Wind Power News: Alberta
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch. They are the products of and owned by the organizations or individuals noted and are shared here according to “fair use” and “fair dealing” provisions of copyright law.
Lomond, Alta. residents blown away by scope of proposed wind farm
LOMOND, ALTA. – A proposed wind project near the village of Lomond, set to begin construction by the end of the year, is raising concerns with some residents. “Our quality of life is definitely affected,” said resident Larry Helland. The project headed by German Energy Company ABO Wind and will be built on 24,000 acres of privately-owned farmland in the area north of the community. The company maintains there are plenty of benefits, including $3 million in property tax revenues, and . . . Complete story »
Energy regulator looking at proposed wind farm near Jenner
The provincial utility regulatory body is now considering the application to build a wind farm near Jenner that won a provincial grid supply contract in late 2018. Buffalo Atlee wind farm would consist of three clusters of three or four turbines located about five kilometres southeast of the hamlet, near the northwest corner of CFB Suffield. The 11 total turbines would produce 48 megawatts of power in peak conditions and put the power onto the Alberta grid via the Fortis . . . Complete story »
ABO Wind updates county council on proposed wind farm near Lomond
Representatives from ABO Wind updated Vulcan County council Dec. 18 about its proposed 400 megawatt (MW) wind farm near Lomond. Project managers Keaton Lever and Marika Gibson provided council with a project overview and status update of the Buffalo Plains Wind Farm, reads the minutes of the Dec. 18 County council meeting. An open house and stakeholder consultation have been completed, as well as an environmental assessment of the land, they told council. The company, which is based in Germany, . . . Complete story »
Sharp Hills wind farm near Oyen gets new approval
A planned wind farm near Oyen that faced staunch opposition by some nearby landowners has earned new approval to be built just as a contract to sell power to the Alberta grid begins. The Sharp Hills wind farm was one of three projects to win a provincial government green energy supply auction in 2017. That 20-year supply contract began on Jan. 1, but regulatory hurdles and opposition twice delayed construction from moving ahead. After new hearings this fall, the Alberta . . . Complete story »
Public feedback sought for Rattlesnake Ridge Wind Power Project at Whitla E
Regulators are now calling for public feedback on plans to build a 26-turbine wind power facility around the hamlet of Whitla, southwest of Medicine Hat. The Rattlesnake Ridge Wind Power Project would be built next summer, according to owner Berkshire Hathaway Energy Canada, and would have a peak production capacity of 117.6 megawatts. It would be positioned on land north and south of Highway 3, and be joined to existing Alberta power lines on Township Road 104 via a new . . . Complete story »
Pair of wind farms clear regulatory governmental hurdles
Major wind power facilities to the east and west of Medicine Hat are clearing hurdles this week as new approvals are sought from provincial regulators and others are obtained from local government. That includes the Cypress Wind facility that will be built southeast of Dunmore next winter and the newly announced Rattlesnake Ridge wind farm along Highway No. 3 between Bow Island and Seven Persons. Companies behind the projects, worth an estimated $450 million combined, are scheduled to be built . . . Complete story »
Is Germany showing us the future of renewable energy? Let’s hope not
News that Greta Thunberg is visiting Alberta should be welcomed by all Canadians. The teenaged Swedish environmentalist has focused global attention on the climate change debate like never before. So as she tours our province, what better time for a reality check than to look at a country that is furthest ahead in already adapting steps that Greta is advocating. That country is Germany. And it’s not a pretty sight. Germany embraced the rush to renewables before anyone else, and . . . Complete story »
Berkshire Hathaway firm announces launch of $200-million wind power farm near Medicine Hat
CALGARY – A company linked to American investment guru Warren Buffett says it will break ground on a $200-million, 117.6-megawatt wind farm in southeastern Alberta next year. In a news release, Calgary-based BHE Canada, a subsidiary of Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Energy, says its Rattlesnake Ridge Wind project will be located southwest of Medicine Hat and will produce enough energy to supply the equivalent of 79,000 homes. Berkshire Hathaway Energy also owns AltaLink, the regulated transmission company which supplies electricity to . . . Complete story »
New method of decommissioning wind turbine concrete bases with water jets
The reinforced base is placed deep in the earth as there are so many stresses on the base with the turbine turning for decades. With this new removal technique, the top metre of the base is removed. A backhoe digs a hole around the concrete base once the tower is removed. Then an automated high-pressure water jet is set up to fire a jet of water up close and rotate around the concrete base, directing the thin, high-pressure stream of water, cutting deeply into the base, slicing both the concrete and the rebar inside. The water jet rotates around the concrete pillar firing the high-pressure water jet until it is done. The top metre of the top of the concrete pillar is then lifted off. Complete story »
Cypress County looking for more information before allowing zoning for wind project
Cypress County, AB – Cypress County Council wants some more information before they make a zoning decision to allow a $250 million wind farm to go through. Now they will take two weeks to look at both possible environmental impacts and what will happen to the wind turbines if they need to come down. If approved, the change would affect several properties south of Irvine. Reeve Dan Hamilton says the developer EDF Renewables has been working directly with the landowners . . . Complete story »
