Alberta’s moratorium on approvals for new renewable energy projects — imposed on Aug. 3, 2023, and lifted at the end of February this year — is said to have slowed development and introduced uncertainty into the Canadian province’s clean energy landscape.
In a recent backgrounder, “Creating (Un)certainty for Renewable Projects,” the Pembina Institute critically examines Alberta’s renewable energy sector following the moratorium. While the Alberta government positioned the moratorium as a needed pause to address concerns over land use and the pace of development, the Pembina Institute says it has had long-lasting consequences.
At first, the announcement regarding the moratorium led to a surge in project applications as developers rushed to secure approvals under the existing regulatory framework, the backgrounder explains. However, this brief period of activity was followed by a dramatic decline in new proposals, with only 13 MW of capacity being submitted after the moratorium took full effect.
Source: Alberta Electric System Operator
The backgrounder reveals that since the moratorium was introduced, 53 renewable energy projects worth a total of 8,630 MW have been canceled. The report says these represent lost opportunities for clean energy production and a setback in the province’s transition to a low-carbon economy.
The Alberta government has also introduced new restrictions on renewable energy projects, such as bans on projects on high-quality agricultural land and buffer zones around pristine areas. However, the backgrounder adds that lack of detail and official guidance when it comes to new regulations has only heightened uncertainty for developers.
Download the full report originally published by the Pembina Institute on August 2, 2024.
