Ottawa has announced a $25.4-million investment in Northwestern Alberta’s first commercial-scale geothermal facility.
The project, Alberta No. 1, will be overseen by a partnership between Terrapin Geothermics and the Municipal District of Greenview.
“The Alberta No.1 Geothermal project is a great opportunity for our country and province to showcase our skills and expertise in large-scale energy development. Terrapin is thrilled to be partnering with our construction and drilling sectors to pioneer the conventional geothermal industry in Alberta and deliver a different kind of energy,” says Sean Collins, president of Terrapin Geothermics. “The geothermal heat beneath our feet is a unique, valuable and challenging resource that, if unlocked economically, presents a brand-new growth industry in Canada. Projects like this demonstrate our ability to diversify and Canada’s competence in our energy sector.”
PCL Construction will also participate in this project.
A first in the province and among the first of its kind in Canada, the facility will generate five megawatts of electricity annually, enough to power 6,800 homes and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 20,000 tonnes per year. The project will also create new jobs during the construction and operation phases.
The project will demonstrate geothermal power as a viable and reliable power source and, complemented by existing power sources, how it can play a major role in phasing out coal, and is expected to model integrated energy solutions by providing direct heat to local industries, further increasing its environmental and economic benefits.
Funding for the project comes from Natural Resources Canada’s Emerging Renewables Power Program, a $200-million program that is part of Canada’s more than $180-billion Investing in Canada infrastructure plan for public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes and Canada’s rural and northern communities.
