"The Indigenous-led solar farm redefining Alberta’s energy landscape", 25 February 2025

An Alberta First Nation is launching a bold new renewable energy project that will consistently crank out enough clean electricity to power 20,000 typical homes for a year.

The Tilley Solar project is a solar farm with nearly 70,000 photovoltaic panels that is expected to become operational this spring and provide 23.6 megawatts of clean power to southern Alberta. The $52-million initiative, located about 200 kilometres southeast of Calgary, will reduce Alberta’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 14,200 tonnes annually – the equivalent of removing 4,350 passenger cars from the roads.

The Tilley solar farm is a joint venture between Alexander Business Centre, the business arm of Alexander First Nation, and First Nation Power Development Inc. (FNpower), a B.C.-based organization that connects First Nations with renewable energy projects. Developed in collaboration with renewable power developer Concord Green Energy and the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB), the project is intended to serve as a model for other Indigenous-owned clean-energy projects.

At its peak, the Tilley project, which is about 500 kilometres away from Alexander First Nation, will generate 280 full-time jobs and $20-million in labour income, the CIB says.

Alexander First Nation Chief George Arcand Jr, a distant relative of Mr. Arcand, says being involved in clean energy is important for his community “as we are stewards of the land.”