Federal Government Announces Over $20 Million to Support Wind Project in Alberta

CYPRESS COUNTY, AB, Sept. 28, 2023 /CNW/ - Communities in Alberta and across Canada are developing cleaner, more reliable and more affordable energy sources. The Government of Canada is working in partnership with them to support these efforts. As Canada moves toward a net-zero future, investments in technologies such as wind are vital for in modernizing the grid, all while creating good-paying, sustainable jobs.

Today, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, announced $23.4 million for EDF Renewables Canada's Cypress 2 Wind Project in southern Alberta. The project will increase renewable energy capacity and grid services in Alberta, while significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and creating good jobs in the province.

The Cypress 2 project is a 47-megawatt (MW) transmission connected wind power facility in Cypress County, Alberta. This project is expected to reduce GHG emissions by 67 tonnes per year, equivalent to removing over 20,000 cars off the road each year, and it will produce enough zero-emission electricity to power the equivalent of nearly 15,000 average homes in Alberta. Along with the Cypress 1, it will deploy renewable energy to support Alberta's transition to a net-zero economy. With its construction, it is expected to have created over 110 jobs. The project is partly owned by the Alberta Kainai/Blood Tribe and located on its traditional territory. This is another step toward economic reconciliation and ensuring Indigenous communities truly benefit from economic development projects on their traditional territories and beyond.

Federal funding for this project is provided by Natural Resources Canada's through the Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program (SREPs). Budget 2023 committed nearly $3 billion in additional funds to this program, along with an estimated $26 billion for the Clean Electricity Investment Tax Credit. The SREPs is actively supporting Canada's ongoing transition to a net-zero economy by 2050 and Canada's commitment to meeting Clean Electricity Regulations objectives.

"The Government of Canada is investing to deliver more affordable, reliable and clean power in every region of Canada. This federal investment in EDF's Cypress 2 Wind Project will create jobs delivering power to communities across Alberta as we seize the economic opportunities of a low-carbon future."

The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources

"Alongside our friends at EDF and the Kainai/Blood Tribe, the Government of Canada is investing to deliver clean, reliable and affordable power to Albertan homes and businesses. The Cypress 2 Wind Project is a great example of innovation and hard work coming together to deliver. Congratulations to all those involved in this job-creating clean power project."
 
The Honourable Randy Boissonnault
Minister of Employment, Workforce Development, and Official Languages
Member of Parliament for Edmonton Centre

"What we are most proud of is the collaborative nature of this project from our first equity partnership with the Kainai/Blood Tribe and securing approvals and support from every level of government ? an achievement attained by forging sustainable relationships with landowners, the broader project community, the host municipality and the Kainai/Blood Tribe."

Ryan Pfaff
Executive Vice President, EDF Renewables North America

• Recent Natural Resources Canada clean energy investments in Alberta include:
  • Over $175 million for twelve Alberta-based clean energy projects, which will generate enough clean power to reduce emissions equivalent to taking nearly 325,000 gas-powered cars off the road every year, resulting in cleaner air and healthier communities.
  • Over $160 million for nine Alberta-based solar and energy storage projects to generate significant clean solar power and deploy 163 megawatts (MW) of new solar generation and 48 MW of battery storage capacity. 
  • Nearly $9 million for the Métis Nation of Alberta (MNA) to deploy a 4.86-MW solar power generation project in Smoky Lake County at Métis Crossing in Alberta. 
• The Government of Canada recently released Powering Canada Forward, its vision for transforming Canada's electricity sector and meeting its commitment to decarbonizing the country's electricity systems as it: 
  • reiterates why the expansion of a clean electricity system is important and necessary to drive sustainable growth, enhance environmental performance and advance Indigenous reconciliation; 
  • highlights the extensive work governments and partners have already done to create a dynamic, sustainable electricity sector; and 
  • outlines how the federal government has and will continue to support, incentivize and accelerate the production of clean and non-emitting electricity. 
• Budget 2023 included $3 billion for Natural Resources Canada over 13 years, including to recapitalize the Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program to support critical regional priorities and Indigenous-led projects. It also includes $40 billion of historic investments in the grid. The Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program (SREPs) provides up to $1.56 billion over eight years for smart renewable energy and electrical grid modernization projects.

• EDF Renewables Canada
• Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program
• Powering Canada Forward: Building a Clean, Affordable, and Reliable Electricity System for Every Region in Canada 
• 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan: Clean Air, Strong Economy
• Sustainable Jobs Plan
• Budget 2023: Investing in Clean Electricity

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SOURCE Natural Resources Canada