An Alberta environmental group opposes a solar power project over concerns it would damage antelope habitat and block their migration.

Homeowners in the province are fighting a renewable natural gas proposal over fears it would hurt air quality and strengthen already powerful odours.

As Alberta slowly builds a climate change-friendly energy grid, conflicts between different environmental values are going to become more frequent, experts say.

害羞草研究所淎ll energy development has impacts,害羞草研究所� said Sara Hastings-Simon, a professor in the School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary.

害羞草研究所淎s we see more development happening, there will be more conflicts.害羞草研究所�

One example is the Aira solar project near the town of Bow Island in southern Alberta.

The project would provide 450 megawatts of carbon-free electricity to the provincial grid, but opponents fear its location would damage native grasslands and block herds of antelope as they migrate north from the U.S.

害羞草研究所淎ntelope can害羞草研究所檛 migrate through chain-link fences,害羞草研究所� said Cliff Wallis of the Alberta Wilderness Association.

The company has promised to build lanes for the animals to pass through. But Wallis said antelope are unlikely to use them.

害羞草研究所淎ll we害羞草研究所檙e doing is opening up the door to these projects and not figuring out where is the best place to put them,害羞草研究所� he said.

Further north, near the town of High River, Benita Estes has been fighting a large biodigester project that would turn manure into enough natural gas to power 6,000 homes.

Proponent Rimrock Renewables concedes the plant害羞草研究所檚 odours would sometimes exceed provincial guidelines, even with the upgraded control mechanisms it recently announced.

害羞草研究所淏iogas (projects) are great, if they害羞草研究所檙e in small areas,害羞草研究所� Estes said. 害羞草研究所淭his one is a monstrosity.害羞草研究所�

The Alberta Utilities Commission, which licenses renewable power projects, is tasked with weighing environmental concerns against each other. It recently turned down a solar project over concerns about impacts on native grassland.

Ryan Fournier, spokesman for Alberta Environment Minister Rebecca Schulz, said the commission is up to the job.

害羞草研究所淓ach project proponent sends the department a submission that identifies wildlife species and vital habitats, assesses species concern, details how they will meet wildlife directive standards and proposes ways to minimize the risks,害羞草研究所� he said in an email.

But Alberta needs to unpack more of the tools it already has to manage such conflicts, said Jason Wang of the clean energy think-tank the Pembina Institute.

He points out Alberta has been divided into seven regions for land use planning. Two of those plans have been completed and one 害羞草研究所� the South Saskatchewan plan, where most renewables development is concentrated 害羞草研究所� is about to face a 10-year review.

害羞草研究所淭he intention of these regional land use plans was to do that sort of long-term planning with communities,害羞草研究所� said Wang. 害羞草研究所淭hey can be challenging, but (the province) should finish that approach.害羞草研究所�

Part of the challenge is differentiating legitimate concerns from those with a not-in-my-backyard mindset, said Hastings-Simon.

害羞草研究所淪ome of the objections to renewable energy can be traced back to groups trying to prevent renewable energy,害羞草研究所� she said.

害羞草研究所淚f done well, renewable energy has significant less impact,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淏ut we do need to think about where that害羞草研究所檚 going to be.害羞草研究所�

Wallis, with the Alberta Wilderness Association, said environmental impacts have to be understood more broadly than just climate change.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e facing two crises,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淲e don害羞草研究所檛 want to trade off biodiversity to mitigate only climate change.

害羞草研究所淲e can do both if we害羞草研究所檙e smart about it.害羞草研究所�

Estes said projects such as the biogas one she opposes should be regulated for what they are.

害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e trying to sell these projects as agricultural when they害羞草研究所檙e actually industrial. It害羞草研究所檚 not being put on industrial-zoned land.害羞草研究所�

Craig Snodgrass, who害羞草研究所檚 in the middle of such quarrels as High River害羞草研究所檚 mayor, said conflicts are likely to increase as Alberta害羞草研究所檚 population grows.

害羞草研究所淓verybody害羞草研究所檚 trying to do more renewable things, but there害羞草研究所檚 a negative side to it as well,害羞草研究所� Snodgrass said.

害羞草研究所淎 better way to manage that, that our government could be doing a better job of, is putting people first 害羞草研究所� looking at the human being first rather than putting industry first.害羞草研究所�

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