Member Newsletter - Oct. 2021
This week we get underway with our Fall series of webinars: a session of Corporate Renewables 101 with guest (and BRC founder) Dr. Sara Hastings-Simon. You’ll find more information on the series, including member-only events, below. Also:
- Our Q3 Deal Tracker is live on the BRC site!
- EDP Renewables and TC Energy sign Alberta’s largest-ever wind deal
- Dow signs a 25MW PPA with Capital Power
NEWS & UPDATES
Track all the Q3 deals — The BRC-Canada Q3 Deal Tracker is now live – tracking all publicly available corporate and institutional deals for Canadian renewable energy projects. This quarter includes deals by Cenovus, Dow Chemical, and both solar and wind deals by TC Energy. Cumulatively, these deals add 492 MW in capacity, more than all the contracted capacity gains in all of 2020!
Record-setting wind deal — As part of the Q3 activity, EDP Renewables has signed a long-term agreement with TC Energy for the largest-ever wind-power deal in Alberta history. The 15-year agreement will cover 100% of the development of EDP’s Sharp Hills Wind Farm, which is expected to generate 297 MW. The project, located near the hamlet of Sedalia northeast of Calgary, is expected to be operational in 2023.
Dow Chemical signs on for 25 MW — Capital Power has announced a long-term renewable PPA with Dow Chemical Canada for 25 MW of capacity from the Whitla Wind 2 project currently under construction in southeastern Alberta. The deal, the first in Canada for a company associated with the chemical industry, will extend over 15 years. Whitla, which will be Alberta’s largest wind facility, is expected to be producing and online by the end of this year.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Mark your calendars for our series of great fall events:
- Oct. 6 — Corporate Renewables 101: 11:00 am MT · A public information session on the basics of corporate renewables and virtual power purchase agreements as well as latest market trends and insights. Register here.
Fall Webinar Series
- Oct. 20 — The “Social” in ESG - 11:00 am MT · Increasing Indigenous participation in large-scale corporate renewables projects. Register here.
- Oct. 27 — Members Only Session: Practical Perspectives in Increasing Indigenous Engagement in Renewable Projects - 11:00 am MT · Insights and discussion on increasing Indigenous engagement in corporate renewables. Includes an opportunity for members to get to know each other! Register here.
Buyers’ Boot Camp
- Nov. 9 - 10, 2021 - 9:00 am MT · Join our in-depth, interactive learning experience for energy buyers, covering the fundamentals of the utility-scale, off-site transaction process. The limited number of attendees provides an opportunity to learn from fellow buyers and industry experts, to accelerate the process and avoid common pitfalls.
- Register here. Registration fee: $500.00 CAD.
- Speakers: Rebecca Nadel (BRC); Mark Porter (REBA); Benjamin Thibault (Consultant); Patrick Leonard (Amazon); Julia-Maria Becker (RBC); Jeremy Barretto (Cassels); Kerry Clark (EY)
Click here for this year’s full calendar, registration, and more details.
RESOURCES
Spring webinar videos — If you missed any of our spring webinar series, you can find recordings in the member resources section after you log in to the member portal or go directly to:
You can also find a recording of our public Corporate Renewables 101 session on the public side of our website, which you can share with others who might be interested in learning more about corporate procurement.
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
WELCOME TO NEW BRC MEMBER: PATTERN CANADA
As one of Canada’s largest operators of wind power, with more than 1,800 MW of installed capacity, the Pattern Canada team has brought ten wind facilities to operation across four provinces, including the largest First Nation wind project facility in the country.
The company has coast-to-coast-to-coast Canadian roots and looks forward to providing lasting benefits to the communities, families, and workers involved in all of their existing and future renewable energy facilities.
WELCOME TO NEW BRC MEMBER: PURPOSE BUILDING
Purpose Building is a mission-driven, employee-owned Canadian real estate company, with a focus on healthy, circular, low-carbon, financially successful communities, and buildings. The Purpose founders began with their work together in the green building group at Halsall and have been driving sustainability performance in real estate since the 1990s. The company provides organizational strategies and solutions for community planning, new development, existing buildings, and portfolios in all real estate classes. With staff in Ontario and British Columbia, Purpose serves clients across North America, including companies, institutions, governments, and not-for-profits.
Purpose Building recently developed a fully costed plan to transition all of the City of Toronto’s owned building portfolio (100Msf in 2,500 facilities) to zero carbon. The plan was presented and approved by City Council this summer and will result in annual carbon savings of 114,000 tonnes and annual utility cost savings of $90M. Purpose is currently developing similar plans for other communities and private sector organizations with cumulative assets under management of over $20B.
MARKET NEWS
Kainai/Blood Tribe launches wind project — The Kainai/ Blood tribe’s development entity, Kainaiwa Resources (KRI), is seeking buyers interested in securing PPAs or RECs from the 300 MW Pe-na-koam wind project, which will be the first industrial-scale wind farm of its kind on-reserve in Alberta.
Georgetown Solar project advances — Westbridge Energy’s fully owned Georgetown Solar subsidiary has moved closer to shovel-ready, with clearance of its environmental assessment by Alberta Environment and Parks. With preliminary layout and design completed, the company will advance the submission of a Power Plant Application with the Alberta Utilities Commission. Georgetown Solar is a solar plus storage project underway in southern Alberta. (From StreetInsider.com)