Canadian Solar has secured three solar power contracts from Canadian Province Alberta’s Ministry of Infrastructure, totaling 94MW.

Canadian Solar

Image: Canadian Solar wins three solar projects in Alberta, Canada. Photo: Courtesy of Free-Photos/Pixabay.

Canadian Solar stated that it won the contracts after submitting a power purchase agreement (PPA) price of C$48.05 ($36.31) per MWh. When operational, the three solar plants which will be built in southeast Alberta, will provide nearly 55% of electricity needs for Alberta’s provincial government.

The three solar projects in the contracts are the Jenner, Tilley, and Hays solar projects. The projects are expected to be operational in early 2021 and could generate enough clean electricity to power 20,000 homes. During the construction phase, the projects could generate nearly 270 jobs in the region.

Canadian Solar chairman and CEO Shawn Qu said: “We see great potential in the Alberta solar market, and we’re pleased to supply subsidy-free solar power to meet Alberta’s clean energy needs. We hope these 94 MWp solar project contracts serve as a catalyst for solar industry growth in Canada, specifically in Alberta.

“We are delighted to partner with Conklin Métis Local 193, the indigenous community, who owns a 50-percent equity stake in the Hays, Jenner and Tilley solar projects.”

The projects will be equipped with bifacial solar panels, which are claimed to generate up to 20% more energy than standard solar modules due to their ability to produce electricity from both their front and back sides.

Last year, the company signed an agreement with Conklin Métis Local 193, to acquire 50% stake in the three projects. The Conklin Métis are an indigenous community based in the rural hamlet of Conklin, part of the Athabasca Oil Sands region in eastern Alberta.

Conklin Métis Local 193 president Shirley Tremblay said: “We are extremely excited about our partnership with Canadian Solar, a global leader in solar energy. As a Métis community, we highly value the opportunity to invest in renewable energy projects within Canada.

“This partnership will help us diversify our investment portfolio, and its financial benefits will support key social and economic initiatives within our community. We applaud the Government of Alberta and Canadian Solar for their progressive mentality and look forward to a long-lasting, prosperous relationship.”

In January 2019, Canadian Solar was selected by Edify Energy and Octopus Investments to provide engineering, procurement and constructions (EPC) services and supply solar panels for the 333MW Darlington Point Solar Farm in New South Wales, Australia. For this project, the company will supply more than 820,000 of its solar panels, which will be installed on single-axis solar tracking systems in an area of about 2,000 acres.