Indigenous-led 23.6 megawatt Alberta solar farm comes online this spring—but there’s a catch

As previously reported by The Globe and Mail, an Indigenous-led solar farm in Alberta is poised to make a significant impact on the province’s energy landscape. The Tilley Solar project, a $52-million initiative located roughly 200 kilometers southeast of Calgary, is expected to become operational this spring, generating 23.6 megawatts of clean energy—enough to power 20,000 homes annually.

The project, featuring nearly 70,000 photovoltaic panels, is projected to cut Alberta’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 14,200 tonnes each year. This reduction is equivalent to removing 4,350 passenger vehicles from the roads, making it a key step in Canada’s transition to a low-carbon economy.

Renewables Amidst Policy Shifts

The Tilley Solar project received approval before Alberta’s controversial seven-month moratorium on renewable energy projects, which was enacted in August 2023. The provincial government justified the moratorium as necessary to safeguard agricultural land, though critics argued it disproportionately favored fossil-fuel industries. Prior to the freeze, Alberta was at the forefront of Canada’s renewable energy boom, accounting for 92 percent of the country’s growth in the sector.

In February 2024, the province lifted the ban, but new regulations have since been introduced that some industry leaders claim disadvantage clean-energy investments. A December 2024 announcement by the Alberta government imposed changes to the province’s electricity market, a move critics say could stifle further renewable developments.

A Model for Indigenous Economic Participation

The Tilley project is a joint venture between the Alexander Business Centre, representing the Alexander First Nation, and First Nation Power Development Inc. (FNpower), a British Columbia-based firm dedicated to Indigenous participation in renewable energy. The project was developed with support from Concord Green Energy and the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB), setting a precedent for Indigenous-owned clean-energy initiatives.

“Having a sustainable, consistent revenue stream from a project like this is important for us, just as it is for other First Nations,” said Ian Arcand, CEO of the Alexander Business Centre.

While the solar farm will create only a handful of long-term operational jobs, its construction provided 280 full-time positions and generated $20 million in labor income, according to the CIB. FNpower CEO and founder Firman Latimer emphasized the broader significance of Indigenous-led renewable energy. “Being part of the future economy and having meaningful equity ownership helps bring long-term benefits to our communities,” he noted.

Indigenous-Led Energy and Economic Reconciliation

Since 2006, dozens of Indigenous-led renewable energy projects have emerged across Canada, supporting both sustainability goals and economic reconciliation. According to the Canadian Climate Institute, Tilley is among the first large-scale Indigenous-owned solar projects in Alberta, a development that environmental experts see as a positive signal for the industry’s direction.

“Indigenous-led clean energy projects are essential to Canada’s energy future,” said Will Noel, a senior electricity analyst at the Pembina Institute. “They not only contribute to reducing emissions but also create economic opportunities for Indigenous communities.”

Meeting Canada’s Growing Energy Demands

As Canada’s reliance on electricity continues to grow, projects like Tilley are becoming increasingly vital. The federal government has positioned clean power as an “economic, scientific, and moral imperative” in its updated Clean Electricity Strategy, released in December 2024. The strategy acknowledges the rising electricity demands across sectors such as transportation, heavy industry, and artificial intelligence.

A recent Royal Bank of Canada report highlighted how AI-driven computing is set to dramatically increase electricity consumption, noting that a single ChatGPT query requires ten times the energy of a standard Google search. If all currently proposed data-center projects in Canada move forward, they could account for 14 percent of the country’s total power needs by 2030.

Uncertain Future for Renewables in Alberta

Despite the lifting of the moratorium, regulatory uncertainty remains a challenge for Alberta’s renewable energy market. The Canadian Renewable Energy Association has warned that recent policy changes could undermine investor confidence and drive up electricity costs for consumers.

“Alberta needs to proceed with caution: jeopardizing existing wind and solar projects is counterproductive,” said Vittoria Bellissimo, CEO of the Canadian Renewable Energy Association. “These projects were built in good faith, and if they cannot repay their debt, it could lead to credit downgrades across the sector.”

For Indigenous leaders and renewable energy advocates, projects like Tilley symbolize both progress and ongoing challenges. While Alberta’s evolving energy policies create hurdles, the drive for Indigenous economic participation in the clean-energy transition remains strong.

“Clean power attracts new investments,” said Noel. “Alberta—and Canada—should ensure they don’t miss the opportunity to lead in this space.”