Renewable Energy in Alberta: 15 Facts

Renewable Energy in Alberta: 15 Facts

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renewable energy alberta facts and statistics

Did you know that Alberta – Canada's oil and natural gas powerhouse province – is a leader in renewable energy? With its pristine mountain and prairie setting, the Western Canadian province harnesses strong winds from the Pacific Ocean that rush across the Rockies and down onto the prairies. It is also the sunniest province in Canada, with up to 18 hours of daylight in the summer and over 312 days of sunshine each year [1].

With abundant wind and sun, the province is ideal for substantial renewable power generation. Today, Alberta has emerged as a national leader in the deployment of renewables and is home to Canada’s largest solar and wind farms.

Below, we explore several fun and interesting facts about renewable energy in Alberta. Also see:

Alberta Renewable Energy Facts - Canada's largest solar project in Vulcan County Alberta is the size of 1,600 football fields 2

15 Alberta Renewable Energy Facts

#1 – Approximately 15% of Alberta’s electricity was generated by renewables in 2021, including:

  • Wind – 9%
  • Hydro – 3%
  • Bioenergy – 2%
  • Solar – 0.6%

#2 – Alberta’s wind generation capacity was 1,100 megawatts (MW) as of 2023, ranking third highest in Canada after Ontario and Quebec [2]

#3 – Most of Alberta’s wind farms are situated in southern and central-east Alberta [2]

#4 – Alberta is home to more than 30 wind farms, which only scratch the surface of the province’s potential wind power generating capability [5]

#5 – Buffalo Plains Wind Farm is the largest single-phase wind farm in Canada, with a total of 495 MW of power-generating capacity able to power up to 140,000 homes [6]

#6 – The Travers Solar Project in Vulcan County is the largest solar farm in Canada, spanning roughly 1,600 football fields in size – or ~3,330 acres [3]

#7 – A total of 1.3 million solar panels are part of the Travers Solar Project, an immense amount of panels with the capability of generating 465 MW of power that can power up to 150,000 homes [2][3]

Renewable energy infographics banner

#8 – Alberta’s second-largest wind operation is Wintering Hills Wind Farms situated near Drumhellar, with a capacity of 88MW [5]

#9 - The Cowley Ridge wind plant near Pincher Creek, Alberta, was the first commercial wind farm in Canada [4]

#10 – Hydro used to be one of the most important sources of electricity in Alberta; in the 1950s, it accounted for nearly 50% of the province’s power [7]

#11 – Approximately 75% of Alberta’s largest hydro power development opportunities are in the Athabasca, Peace and Slave River basins in the northern part of the province. The remaining 25% are found in the Red Deer River basin and the North and South Saskatchewan River basins in the southern part of the province [5].

#12 – Today, the Alberta Government estimates that about 10,000 jobs are supported by solar and wind installation, with growth opportunities projected at around 10% per year [9]

#13 – Alberta accounted for 92% of Canada’s growth in renewable electricity generation [10]

#14 – Between 2017 and 2023, Alberta is estimated to have added approximately 2,000 MW of renewable power-generating capacity to the grid [11]

#15 – Wind and solar projects were expected to generate $54 million in tax revenue for Albertan municipalities in 2024, up 92% year-over-year [12]

Alberta Renewable Energy Facts - Alberta expects 26% of its electricity generation to be accounted for by renewables in 2023 2

Alberta’s Renewable Energy Goals

While Alberta continues to lead in renewables, recent policy changes have reduced the number of new projects coming online. The government has issued new guidelines to ensure grid stability, leading to several project cancellations and permitting withdrawals by proponents over the past few years.

But the sector is still moving ahead at pace. In 2024, the Alberta Utilities Commission approved 44 new renewable generating projects totalling 3,600 MW of capacity, 24 of which were renewable projects. As of August 2025, a total of 13 renewable and storage projects had been approved by the regulatory body [13].

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SOURCES:

1 - https://www.alberta.ca/life-in-alberta

2 - https://www.cer-rec.gc.ca/en/data-analysis/energy-markets/provincial-territorial-energy-profiles/provincial-territorial-energy-profiles-alberta.html

3 - https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/canada-s-largest-solar-project-under-construction-in-vulcan-county-1.5483480

4 - https://www.history.alberta.ca/energyheritage/energy/wind-power/alberta-and-modern-wind-power.aspx

5 - https://www.history.alberta.ca/energyheritage/energy/hydro-power/hydroelectricity-in-alberta-today.aspx

6 - https://buffaloplainswindfarm.com/overview

7 - https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/hydro-once-made-up-around-half-of-alberta-s-power-capacity-why-does-alberta-have-so-little-now-1.6744209

8 - https://www.history.alberta.ca/energyheritage/energy/hydro-power/hydroelectricity-in-alberta-today.aspx

9 - https://www.cbc.ca/lite/story/1.6932005

10 - https://www.canada.ca/en/services/environment/weather/climatechange/climate-plan/clean-electricity/overview-alberta.html

11 - https://www.atcoenergy.com/blog/renewable-energy-in-alberta

12 - https://www.pentictonherald.ca/spare_news/article_ee0f7d63-c319-5eb3-8db8-534e00959518.html

13 - https://calgaryherald.com/business/alberta-renewable-project-cancellations-concerningly-high-report-says