Wind turbines near Pincher Creek. (Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko

Alberta to lead Canada in renewable energy growth

Mar 23, 2021 | 10:44 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Alberta has always been known as one of, if not the, biggest energy producer in the country, but that could soon be true for renewable energy specifically.

The Canada Energy Regulator (CER) has released the latest Canada’s Renewable Power report, which details how energy production has changed and where it is projected to evolve in the coming years.

They forecast that the Prairie provinces, consisting of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, will play a key role in the country’s shift to cleaner fuel sources.

Overall, the share of renewables in Alberta is expected to grow from 16 per cent in 2017 to 26 per cent by 2023.

“When people think about the Prairies, many of them think about fossil fuels. Interestingly, our projections show they are actually now leading the way in renewable energy growth, while national levels will slow in the next three years,” says Darren Christie, Chief Economist with CER.

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Alberta has historically been dominated by coal and natural gas, but CER says the province has been shifting more towards cleaner-burning natural gas.

In 2010, coal-fired generation made up 53.4 per cent of Alberta’s electricity, but that fell to 42.1 per cent in 2018. By 2023, that is projected to fall to just 15 per cent.

At the same time, natural gas grew from 41.1 per cent to half and could rise to 58.5 per cent two years from now.

Wind power has been in Southern Alberta since the mid-1990s, doubling by 2010. Electricity generated from windmills is expected to again double by 2023.

Between 2018-2022, 15 large-scale wind projects have been or will likely be installed throughout the province.

Electricity capacity and generation in Alberta. (Canada Energy Regulator)

Electricity capacity and generation in Alberta. (Canada Energy Regulator)