New guidelines aim to protect Alberta’s agricultural land amid renewable energy growth

Alberta’s Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation released new guidelines to support the Electric Energy Land Use and Visual Assessment Regulation, which came into effect on December 6, 2024. These guidelines are designed to help mitigate the impact of renewable energy developments—such as wind and solar—on Alberta’s high-quality agricultural land.

What the Regulation Covers

The regulation:

defines high-quality agricultural land
outlines when coexistence is required (i.e., when energy and agriculture must operate on the same land)
sets expectations for productivity reporting
allows the Alberta Utilities Commission to request irrigability assessments in certain cases
What the Guidelines Add

The new guidelines:

• clarify regulatory requirements and how to meet them
• expand on the concept of coexistence and practical ways to achieve it
• explain how yield calculations are determined to attain productivity goals 
• outline when and how irrigability assessments should be conducted
• share best management practices for minimizing the impact of wind and solar development on farmland

These guidelines are intended to support landowners, municipalities, and renewable energy developers as they navigate the application process for energy projects on agricultural land. They will be updated periodically as new information becomes available.