Canadian Solar announced the completion of the sale of the Suffield Solar Project to BluEarth Renewables.
The Suffield Solar Project, currently under construction in southeast Alberta, will have a capacity of 23 MWac / 32 MWp and will be among the largest solar photovoltaic (PV) facilities in the province of Alberta.
Direct Energy will purchase the electricity from the Suffield facility once it is operational later this year. Direct Energy is one of the largest energy and energy-related service providers in North America with almost one million residential, business and wholesale customers in Alberta.
The Suffield facility was awarded funding through Natural Resources Canada’s Emerging Renewable Power Program for pioneering advancements in renewable energy technology. The Suffield project will use Canadian Solar’s bifacial modules and single-axis trackers.
Bifacial modules produce electricity from both sides of the solar panel maximizing total energy generation and improving reliability during winter months. Single-axis trackers allow the solar arrays to follow the sun’s trajectory throughout the day, also increasing electricity production.
Grant Arnold, president and CEO of BluEarth, said: “With this acquisition, BluEarth will expand its footprint in southern Alberta.”
The Suffield project, combined with one other solar project currently under construction, brings BluEarth’s total solar capacity to 187 MWac.
Once operational, the Suffield Solar Project is estimated to power approximately 7,300 homes annually.