INNISFAIL – The town may soon be the site of one of Western Canada’s largest energy producing solar farms, a proposal spearheaded by a respected U.K.-based alternative energy project builder and local entrepreneur Robert Bilton.
If the partnership plan receives the final go-ahead by town council, it could have enough power (20 megawatts) to fuel up to 4,000 homes. The project, which will cost up to $24 million to build, could also put tens of thousands of dollars into town coffers through land leasing revenues, property taxes and an annual community endowment fund. There would be no financial cost to taxpayers.
During a special meeting on Jan. 29, town council agreed to sign a non-binding letter of intent to enter into an agreement with Bilton and Temporis Developments, a partnership that will be called Innisfail Solar Corp. The final decision by the town on whether to move forward must be made by March 31. If the decision is to go forward, the agreement will then be confirmed by both sides signing an option for a lease agreement.
The new company is looking for a lease agreement to build the solar farm on 70 to 80 acres of town-owned land immediately north of the Innisfail Golf Club. The land, which currently generates $6,000 a year through an agricultural lease, was purchased by the town in 2010 for future residential development.
If a lease agreement is signed, provincial regulatory approvals are granted and the town signs off on required permitting, it will take about six months to construct the solar farm. The new company is looking to have it operational in October 2019.
"Finally now, with the carbon tax and the way electricity prices is going and the way oil and gas prices is going, the time has come,” said Bilton, owner and CEO of Innisfail-based Bilton Welding and Manufacturing Ltd. "As soon as we saw that happening with one of my other companies that trades electricity we had a very good view of the future cost of electricity and it was apparent to us the time was now.”
Robbie Donaldson, managing director of Temporis, delivered a lengthy public presentation of the solar farm plan at a special council meeting on Jan. 29. He said his company has built 14 solar energy farm projects in Europe since 2013, and if the Innisfail project gets final approval it would be the second in the province, after the recently launched solar farm in Brooks, which now generates 17 megawatts of power.
"We feel it is a good project and we are keen to make it happen for lots of reasons,” said Donaldson. "We genuinely feel it is always more satisfying doing a project that has a bit more community buy-in and giving back to the community, and I hope people in Innisfail are thinking the same. It should bring a lot to the area.”
Donaldson said the leasing deal with the town could bring in as much as $35,000 annually for the town. He added there would be additional property tax revenues, along with up to $20,000 a year for community groups through a new community endowment fund.
Donaldson said power generated will go on existing networks and citizens will still be paying the same prices for electricity.
Mayor Jim Romane said while the solar farm proposal would be a good use of the targeted site, he said the town still wants the option, following a 20- or 25-year lease, to convert the site for residential development.
"There is no negative impact on the land for future development,” said Romane, adding the town will make every effort with any agreement to protect the interests of local taxpayers.
"There will be an insurance policy that assures of that,” he said. "If they vacate or go broke the insurance package comes in and tears everything out. We are covering all our bases that way.”
Robert Bilton
"Finally now, with the carbon tax and the way electricity prices is going and the way oil and gas prices is going, the time has come."
