Residents oppose New Lowell solar project

Although a large-scale solar project proposed in Edenvale received no objection at a public meeting in July, it is a different story for one proposed near New Lowell.

About a dozen people voiced opposition and concerns about Invenergy Solar Canada’s bid for a 50-megawatt solar project in front of a packed house at town hall in Stayner August 10.

Both solar projects are being submitted to the provincial government’s Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) under the large renewable procurement (LRP) request for proposals, due Sept. 1.

Although Clearview Township is not the approval authority, council has been asked for its support of the projects and to help facilitate public meetings as part of the provincial LRP process.

The Clearview Sun Solar Project near New Lowell is proposed on seven properties associated with Somerville Nurseries, totalling about 277 acres at Sunnidale Concession 2 and 3-4 Sideroad, between County Road 9 and Hogback Road.

Prepared for opposition, project manager Geoff Fallon said they have been working on the project for four years and made commitments that there would be aggressive buffering and setbacks to minimize the visibility of the solar panels. He said the area would be a sanctuary for birds, monarch butterflies and even bees while preserving trees and maintaining trails, which property owners have allowed the public to use.

Concession 2 resident Ron Sterling called it smoke and mirrors.

“Mirrors is what they are putting in the backyard and smoke is what they are blowing in your face,” he said.

People voiced concerns about what noise will be coming from transformers, how the power will be transmitted, the affect on property values and health effects.

Landowners Fred Somerville and Paul Fraser spoke in defence of the project.

Somerville said they are coming at the project from an environmental perspective.

“This is a renewable green energy and the human race has to go this way if we are going to survive,” he said. The crowd responded with a chorus of “it’s all for the money”.

“We have had a liberality for use of our land,” said Fraser adding that horses, snowmobiles and walkers have all been able to use the property for recreation and he hopes that will continue. He said a solar panel isn’t as pretty as a tree but it has a similar process in that it takes energy and converts it into something useable.

Residents said although the project has been years in the planning, they were surprised to learn of the public meeting.

“I don’t feel confident that I have been a part of this process,” said Concession 2 resident Kim Meadows. “There is a lot of fear.”

Councillor Kevin Elwood said he felt Invenergy wasn’t meeting all the deadlines through the process.

Township staff only received the formal application, fee and supporting documents on August 4.

“This is a rush job…” said Elwood. “I have concerns and the public has concerns.”

Also on August 10, Elwood encouraged council to hold off on entering into any agreements that would allow for the use of municipal property, including roadways, until the “province passes legislation to ensure that all municipalities are not left open to any municipal assets being used as any form of security by a third party corporation in conjunction with any renewable energy project.”

Elwood said it has been an issue in other municipalities, that road use agreements are used as collateral.

“I don’t think we’ve been tough enough on green energy,” he said, adding it helps if there is something there they can’t get by without tough negotiation with the township.

“It’s for our protection. It’s not a no. It’s bargaining,” said Elwood. “This is early days and I think it’s an opportunity to protect Clearview.”

The decision was deferred until the township could get legal advice on the matter but earlier in the night council did vote in support of the Edenvale Aerodrome 29-megawatt solar project being submitted to the IESO by BluEarth Renewables.

The projects have a community benefit fund attached to them as a pay back to the host municipality. The details of the Edenvale project’s fund are still being worked out but Clearview Township planner Amy Cann reported that it could result in more than $1 million in revenue for the township, if the project is successful.

“Senior staff have asserted that a figure of $2,000 per megawatt per year may be appropriate to allocate to the Community Benefit Fund. With a maximum anticipated project capacity of 29 megawatts, this figure would equate to $58,000 per year, or $1.16 million over the 20-year life of the project going back into the community. At this time, it is unknown what benefit amount final negotiations with the proponent will yield, but the final figure will be written into the final agreement,” reported Cann.

The money would be used at council’s discretion.

It is important to note that the IESO is only procuring 140 megawatts of solar power throughout the province and more than 40 agencies were approved for submissions. Clearview’s two proposals alone would account for 79 megawatts, more than half of what is available throughout the province.