Should Solar and Wind Farms Be Allowed on Alberta's Best Farmland?
Official title: Renewable energy development on agricultural land engagement
Why This Matters
Own farmland in Alberta? This could affect what you can do with it. Live in a rural area? You might see more solar panels and wind turbines—or fewer, depending on the rules. Food prices could be affected if productive farmland gets converted to energy production.
What Could Change
New rules will determine where renewable energy projects can be built on private agricultural land. The government may restrict development on native grasslands and highly productive farmland. Irrigable land assessments could become mandatory for large projects. Municipal zoning and property tax rules for mixed-use agricultural-energy land may also change.
Key Issues
- How should agriculture and renewable energy coexist on the same land?
- How can native grasslands be protected while allowing renewable energy development?
- What's the best way to define 'productive agricultural land' for these rules?
- When should irrigability assessments be required for renewable energy projects?
- What zoning and property tax challenges exist for land with both agriculture and energy production?
How to Participate
- Watch the renewable energy development on agricultural land webinar to understand what was being considered.
- The questionnaire was open from July 24 to August 14, 2024. Contact AGI.agriculturefirst@gov.ab.ca for information about outcomes.
What Happened
Input from municipalities, renewable energy companies, agricultural landowners, and Indigenous private landowners will help inform policy, legislative and regulatory changes. The government plans to develop tools supporting an 'agriculture first' approach to renewable energy development. Policy changes were expected by end of 2024, with Crown land recommendations by end of 2025.