reaction,” said Trevor Lewington, CEO of Economic Development Lethbridge. “My advice is not to prejudge. As with anything on your property, whether it’s BY MADELEINE BAERG LEAD PHOTO BY ZOLTAN VARADI FEATURE an oil well, a solar array, a wind tower or an access road, the biggest thing is just to go in with open eyes and an open mind. Do the research and weigh the pros and cons.” Renewable energy projects bring immediate economic value to the farms and regions where they operate. Most obviously, they offer a potentially lucrative opportunity for farmers to diversify revenue via lease payments. “If you have a turbine on your land, it’s a pretty good income source. Especially in a dry year like this, if you’re a rancher or farmer and it’s windy every day, it’s a nice diversification,” said Jason Schneider, Vulcan County reeve. “Nobody ever likes to talk too much about the size of the cheque because no one’s sure if everybody’s getting paid something different, but I’d say having a single turbine generally pays about the same as having about five oil wells, so it’s substantial.” Renewable energy projects also bring substantial tax dollars to the adjacent community. For example, ABOWind Canada anticipates it will pay more than $3 million in property taxes annually on the Buffalo Plains project, said Jonathan Cooper, senior project manager. The dollars make a huge difference for the community, said Schneider. “To put it into perspective, at the peak of oil and gas in Vulcan County, oil and gas accounted for about 50 per cent of our overall property tax assessment.” Between this latest project and the POWER PLAY Turbine arrays such as this collection east of Calgary are increasingly common on Alberta farmland.