Canadian Farm Solar Panels

What types of farms use solar energy in Canada?

In 2021, 29.7% of farms that reported solar energy production in Canada were classified as beef and feedlot, followed by oilseed and grain farms (27.8%). Solar energy is an appealing option for farms seeking to lower production costs by reducing energy expenses.

How many farms in Canada produce solar energy in 2021?

In 2021, 7.7% of farms in Canada reported solar energy production, up from 4.5% in the previous Census of Agriculture. The total number of farms reporting solar energy also increased with 14,587 farms reporting solar energy production, up from 8,658 farms in the previous census.

Who uses agrivoltaics in Canada?

In Canada, agrivoltaics has primarily been applied to conventional solar farms and used by shepherds and their sheep. While the shepherds get paid to cut the grass on solar farms, the sheep use the grass and pastures under the solar panels for shade and grazing. Sheep-based agrivoltaics is found throughout Canada.

Which provinces produce the most solar energy in Canada?

In 2021, farms in Ontario accounted for over one-third (36.3%) of the total number of farms in Canada that reported solar energy production. It was followed by Alberta (24.9%).

What is the largest solar project in Canada?

The Claresholm Solar Project is the largest solar project in Canada. At 132 megawatts, this solar farm has 477,198 solar modules and produces enough electricity to power 33,000 homes in Alberta. As I drove down the road about 10 kilometres from Claresholm there it was – a sprawling sea of solar modules as far as the eye can see.

Can solar energy be built on prime land in Alberta?

In Alberta, which has seen the most dramatic growth in solar energy in all of Canada in recent years, the provincial government recently introduced new regulations that bar renewable energy installations from being built on prime agricultural land unless developers can prove their projects can co-exist with livestock and crops.