Catching sun
Southern Alberta home to Canada’s largest solar facility The largest solar facility in Canada has achieved commercial operations as of April 2021 and is now producing clean, renewable power for the province of Alberta.
the project’s operations, Claresholm
“Working creatively and with
is expected to provide on-going
unmatched dedication is integral
employment along with significant
to Capstone’s business philosophy,”
and stable long-term property tax
says Eva. “We are extremely pleased
revenue to the local economy.
to support TC Energy and the critical
The Claresholm Solar Project is a 132MW solar farm located on 1,280 acres of agricultural land in the Municipal District of Willow Creek. It is comprised of approximately 477,198 photovoltaic solar panels, mounted on fixed-tilt racking with a total capacity of 132MW.
“I’m tremendously proud of our team
The project is a joint venture between Capstone Infrastructure Corporation, a renewable energy investment company based in Canada, and Obton A/S, a Danish investment company involved in the development of solar and wind power projects.
overcoming the numerous challenges
During construction, the project created 350 full-time jobs with peak site personnel reaching over 650 skilled workers. Over the course of 16 ALBERTA SOLAR REVIEW • 2021
for safely and successfully completing the Claresholm Solar Project, now
role that such corporate PPAs play in accelerating the transition to clean energy across North America.”
Canada’s largest operating solar farm,”
The terms of the PPA represent a
says David Eva, CEO of Capstone. “This
supply of 74.25MW of electricity
was an ambitious project with tight
generated from the solar farm over an
timelines, and Capstone and all our
eight-year period to TC Energy.
suppliers had the added burden of resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, which they passed with flying colours.”
“Capstone has shown incredible dedication to bringing this asset into service. Through collaborative partnerships like this one, we are bringing clean energy to the Alberta
The majority of the Claresholm Solar
market,” says Corey Hessen, senior
Project’s power and associated
vice president and president of power,
emission offsets will be sold to TC
storage and commercial marketing
Energy under the terms of a power
at TC Energy. “This PPA represents
purchase agreement (“PPA”), and the
another step toward reducing our
remaining power sold into Alberta’s
emissions and growing our power
wholesale power pool.
business across North America.”
