DP Energy secures approval for largest urban solar development in North America
DP Energy, an Irish company that develops large renewable energy generation projects in Canada and across the world, has been granted approval for the 325 MW Saamis solar project in the City of Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. The approval for the project, which will be North America’s largest urban solar project when built, follows a public hearing held in the city in April.
Saamis solar park, situated in the northwest of Canada’s sunniest city, will support Alberta’s target of sourcing 30% of its electricity from renewable energy sources by 2030. It is expected to generate enough electricity to supply the equivalent of approximately 250 000 households and offset around 300 000 tpy of carbon emissions.
Home to more than 600 000 solar panels, Saamis Solar Park will create a number of direct employment opportunities during the construction, operation, and decommissioning phases, as well as extensive indirect opportunities across the full supply chain.
Almost half of the 1600-acre project is sited on a contaminated brownfield site consisting of capped phosphogypsum stacks, a by-product of fertilizer production. This is the largest of three projects DP Energy has developed on similar brownfield sites, with the 64 MW Barlow and Deerfoot solar park project in the City of Calgary, Canada, commencing operation last year.
DP Energy’s development portfolio in Canada also includes the proposed 200 MW Miyopiyiwin wind project in Saskatchewan in partnership with Piapot First Nation, and the 400 MW Nova East wind project, a joint venture with SBM Offshore, targeted as being Canada’s first offshore wind project.
Headquartered in Buttevant in North Cork, and operating for over 30 years, DP Energy has enabled 1.5 GW (1533 MW) of renewable energy generation through 21 significant infrastructure projects worldwide. Currently, DP Energy has a 9.7 GW pipeline of renewable energy projects across Ireland, the UK, Australia and Canada.
DP Energy was founded with a commitment to using the most sustainable and environmentally responsible methods in all its energy developments whilst also minimising impact on other species, including marine mammals. This commitment remains at the core of the company’s activities.
Commenting on the milestone, Damian Bettles, DP Energy’s Head of Development Canada, said: “We are delighted with the AUC’s approval for the Saamis Solar Park. The solar park is a fantastic productive use of the land which will create local jobs and contribute to Alberta’s emission reduction goals. The approval marks a significant milestone for the project and a critical step as the project advances to-wards start of construction.”
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