A group of central Alberta landowners have joined forces to block a proposed 2,000-acre solar project.
A subsidiary of Acciona Energy Canada Global Inc. has proposed a 450-megawatt featuring 1.2 million solar panels and a connecting power line on land about seven km southwest of Torrington, which is 35 km east of Olds.
Alberta Utilities Commission received an application for the project last October and a virtual hearing has been scheduled for June 24.
A number of residents who live or own near the proposed solar facility are opposed to the project and 10 of them have hired Edmonton environmental lawyer Richard Secord to represent them.
Larry Kintz, who farms and pastures 1,400 acres next to the solar facility site, said residents have many concerns about the scale of the proposed project, its potential impact on other properties and the amount of farmland that will be taken out of useful production.
"The biggest thing is the land value. That's what scares me," said Kintz, who has been told his farmland could fall 25 to 50 per cent in value.
"No one wants to farm around them. Nobody wants to be around them," he said of solar facilities.
He is also concerned that if a hailstorm comes through shattering thousands of panels or if there is a fire toxic metals could find their way into the nearby Kneehill Creek, which runs into the Red Deer River, which links to the Bow River.
There are also fears that such a massive concentration of solar panels could create a "heat dome" raising temperatures in the immediate vicinity and drying out land that already does not get enough rain many years.
Many also question whether reclamation will happen as intended when the solar facility's estimated 25-year lifespan is reached.
Another worry is that the facility will give off a constant and annoying low-level hum, he said.
The solar facility will require a high-voltage power line link to the provincial grid. AltaLink has proposed number of routes and a final option has not been chosen.
Kintz said wherever the line ends up it will split farmers' lands and could mean air weed spraying is not possible.
Dianne Schmelke, lives in Red Deer but has family farmland next to the proposed solar site that could be split by a powerline that would pass through the homestead farmyard.
"The panels themselves are right across the road from my farm," said Schmelke. "That's something there's no way I'm going to accept."
Residents also feel that the process gives municipalities and their residents little control over what happens on the land and all decision making is in the hands of AUC regulators.
"We're really confused and frustrated," she said. "All of the farmers out there are totally against it."
Kneehill County Reeve Ken King said the municipality has applied for intervenor status and intends to have representatives speak at the public hearing.
King said the municipality has little say in the approval process, which is up to the AUC and bound by the provincial regulations in place.
"As far as being able to stand in strong opposition, we can't really do that. So, we're not going to go to the hearing and say we adamantly and firmly oppose development.
"But we will go to address concerns we have around agriculture and co-existence with agricultural and weed management and other issues that are a concern to us as a council.
"Ultimately, we have so little say in the location it becomes very difficult for us."
King said among the biggest concerns is whether using hundreds of acres of productive or potentially farmland for millions of solar panels is the best use of that land.
While solar companies point to their intention to build facilities where raising crops or pasturing can continue, it is not the same as traditional farming, said King.
"It's different. We don't see it as being the same as if it was in annual crop production."
The municipality also questions why Acciona was permitted to reassess farmland in the project area, changing its classification from Class 2 to the less farmable Class 3.
How to incorporate solar facilities into an urban landscape is a complex balancing act, which includes the right of a landowner to use his property as he sees fit against the rights of neighbours to not be affected by nearby developments, he said.
In its latest project update, Acciona Energia provides more information on many of the issues raised by residents.
As to farmland, the company says a recent survey has rated 97 per cent of the project site Class 3 farmland. Under the province Electric Energy Land Use and Visual Assessment Regulation, Class 3 farmland does not require steps be taken to keep the land in agricultural production.
Even though only three per cent of the project area falls within land that subject to regulations that agriculture "co-exist" with crops or livestock production, the entire site will be used for agrivoltaics – a term used to describe solar sites where accommodations have been made to continue agriculture use.
Seven meters has been left between solar array rows to allow the landowner to continue forage cropping.
A noise impact assessment has been completed that indicates it meets AUC requirements and money for reclamation will be provided through a security backed by a third-party guarantee, which ensures the funds are still there in the event of bankruptcy. Reclamation costs will be updated regularly to reflect inflation and other factors that may change the cost of returning the site to its previous state.
Environmental studies also show the project has a low risk for wildlife or its habitat.
