INNISFAIL – The town and Elemental Energy, the owners of the Innisfail Solar Farm, are this year’s co-winners of the Blue Skies Award that recognizes exceptional innovation to reduce energy use, and commitment to the community it serves.
Todd Becker, the town’s chief administrative officer, told council on May 11, the town received the 2021 Blue Skies Award with Elemental Energy for the Innisfail solar farm project in the category of innovation and technology.
The town received official notification on May 6 from the Parkland Airshed Management Zone (PAMZ), which sponsors the award to recognize individuals and organizations taking exemplary steps to improve air quality in the PAMZ region.
Jim Romane, the mayor of Innisfail, said he feels “proud” for the town that it is being honoured. He said there was two years of negotiations with the owners of the Innisfail Solar Farm, and a key point in discussions was for the town to see a benefit from the project, noting the community would not be a recipient of the power being generated.
“It was just going into the grid. We had no direct access to that or anything,” said Romane. “But from the proceeds of the entity that’s operating it we felt they should be making a commitment to the community, and they have. We are very, very pleased with that.”
Ken Kowalchuk, the town’s communications coordinator, said the town and Elemental Energy were co-applicants for the annual award, and applied just before the April 23 deadline.
“It is an award for innovation and application of technology to reduce energy use,” said Kowalchuk, adding another award component includes public education and outreach activities that reduce air pollution and protects and promotes a healthy environment.
“The reason we did it as a joint application was that not only was there outstanding technology used in the development of the farm itself but the social component, the fact that Elemental Energy set up the fund we are using to distribute to the community.
“When we were in negotiations with Elemental Energy, we proposed to them the setting up of that community fund, and of course they were open to that. It a unique model within this kind of an operation."
Innisfail Solar Corporation/Elemental Energy, a Vancouver-based company, began operations 10 months ago with its 25 MV Innisfail Solar Farm project.
The company agreed to provide the town with an annual $20,000 grant to support community and non-profit initiatives. Half of the contribution is for the new Community Benefit Fund, which provides grants to local community and non-profit groups.
Another portion is for the town’s new Fee Assistance Program, while remaining monies are going toward environmental education programs at local schools.
Kowalchuk said there will be a virtual awards ceremony on June 2. He said a video is being prepared of the town’s acceptance of the award, which was actually presented in-person to the town on May 18 during a private meeting.
He said Elemental Energy will be represented virtually along with town on June 2. The Blue Skies Awards program was cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
PAMZ is a multi-stakeholder non-profit organization consisting of industry, government, environmental organizations and the general public. It was formed in 1997 to monitor and manage air quality within the Parkland Region.
The area it encompasses includes communities within the central Alberta region, running from Three Hills in the east to the B.C. border in the west and from just north of Crossfield in the south to Ponoka in the north.
