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Solar Opportunity Identification Report

Published on January 21, 2010

 
The Economic Development Alliance (EDA) of Southeast Alberta’s mandate is to increase wealth, promote investment and work with businesses to expand and access new markets throughout the region it serves. The EDA’s member municipalities are the City of Medicine Hat, Town of Redcliff, Cypress County, County of Forty Mile, and the Town of Bow Island. Through the EDA, these member municipalities strive to achieve sustainable economic growth and maximize value of resources in the region. The area’s key sectors include energy, agriculture, metal fabrication and machinery, technology, tourism and transportation. In addition to these traditional sectors, the EDA strives to develop emerging sectors and attract investment in these to build industry. 

 
The EDA has interest in developing the emerging Alternative Energy sector. Specifically, the EDA has interest in identifying opportunities for the region in the area of solar energy, given the positive attributes of the region and the increasing interest among municipalities and residents in utilizing solar energy. Spurring the interest in solar is also the fact that within Canada, the solar resource potential is generally concentrated in the southern part of the country. In fact, according to the Ontario Sustainable Energy Association, the very best potential is concentrated around southeast Alberta, southern Saskatchewan and in the southern half of the remaining Prairie Provinces.
 
 
In identifying potential solar opportunities for the region, the EDA would like:
·         A scan of the solar industry;
·         An assessment of the assets in the southeast Alberta region, pertaining to solar.
·         An action plan to enable the seizing of potential opportunities identified.
 

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