Northland Power acquires package of proposals for solar facilities in SE Alberta

By COLLIN GALLANT on February 7, 2023.

cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant

International power producer Northland Power has acquired a package of massive proposals for solar facilities in southeast Alberta from one of the most aggressive solar power developers in Alberta, GreenGate.

The news was announced at the Toronto-based Northland’s investors day presentations on Feb. 3, along with a separate spate of new projects in the U.S.

The global power developer and producer, which operates two natural gas-fired plants in Saskatchewan which supply SaskPower, also announced a target of reaching net-zero emissions by 2040.

Terms of the agreement with GreenGate were not disclosed, but include the Alberta-based development queue comprising a cumulative production capacity of 1,600 megawatts coupled with 1,200 megawatts of battery storage. If all are built, the total budget could approach C$3 billion.

They include a massive array near Dinosaur Provincial Park and east of Brooks, which are now before regulators, as well as one north of Medicine Hat.

“Key members of the development team originating the portfolio will be joining Northland to help execute development of the current portfolio and also accelerate growth in Alberta and across Canada,” according to a Northland release.

Northland CEO Mike Crawley said the strong move into the North American renewables sector was spurred by recent U.S. federal government support for renewables in the “Inflation Reduction Act” and a potential response from the Canadian government to remain competitive.

Last year GreenGate completed and began operating the Travers Solar field in Vulcan County – the largest solar field in Canada – and has more recently began applying similarly sized solar projects coupled with battery storage, known and Solar+Battery, projects in the southeast.

Most advanced is the Jurassic project, located southwest of Jenner, but also before regulators are is the initial phase of the “Luna” field (west of Brooks) and midnight (north of Medicine Hat along box Springs Road).

A portfolio acquisition in the United States has a proposed capacity of 700-megawatts, if completed.

Northland also acquired a majority stake in a southern Ontario solar battery facility and will handle financing and completion of the project in partnership with the Six Nations of the Grand River Development Corp.

It will also focus on off-shore wind and the potential to develop green hydrogen projects using desalinated seawater, both internationally and on coastlines in North America, a release states.

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