Another alternative energy project is being rolled out in the area.
Kronos Solar Projects is holding an Open House on Thursday, November 24 for a proposed solar farm near the community of Rowley.
“The aim of the consultation is to provide information to the public about the proposal, and obtain their input on the scheme,” states a letter to residents from Makan Yarandi of Kronos.
The project, to be located on private lands southeast of the Hamlet, is proposed to be built on 20 hectares of land and have the capacity to generate 10 Megawatts that will feed into the grid. This is enough to provide electricity for 12,200 people.
According to an information package on the project the site has been selected because it is not designated for high agricultural use, it has very low ecological or visual impact and is a suitable location for connection to the grid.
According to information provided, construction for the farm will take about four months. The operation is to be in the area of 20-25 years and there will be very little disturbance to the land. There are no permanent installations and the entire infrastructure can be removed when its lifecycle is complete. The installations are noise and emission free, and very little vegetation is disturbed when installed.
It states that in case studies the biodiversity of the land increased and the site can continue to be used as grazing land.
Before the project goes forward, it will have to be approved by the Alberta Utilities Commission, where there are a number of steps with opportunities for public input.
The Open house is slated for 5-6:30 p.m. at the Rowley Community Hall on Thursday, November 24. Representatives of Kronos Solar will be on hand to provide information on the project. Kronos is one of the leading developers of large-scale solar parks and operates on four continents.
