Topic 5 - Alternative and Renewable Energy

Alternative and renewable energy is becoming more viable in the region and can be an opportunity for economic growth in Lethbridge County.
The County supports the establishment of and growth of this industry and we see benefits to our municipality, individuals, businesses, and the environment.

Having policies related to alternative and renewable energy in the Municipal Development Plan will encourage development of emerging technologies and support a range of different energy sources. These policies provide siting criteria to minimize conflicts with adjacent land uses, provide opportunities for both large and small scale energy systems, and ensure that all energy developments follow the regulations of the County’s Land Use Bylaw as well as provincial and federal requirements.

The proposed alternative and renewable energy policies ensure that:
- Energy developments are located appropriately relative to other uses
- Applications provide plans and reserve funds to account for the decommissioning of the energy development once its life cycle has concluded
- Applications provide relevant studies and information on potential impacts and how they will be mitigated
- Small scale energy systems are encouraged on the condition that they are sound developments that do not negatively impact adjacent landowners
- Large scale wind energy conversion systems are allowed in the Rural Agricultural District and must meet the standards and regulations as identified in the County’s Land Use Bylaw
- Large scale solar collection facilities must be designated to a Direct Control District
- Large scale solar collections facilities have specific siting criteria and a cap on total amount of land to be developed for these facilities (cap will be reviewed by Council as necessary)
- Biogas/Biofuels/Waste-to-Energy facilities will have specific siting criteria

To review the current MDP, click on the link under the "Documents" tab on the right side of this page.