Here Comes the Sun: Solar Law in Alberta

The ELC is pleased to announce the publication of Here Comes the Sun: Solar Law in Alberta which summarizes the legal landscape in Alberta as it relates to solar energy. This report was conceived of in a world where advances in solar energy are a near-daily headline. For example, when drafting this blog, the headlines of the past few weeks included – “Solar power in Australia outstrips coal-fired electricity for first time”, “Dawson City, Yukon will soon harness the midnight sun”, and “Alberta solar projects raise tensions over agricultural land use.” Clearly, solar is on people’s minds. Further, harnessing solar energy is key to mitigating the production of greenhouse gas emissions, making the legal and policy context of solar energy development a foundational pillar to address climate change.  In recognition of this, Here Comes the Sun provides a review of the existing regulatory framework for solar energy in Alberta.

Part 1 of this report highlights the relevance of solar as a response to our energy needs and the need to mitigate our greenhouse gas emissions from energy production. Part 2 identifies the relevant regulatory framework at play in Alberta. Part 3 highlights select jurisdictional approaches that can shed some light on how Alberta can move forward to increase solar energy production and Part 4 identifies several policy and regulatory recommendations to help solar become a central pillar of Alberta’s energy system.