Grid parity solar power generation has been Solar Krafte's exclusive focus from inception.
We build green, benign solar farms intelligently, with scale, through contiguous build-outs, resulting in power prices that beat carbon burning generation now, and even much more so in the future.
Solar Krafte's Prairie Sunlight family of solar farms brings world class, utility-scale, solar PV to Alberta.
Brooks Solar Farm
The proposed project is sited on Sections 19, 29 and 30, the south halves of Sections 31 and 32, the north half of Section 18, Section 28, and the south half and north east quarter of Section 33, Township 18, Range 15, Meridian 4 as well as Section 24 and the south half of Section 25, Township 18, Range 16 Meridian 4.
About the Project
The proposed Brooks Solar Farm is a 400 megawatt (MW) solar facility located on 2,800 acres of private land in the County of Newell, Alberta, west of the City of Brooks, immediately adjacent to the AltaLink Cassils Substation.
The project is estimated to offset 470,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually, generating enough electricity to power more than 90,000 Alberta homes.
The total capital cost of the project is expected to approach $500 million, bringing an important source of direct and indirect economic activity to the County of Newell and the City of Brooks.
The project is expected to be completed in phases with commercial operations commencing in late 2022 and continuing over the next 30 years and beyond.
Sited on some of southern Alberta's most heavily impacted conventional energy resource land, the project will tie directly into a 240-kilovolt open bay situated within the existing AltaLink Cassils Substation.
Brooks
Solar Farm
Clean, renewable power without subsidies
Solar Krafte focuses solely on power generation in solar rich jurisdictions, where the price for power is not subsidized, delivering power to consumers at the best price, and without emissions or waste.
Through technological advances, and substantial global manufacturing supply increases, the cost to build a commercial scale solar power plant has dropped dramatically over the past few years. What cost us $100 million to build eight years ago, we can build today for $25 million.
The solar panels for this project will be mounted on horizontal trackers, which allow the panels to move throughout the day as the sun arcs across the sky.
Project Schedule
Notify stakeholders
February 2021 & Ongoing
Open House
March 2021
File development permit application with the
County of Newell
November 2021
File power plant application with Alberta Utilities Commission
March 2021
Construction
2022
Operation
November 2022
Visual Impact
The project equipment will have a maximum height of 3.6 metres. The project will only be visible within proximity and will blend in with the horizon at distances of 100 metres and greater, allowing for minimal visual impact to the surrounding communities.
The solar panels are designed to absorb light to convert it into energy, rather than reflect it. This means there will be minimal visual impact caused by glare.
We are engaging a glare hazard analyst to prepare a solar glare hazard analysis report for the project, which we believe will predict that there would not be any hazard due to glare at any of the observation points evaluated.
Noise
The project would result in temporary noise increases during construction but would not create any substantial permanent increase in the ambient noise levels. We anticipate little to no increase in existing noise levels during the lifetime operation of this project.
Once operational, the only source of noise will be the inverters, which are designed to operate within municipal noise standards. In any event, we locate them centrally in our systems, well away from site boundaries.
We are engaging acoustic assessors to complete a noise impact assessment of the project, which we believe will predict that the cumulative daytime and nighttime cumulative sound levels of the project would be within the regulated, permissible limits.
Environment
Solar Krafte is committed to mitigating any potential negative environmental impacts.
Our solar generators produce clean, renewable power without emissions or waste, and therefore help to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases emitted during the production of electricity.
We engaged biologists to prepare wildlife and wetland assessments of the project.
Historic Resources
There is limited potential for archaeological and palaeontological resources. We engaged an archaeologist to study the project site and obtain Historical Resources Act clearance from Alberta Culture and Tourism.
Community Benefits
Solar Krafte values the long-term benefits of working with the local community.
Beyond the clean, renewable power our project will produce for the residents of Alberta, without emissions or waste, the significant property tax revenue from this project will help alleviate costs of municipal services or infrastructure.
Other local economic benefits will include construction jobs, long-term operator positions, and significant, local investment into the hospitality and construction services sector.
