Alberta’s 7-month pause on wind, solar developments ends [Video]

As a seven-month pause on wind and solar development in Alberta comes to an end, the provincial government has laid out new rules to guide future wind and solar development in the province.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Affordability and Utilities Minister Nathan Neudorf announced the changes on Wednesday, which include a ban on new wind projects located within 35-kilometre “buffer zones” around protected areas and other “pristine viewscapes” designated by the province.

Other proposed developments located within the buffer zone may be subject to a visual impact assessment before approval.

The province also said the Alberta Utilities Commission will follow an “agriculture first” approach when evaluating proposed renewables development on agricultural lands. It said Alberta will no longer permit renewable generation developments on certain lands unless crops or livestock can coexist with the proposed renewable generation project.

Developers will be responsible for reclamation costs, provided directly to the Alberta …