Concern over potential bird deaths nixes solar project in southern Alberta

A proposed 607-hectare solar farm is not coming to southern Alberta after provincial officials determined it could cause an increase in bird deaths at Frank Lake, an internationally-recognized bird habitat.

In a decision last week, the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) denied plans for the Foothills Solar Project, which would have consisted of a massive solar farm near High River, Alta., capable of generating up to 150 megawatts of power. 

While the solar farm would potentially reduce greenhouse gasses in the province, the negative consequences of possible high bird mortality outweighed the potential benefits, said Geoff Scotton, an AUC spokesperson.

"The Alberta Utilities Commission found that the impact of the project on the Frank Lake Important Bird Area and the social and environmental values that it represents are unacceptable," he said. "That's why it rejected the application." 

Frank Lake is one of a few dozen Important Bird Areas (IBAs) in Alberta. According to evidence cited in the commission's decision, more than 250 species of birds, including 60 at risk, are known to visit the lake.

"The reason it's important for birds is it's a large wetland, it has fish in it, and it has emergent vegetation around much of its borders … cattails and bulrush, and those provide a lot of feeding and nesting habitat for a wide variety of birds," said Greg Wagner, the volunteer caretaker of Frank Lake.

Wagner, who lives in High River and is a biologist by profession, spoke with the utilities commission during its information-gathering process. 

He said his main concern about the solar farm project was related to the "lake effect hypothesis" — the idea that birds might mistake solar panels for water, crash into them and die. 

While he said research around the idea is in its infancy, studies across North America suggest that mortality rates related to the lake effect hypothesis can range quite high, although they're "not massive by any stretch of the imagination." 

Given the environmental importance of Frank Lake, which Wagner says have been documented at the municipal, provincial and federal levels, he believes the lake effect hypothesis is a significant concern for water birds in the area.

Another major concern for Wagner was that a significant portion of the proposed solar farm would have been built within one kilometre of the Frank Lake IBA area. Not only would that have been against provincial guidelines, it would have threatened important nesting and feeding habitat. 

Alongside Wagner in opposition to the solar farm were Environment and Climate Change Canada, Foothills County, and the grassroots group Frank Lake Concerned Citizens. 

Lacey Cosgrave, a member of the group, lives near Frank Lake, just outside the town of Blackie. She said the proposed solar farm would have been visible from her family's home.

As soon as she learned about the project last summer, she met with her neighbours, all of whom, she said, opposed the solar farm. They formed the grassroots group and voiced their opposition to the commission. 

"We didn't really think there was a hope in hell that we were going to win this," she said. 

When she heard the commission's denial of the project this week, she said she was in awe, noting that her family would have considered moving had the project gone through. 

"It was a no-brainer that it shouldn't have been here," she said. "So we were just very happy that the AUC made the right decision."

Cold Lake First Nations partnered with Foothills on the solar farm project. According to the commission report, Cold Lake First Nations invested in the hopes of participating in the renewable energy sector. 

CBC News reached out to Cold Lake First Nations for comment but did not hear back.

Foothills is a subsidiary of Elemental Energy, a Vancouver-based company, which currently operates solar energy projects across North America, including four in southern Alberta. 

In presenting its project to the utilities commission, Foothills detailed plans to monitor environmental impacts. These included using artificial intelligence to monitor bird interactions and reporting bird fatalities in collisions with solar panels. 

"[W]e are continuing to work with our project partners Cold Lake First Nations and other stakeholders to review the AUC decision and identify opportunities to move the Foothills Solar Project forward," the statement said. 

According to Scotton, the spokesperson for the commission, Foothills would need to reapply with any changes made to the Foothills project. 

He said that the company could also appeal to the AUC by filing an application for review and variance, or appeal through the Court of Appeal of Alberta. 

Scotton noted, however, that both avenues for appeal would have narrow grounds.