Community Newsletter (May 2022)
Great news: the unprecedented growth in Alberta’s private renewables market has led BRC-Canada to hit our ambitious target of 2 GW of renewable energy contracted by 2025 – three years early. This target was hit thanks to the 105 MW PPA signed this month by Capstone Infrastructure (a BRCC participant) and Pembina Pipelines – congratulations to both! We will share more on this exciting development, what it means for the renewables market in Canada, and how BRC-Canada is adjusting for the future in our next monthly update. Stay tuned!
Registration is now open for our July Stampede Happy Hour event – be sure to secure your spot! The Happy Hour will kick off Stampede on July 7th and will allow all BRCC participants to network together while enjoying delicious food, drinks, and gaming cards at the unique Greta arcade bar in downtown Calgary.
BRC-Canada also launched our new non-profit participation category last month. Our goal is for this category to support more diverse participation in BRCC and to ensure our resources can be distributed more equitably. Our team also participated in the Pembina Institute’s Renewables in Remote Communities conference, welcomed new BRCC participant Gibson Energy, and have been hard at work planning our upcoming summer events. Read on for the details below!
NEWS & UPDATES
Welcoming non-profits to BRC-Canada
Our new non-profit category officially launched last month, welcoming Indigenous organizations, First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities, government agencies, renewable energy co-ops, youth and student organizations, and post-secondary institutions. Know an organization we should connect with? Email our Analyst Calvin Ng at calvinn@businessrenewables.ca to introduce us!
Renewables in Remote Communities recap
Our team had the opportunity to present on BRC-Canada's mission, progress, and opportunities to the primarily Indigenous audience at this conference in Whitehorse, YT last month. We look forward to following up on these connections as we continue to develop and share resources on Indigenous partnerships and equity in renewable energy projects!
Connecting with industrial power consumers
BRCC participated at the AGM of the Industrial Power Consumer Association of Alberta this May. BRCC shared trends in corporate renewables procurement and the surge in renewables construction driven by businesses with ESG commitments. It is important for our team to speak to buyers with substantial electricity loads about PPAs and identify opportunities for them to get involved. If you have speaking opportunities for us, please don’t hesitate to let our Communications Lead Sarah Nason know at sarahn@pembina.org!
UPCOMING EVENTS
Stampede Happy Hour (BRCC participants + invitation only)
July 7 | 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm MST | Greta Bar Alley Room, Calgary
Join us on your way from Calgary's downtown to the Stampede grounds! Free drinks, gaming cards, and plenty of food at the unique Greta arcade bar. This event is for BRC-Canada participants, funders, partners & advisors only.
More information and registration here.
MARKET NEWS
Solar Opportunities in Saskatchewan In a move that will start to expand the private renewables market more in Canada, SaskPower has issued an Advance Notice for its forthcoming 100MW solar competition. An RFQ is anticipated to open by end of June, and the power procured is expected to serve a green tariff program SaskPower is developing which will allow large consumers in the province to purchase up to about 25% of their power needs from the new facility. The competition will require 10% Indigenous equity and the recipient will be required to use a site provided by SaskPower.
Progress to Enable Energy Storage in Alberta The Alberta government has re-introduced its legislation to enable energy storage – along with other electricity system reforms – into the Alberta Legislature. The new legislation, Bill 22, is largely the same as the previous Bill 68 that was introduced last fall. Bill 68 enjoyed cross-party support, but failed to reach third reading and died when the legislature was prorogued earlier this year. The new version has changed some details, including adding “discharge” along with “storage” of energy to the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) and Alberta Energy System Operator (AESO)’s mandates and responsibilities.
HEADLINES
- ATCO seals 37-MW solar PPA in Canada with Microsoft | Renewables Now
- Investments from new corporate sectors and First Nations are catalyzing Canada’s renewables market | Interview with Dr. Sara Hastings-Simon, BRC-Canada Expert Advisor | Edison Energy
- Government of Canada Investing $300 Million in Clean Energy Projects in Indigenous, Rural and Remote Communities | Government of Canada press release
- Capstone Infrastructure Corporation Signs Power Purchase Agreement with Pembina Pipeline Corporation for the Wild Rose 2 Wind Farm | Capstone Infrastructure press release
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT: Gibson Energy
Welcome to BRC-Canada, Gibson Energy! Gibson Energy is BRCC’s newest buyer company.
Gibson is a liquids infrastructure company providing storage and pipeline infrastructure for Alberta’s oil and gas industry. They are committed to minimizing emissions and energy use while promoting resource conservation and environmental stewardship. Their target is to have net-zero operations by 2050.