Proposed river valley solar farm project adds trails and education opportunities - battery energy storage system
It is proposed to add Aboriginal arts and wildlife corridors in order to plan a new solar area for the Valley and make it more acceptable for regulators and the public.
Epcor plans to build a 23-hectare, $26-
Million solar farms next to the river E. L.
Smith water treatment plant in southwest Edmonton will provide about half of the electricity.
A typical homeowner's utility bill is expected to increase by about 7 cents a month.
The proposal was opposed by some who said the city should protect the valley from industrial development.
On Friday, the Epcor representative told the Edmonton Municipal Council that it was licensed by the Alberta Public Utilities Commission and the Alberta Department of Culture and Tourism to continue its plans and make some adjustments
Due to legislative constraints, utilities may reduce the capacity of the project from 12 MW to 10 MW, so that it can use both the energy it produces and sell excess to the grid
Epcor already owns land north of Cameron Heights east and Anthony Henday Drive, where it plans to install 45,000 solar panels.
Senior Vice President Guy Bridgeman
The president of Epcor Water, Canada, told the commission that building an array next to the plant was the most expensive
While meeting the development norms of urban green energy, it provides effective choices for consumers.
He said it may take an additional $18 million to buy other lands far from the river and deliver electricity to the site.
It's $5 though. 4-
Epcor calculates that it is cheaper to build a series of wind turbines in southern Alberta, and generating electricity in Edmonton will add about $26 million to the city's economy.
The city council had previously told Epcor that it would prefer utilities if they were producing renewable energy locally.
Utilities have also received a $12 commitment.
Federal and provincial funding of 6 million
Grid and battery energy storage systems used with arrays.
The system, considered the first such system in Canada, will allow Epcor to store backup power supplies and adapt to fluctuations in sunlight. Post-
The system can be used by secondary institutions for research and teaching.
However, during the provincial campaign
The elected coalition Conservative Party promised to re-adjust $1.
9 million of the money goes to the energy storage system of a new provincial park next door.
Epcor Gold Strip sewage treatment plant director Craig Bonneville said in an interview on Friday that the energy storage project is a worthwhile investment for consumers, regardless of the provincial government funding, the project will
Charles Richmond of the Sierra Club Foundation
Eric Gormley of Edmonton and Edmonton Valley Conservation Union reiterated their concerns about the project to the utilities commission on Friday.
Richmond questioned whether, when the city was the sole shareholder of Epcor, there was an inherent conflict of interest in the city as the gatekeeper for the project.
Both lamented the potential loss of undeveloped valley land.
Gormley said it is one of the most cultural areas in the region.
Coyotes, Eagles, giant birds and grain-free animals are also active in the land.
Trina Manning, senior manager of Epcor water plant project, said the utility has been working with aboriginal groups to get their support and integrate their history and culture into the site.
Epcor plans to add a walkway and lookout platform, build a pedestrian bridge across the river on the viewing platform, and add 40-
The rice buffer of wildlife and natural vegetation at the southern tip of the solar panel.
It will also install solar panels 100 metres from the river, introduce plants that attract pollinating insects, and set up a demonstration site where visitors can see how the solar storage system works.
To continue, Epcor requires the city to issue a development permit, re-divide the land area and change the regional development plan.
The council will consider two of these steps in June.
Bonneville said that if approved, the work on the solar array could start early next year and be completed by the end of 2020.
Jfrench @ postmedia. com