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Part of Search public engagements

Renewable energy development on agricultural land engagement

Stakeholders were asked to provide input on challenges and opportunities around developing utility scale renewable energy on privately owned agricultural land.

Overview

We sought input from stakeholders to help inform how government evaluates privately owned agricultural land for renewable energy development. 

Input will help us develop tools to prioritize agriculture to minimize risk to Alberta’s privately owned native grasslands and ensure irrigable and productive agricultural lands remain available to keep sustainable food production safe.

This engagement is a part of government's wider effort to advance policy, legislative and regulatory changes for renewable energy development.

Status

  • Open

  • Results under review

  • Completed

Who is listening

Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation

Get informed

Background

On February 28, 2024, the Minister of Affordability and Utilities shared government’s intention to advance policy, legislative and regulatory changes for renewable energy development before the end of 2024.

These changes will provide clarity around municipal involvement and address recommendations for agricultural lands, reclamation security and viewscapes. 

Crown land recommendations are expected to be implemented by the end of 2025.

Information webinar

Watch the renewable energy development on agricultural land webinar to learn more about the engagement.

Stakeholder engagement

Municipalities, renewable energy companies and agricultural landowners, including First Nations and Métis private landowners, were invited to share feedback on the following topics through an online questionnaire from July 24 to August 14, 2024:

  • How should coexistence between agriculture and renewable energy production be defined, including monitoring, reporting and compliance?
  • If there are agriculture and commercial activities on agricultural land, are there any challenges with land zoning and property tax considerations?
  • How could native grassland protection be balanced with renewable energy development?
  • Are the Land Suitability Rating System’s soil classifications the best way to define ‘productive agricultural land’ or are there other options to use with or replace the classifications? 
  • When should the site assessment for commercial-scale renewable energy developments require an irrigability assessment?

Outcomes

Input will help inform policy, legislative and regulatory changes to develop tools and support an 'agriculture first' approach to renewable energy development.

News

Contact

To connect with the renewable energy development on agricultural land engagement:

Phone: 310-FARM
Email: [email protected]