Alberta renewable energy surge could power 4,500 jobs
Alberta has seen a massive increase in corporate investment in renewable energy since 2019, and capacity from those deals is set to increase output by two gigawatts — enough to power roughly 1.5 million homes.
“Our analysis shows $3.7 billion worth of renewables construction by 2023 and 4,500 jobs,” said Nagwan Al-Guneid, the director of Business Renewables Centre Canada.
The centre is an initiative of the environmental think tank Pembina Institute and provides education and guidance for companies looking to invest in renewable energy or energy offsets across Canada. Its membership is made up of renewable energy companies.
The addition of two gigawatts is over two times the amount of renewable energy added to the grid between 2010 and 2017, according to the Canadian Energy Regulator
“This is driven directly by what we call power purchase agreements,” Al-Guneid says. “We have companies from across the country coming to Alberta.”
So far this year, 191 megawatts of renewable energy will be added through purchase agreements, according to the Business Renewables Centre.