Wind farms: Economic boon, or just an eyesore?
Number of turbines in southeast Alberta has increased significantly, with $800M 400MW play now approved for Cypress County
The number of wind turbines now becoming into view from Medicine Hat’s southeast edge could nearly quadruple in several years with planned construction this year and a new wind farm approval this week.
Engie North America plans to build the Buffalo Plains Wind Farm between Dunmore and the Cypress Hills. It earned approval from the Alberta Utilities Commission this week to build the $800-million project.
It would sit as part of a cluster of three separate wind farms with a combined total of 163 turbine towers southeast of Medicine Hat. A second phase of the Buffalo Plains would bring the total number of towers above 200, up from zero one year ago.
The swift pace is a concern to some Cypress County residents who opposed the Buffalo Plains project at regulatory hearings in December, but others say the project will bolster the regional economy.
Cypress County too has promoted the southeast’s potential for renewable power development, and a number of wind and solar projects have moved forward, but councillors are now debating how to guide development onto less productive agricultural areas.
In January, Cypress County signed on to join other counties in lobbying the provincial government to regulate that they should have more authority when proposals go to utility regulators for approval.
It was discussed in general terms at Tuesday’s meeting during updates on several other solar project proposals.
“Something has got to happen,” said Cypress County Reeve Dan Hamilton during general discussion, referring to county concerns about loss of agricultural production and reclamation, although he noted landowners who stand to benefit from lease revenue are opposed to more government intervention.
The scope and pace of development became apparent in Medicine Hat this winter.
Last year, EDF Renewables finished building its Cypress Energy Centre, a 48-turbine array located west of Highway 41 between Irvine and the Cypress Hills.
That company also received regulatory approval to build the similarly sized Bull Trail wind farm on the east side of Highway 41 this year.
Engie’s project forms an “S” pattern between and around portions of both, and has an initial in-service date of Dec. 31, 2024, though construction has not yet been approved by the company.
Counties depend on new utility development to bolster tax base, as the oil and gas sector struggled in the late 2010s.
The Engie project could produce annual tax revenue for Cypress County of $1.8 million, according to the company’s application. That would equate to about eight per cent of the county’s annual budget, along with surface access and lease payments to landowners.
Wade Watson ranches southeast of the city and owns land under contract to Engie for turbine sites and which would see turbines go up. He registered with the AUC to argue the project should proceed stating that revenue streams through hosting renewable energy projects would strengthen farming business and keep taxes low.
He told the News this week he supports wind power in general, and said the projects have significant economic benefits beyond specific landowners.
“It’s a positive for residents, a positive for the region and a positive for our country,” said Watson, who favours wind as he feels it is less land intensive than solar fields. A wind farm’s size is often stated in dozens of sections, but each tower within occupies a few acres or less.
“It’s energy without really taking agricultural land out of production,” he said.
“I know there are people who don’t like to see windmills, and there’s a difference of opinion, but your rights don’t extend past your property line.
“This will strengthen the whole county.” The AUC ruled in its permit approval this week that Engie has mitigated a number of potential concerns of residents, and regulators are satisfied the project is in the public interest to proceed.
Groups of Cypress County residents that formally opposed the wind farm at the AUC proceedings disagree, and argued the cumulative effects of so much clustered development detracts from the landscape, affects wildlife and could affect land values and human health.
County resident Sylvia Holstien called the approval “misguided.”
“Animals, environment and future generations are going to have to pay the price of the bad decisions made by greedy individuals,” she wrote in a statement to the News. “Maybe if more light is brought to actual harm these turbines cause some future plans will be appropriately stopped. There is better technology than building these archaic dinosaur turbines.”
Engie’s original proposal was to erect 96 towers, but reduced that to 65, and as a condition of approval will provide standard wildlife monitoring and continue to engage with residents about concerns.
It is typical for developers to reduce the number of towers over long periods of time as higher capacity turbine motors are produced.
Despite having one third fewer turbines, the updated project will still have the same top production capacity of 400 megawatts in peak conditions.
The City of Medicine Hat’s natural gas-fired turbine complex has a top capacity of 299 megawatts.