Proposed solar farm project in Sturgeon County brings potential to power hydrogen and homes in the region
April 27, 2022
(Edmonton, AB) – Alpin Sun, developer of the 120 MW AC Airport City Solar project at the Edmonton International Airport, is pleased to announce its latest proposed Canadian renewable energy project, Sol Aurora, to be in Sturgeon County’s portion of the Alberta Industrial Heartland. Sol Aurora will be the largest renewable energy development to date in central Alberta.
Sol Aurora, a 1,200-acre, 200 megawatt AC solar farm, is slated to be located within Canada’s largest hydrocarbon industrial park, the Alberta Industrial Heartland (AIH), making renewable energy directly available to the nation’s major carbon emitting industrials.
Co-locating the solar farm in Alberta’s Industrial Heartland promotes local renewable energy production, diversifies energy use, and avoids costly transmission from remote areas. The proposed new solar farm supports Sturgeon County’s on-going commitment to sustainable, cutting-edge, job-creating industrial development.
Alpin Sun has submitted its application to regulators for its proposed Sol Aurora north of Fort Saskatchewan on land zoned for heavy industrial use. Sol Aurora anticipates to begin construction in early 2023 and be operational by mid-2024. The project will bring in an estimated $340 million in capital expenditures. Power generated by Sol Aurora will feed directly into AltaLink’s Heartland Substation which is adjacent to the proposed solar farm.
“The Sol Aurora solar farm project builds on the value proposition offered in Alberta’s Industrial Heartland (AIH) by enhancing energy diversification and providing decarbonatization pathways. Projects like this will continue to strengthen AIH’s competitive advantages and further attract investments in value-add manufacturing and energy processing” ~ Mark Plamondon, Executive Director of the Alberta’s Industrial Heartland Association.