A public information and consultation session was held in Hanna for a potential solar farm within the community.
Pace Canada has proposed building the 40 MW Harvest Sky Solar farm in the community. The company has two projects underway in Joffre and Youngstown, and a list of proposed sites in the southern Alberta area.
It is proposed for a 360-acre site north of the Ag Centre and airport. The company has leased the land, which is currently zoned Urban Reserve. The land falls under discretionary uses under Hanna’s Land Use Bylaw.
Mayor Danny Povaschuk says the project is in its very early stages, and there are some concerns, with some expressing that the land so close to the town could be used for industrial. There are very few residential neighbourhoods nearby.
“I tell people I have been in town for 23 years, and nothing other than John Deere has developed there,” he said. He adds there are concerns about the airport being in close proximity.
The technology boasts a reduction in carbon emissions and could potentially remove over 1 million tonnes over the 30 years life of the project. It could provide 60-100 local construction jobs as it is being built, as well as 2-3 operations and maintenance equivalents over the life of the project. I could make a significant contribution to the tax base in Hanna.
“It is going to generate between $250,000- $300,000 in tax dollars, so you have to consider that,” said Povaschuk.
So far, they are in the very early stages of the process. Pace did a presentation to Hanna’s town council in January, and the public information and consultation session took place on March 15. There will be more opportunities for the public to learn about the project and voice their concerns. Other considerations that will have to be addressed include environmental, noise and glint/ glare studies, as well as regulatory approvals, permitting and agreements.
More information is available at www.harvestskysolar.ca. Updates and the recording of the public information and consultation session are available at https://hanna.ca/solar-farm-update-apr-5
