“Unprecedented growth” and “a renewables boom.” Those are two phrases used by the Business Renewables Centre, an initiative of the Pembina Institute, to anoint Alberta as Canada’s wind and solar capital in a recent report that cited nearly $4-billion in renewable energy projects underway in the province.
These significant negative effects may appear as losses to and the degradation of wildlife habitat. One risk specific to solar farms is what is known as the “lake effect.” Mistaking solar arrays for waterbodies, waterfowl will try to land on the arrays. Death or serious injury result. The lake effect has been documented at solar arrays in the United States. The seriousness of this effect in Alberta is unknown due to a lack of research.
Importantly, its location minimizes risks to wildlife and habitat. All of its arrays will be located on a brownfield site consisting of industrially zoned land. It therefore presents “a low risk to wildlife and wildlife habitat,” according to AEP. Elemental Energy’s 150-megawatt Foothills project, on the other hand, may present a very serious threat to waterfowl. Foothills would be built close to the northeast shore of Frank Lake. Its proximity to the lake would make this otherwise green energy project an environmental threat.
Nearly half of the Foothills project falls within the Frank Lake IBA. An AEP report studying whether the project conforms to provincial wildlife directives for solar and wind developments neither endorses nor rejects Elemental Energy’s ambitions. But the report’s authors, both provincial wildlife biologists, wrote that they believe the project constitutes a significant risk to birds due to its location.
Source: Energy Industry News (energyindustrynews.net)
You know what is bad for the environment? YOU AND YOUR FLAWED AGENDAS
“Alberta could still prove to be bad for the environment” or just cut to your chase, “Alberta could still prove to be bad.” That’s all you’re ever after.
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