Alberta has Canada’s longest history with operating wind energy projects, yet little research has been undertaken into rural Alberta’s substantial experience with wind energy.
This report takes a non-anecdotal, objective approach to documenting formal complaints made to the most likely authorities in Alberta to receive complaints relating to wind energy: the Alberta Utilities Commission, operators of existing wind energy projects, municipalities where operating wind energy projects are located, local and provincial health authorities, and the beef industry association and municipal agricultural fieldmen.
Overall, as wind energy has integrated into the agricultural and energy development landscape in rural Alberta, complaints to any authorities have been infrequent. The evidence gained from this research indicates that there is no pressing concern in wind-rural interactions in the Alberta context that would warrant obstruction or restriction of continued growth in wind energy in Alberta, so long as new developments are well regulated and continue to follow good practices in development, including local consultations, setback requirements and limitations that have been in place.
