The Alberta government has released a no-go map for renewables, where new wind and solar projects will not be allowed in the province to prevent infringement on ‘pristine viewscapes.’
The new map loosens restrictions from the initial imposition of a 35-kilometre ‘buffer zone’ around all parks and protected areas in the province.
The initial announcement was met with widespread outrage, with many groups drawing up maps to determine where wind and solar projects might be allowed.
The announcement also left the renewables industry wondering why other energy sectors were not under the same rules.
Pembina Institute Deputy Executive Director Simon Dyer told Canada’s National Observer, “If you put a 35-kilometre buffer on all protected areas in southern Alberta, that covers 76 percent of the landscape.”
The province has just released its map of ‘buffer zones’ and ‘visual impact assessment zones’ for renewable projects to help clarify the situation.
Renewable projects are prohibited in the ‘buffer zones,’ including the province’s western edge along the foothills and mountains.
“Wind projects are no longer permitted in the buffer zones due to the impact of their vertical footprint,” said Ashley Stevenson, Affordability and Utilities Ministry spokeswoman.
All new renewable developments will be assessed for ‘visual impact’ in five other large areas, including within 35 kilometres of Cypress Hills, Dinosaur Provincial Park, Writing-On-Stone Provincial Park, Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, and in a stretch of foothills south of Rocky Mountain House.
Reaction to the Restrictions?
Evan Wilson of the Canadian Renewable Energy Association stated that the newly released map isn’t as restrictive as some feared.
Like many others, Wilson wonders why these buffer zones and visual impact assessment zones apply only to renewables; “Why is this something that is just impacting wind and solar?”
Even the Alberta Utilities Commission has weighed in, saying in a recent report, “The commission suggests that should the government find it in the public interest to pursue ‘no-go’ restricted viewscape zones, any prohibition on development intended to achieve viewscape preservation be industry agnostic and apply equally to all forms of development.”
Jason Wang, an analyst at the Pembina Institute, noted that the new map, though less restrictive than the previous announcement, will still affect 57 projects worth $14 billion.
Wang identified 22 projects in particular that are now in the ‘no-go zone’ or subject to visual impact assessment. The other 35 have agriculture restrictions placed on them.
“That area, where these existing [22] projects are, that’s where Alberta’s best wind resources are,” he said.
Alberta Views?
Evan Wilson, like many others, is looking for clarity.
“What we are seeking is clarity on what a pristine viewscape is.”
In a province where pumpjacks, oil wells, compressor stations, open pit mines, and clearcut logging litter our foothills and abut up against parks and protected areas, many Albertans wonder the same.
How can the province consider approving the open-pit Grassy Mountain coal mine and approve the expansion of Coalspur’s Vista open-pit mine near Hinton but deny some wind and solar due to ‘viewscape’ concerns?
Albertans want a fair playing field for all energy sectors.
We demand fairness in confederation; shouldn’t we for our energy futures as well?
