Sunnynook Solar Energy Inc. is developing the 280-megawatt solar project and 100-megawatt battery energy storage system located in Special Areas 2, Southern Alberta, Canada
Sunnynook Solar + Energy Storage Project
We are committed to engaging openly with landowners, public stakeholders, government agencies, and members of the local community.
About the Project
Welcome to the Sunnynook Solar + Energy Storage Project
Sunnynook Solar Energy Inc. is developing a 280-megawatt (MWac) solar project and 100-megawatt battery energy storage system located 11 kilometres northeast of Sunnynook, Alberta and 53 kilometres southeast of Hanna, Alberta in Special Areas 2. The Project encompasses 985 acres and has been sited on privately owned cultivated farmland. The Sunnynook Project began development in 2021 with land securement, early engineering studies, and the initiation of environmental field studies.
We are committed to sharing information about the Project and working with the local community to ensure that we receive and understand stakeholder feedback and concerns. We will be reaching out to your by mail, telephone, email and via an open house. Your feedback is important and we encourage community members and stakeholders to participate throughout the development process and to contact us if you have any questions or concerns about the Project – our contact information is included below. The AUC brochure titled Public Involvement in a Proposed Utility Development can be found in the Project Documents section of this website. More information about the AUC review process can be found here: https://www.auc.ab.ca/auc-review-process-steps/
Project Benefits
The Project will have many benefits to the local community and to Alberta including:
Local Employment: During construction, the Project is expected to create up to 360 full-time jobs, creating opportunities for local individuals and Alberta-based businesses. During operations, the Project will provide up to 10 permanent full-time and part-time jobs.
Local Economy: Local businesses will experience increased activity in hospitality, retail, and other service industries during Project development, construction, and operations.
Property Taxes: The Project will pay annual property taxes to Special Area No. 2 resulting in financial benefits to the local communities.
Clean Electricity: Local generation of renewable energy adds to the province’s energy mix providing a long-term, low cost and low carbon energy source. The Project is expected to generate emission-free electricity to power approximately 45,000 Alberta homes.
About Us
Westbridge Energy Corp.
Westbridge is a publicy-traded renewable energy company listed on the Toronto Venture Exchange with a focus on originating and developing utility-scale solar and energy storage projects to deliver clean electricity to Canadians. The management team behind Westbridge has developed more than 2-gigawatts of renewable energy capacity across Europe and North America, including four utility scale solar PV development projects comprising 985 MW and 300 MW of energy storage for a total of 1,285 MW in progress in Alberta. These projects will support clean energy procurements by government, various industries, and utilities.
Project Schedule
Project Updates
As part of Sunnynook Solar's stakeholder consultation process, we are pleased to provide the following Project updates.
We are committed to engaging landowners and potentially affected stakeholders regarding the Project. The Project Introduction Newsletter was mailed out to stakeholders in July 2022 and personal consultations are ongoing. An open house was held on November 21, 2022 and a Project Update newsletter was provided to stakeholders in December 2022.
Environmental field studies were completed between September 2021 and July 2022 to assess and mitigate any impacts to wildlife and habitat. The results of the environmental studies will also inform the Project's planning and development. The Renewable Energy Project Submission was submitted to Alberta Environment and Protected Areas on October 19, 2022 and the Referral Letter was received in December 2022.
The solar power plant application will be submitted to the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) in January 2023.
We have engaged Special Areas 2 to ensure the Project layout meets all municipal bylaws and Land Use Order requirements. We will seek Municipal Development Permit Approval in Q3 2023.
Completed Studies
Environment: desktop and field studies were initiated in 2021 and were completed in Q3 2022 including:
Environmental constraints mapping to identify buildable areas of land and avoid environmentally sensitive areas.
Desktop wetland delineation and field verification to minimize impacts to wetlands and surface waters.
Wildlife surveys including breeding bird, spring and fall bird migration, raptor, sharp-tailed grouse, burrowing owl, and amphibians to mitigate impacts to wildlife.
These studies were compiled into the Sunnynook Solar Project Renewable Energy Report that was submitted to Alberta Environment and Protected Areas - Fish and Wildlife Stewardship (AEPA-FWS) in October 2022. AEPA-FWS issued its Renewable Energy Wildlife Referral Report in December 2022.
Ongoing Project Studies
Historical Resources: The Project has submitted an application for Historical Resources Act approval from Alberta Culture in October 2022. A Historical Resource Impact Assessment was requested for archaeological sites and this assessment will be completed in snow free conditions in Spring 2023.
Air Quality: The Project completed an Air Quality Dispersion Modelling Analysis and Report for the battery energy storage system.
Noise: The Project has completed a noise impact assessment per AUC Rule 012, Noise Control to assess noise for residences within 1.5 km of the Project.
Glare: The Project has completed a glare hazard assessment to assess potential glare impacts at residences within 800 metres of the Project and along roads.
