Alberta gets more solar power proposals

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Solar power may substitute for traditional energy sources in the Canadian region of Alberta. The Calgary Herald informs that alternative energy supply projects may add hundreds of megawatts in anticipation of incentives from the provincial NDP government.

According to the Alberta Electric System Operator’s data as of September 1, there have been registered 21 proposed solar projects generating a total of 681 MW on its system access service request list. That is 60 times more than the existing solar capacity in the region in the current moment.

At the same time renewable energy developer EDF EN Canada says the development of its Vulcan project will depend on what Alberta’s officials moves in the next few months.

“The price of power today is just too low for anybody to make an investment decision and earn a reasonable return over the life of the asset,” said its development manager David Warner.

“What we’re looking for is either a change in that spot price or some sort of additional revenue stream that can be made available to the project to help it achieve a tipping point to allow us to invest the money to allow the project to go forward.”

The regional government is going to promote clean energy projects to encourage competition among developers.