Sharp Hills Wind Farm will be located in Special Area 3 and 4 near the Sedalia and New Bridgen hamlets. The Sharp Hills were named by early surveyors who used them as a reference point for the surrounding area. The project area is primarily used for grain farming and cattle grazing, consisting of flat plains and rolling hills.
Sharp Hills Wind Farm will have an installed capacity of up to 300 megawatts (MW) — enough to power approximately 160,000 average Alberta homes.
Sharp Hills Wind Farm represents a capital investment of approximately $420 million in the Special Areas, supporting approximately 300 construction jobs, and creating up to 15 to 20 permanent, local jobs during the operational life of the project. The project will generate significant property tax revenues for the Special Areas, as well an increased amount of landowner payments during the life of the project. EDPR is committed to neighbour payments. Sharp Hills Wind Farm will help protect against volatile fuel spikes, and utilize a renewable, domestic source of energy.
Sharp Hills Wind Farm will help prevent carbon pollution, a major contributor to climate change; sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions from coal which cause smog, acid rain, and respiratory illness; and mercury pollution, a neurotoxin that is harmful to people and wildlife. The annual carbon offset of Sharp Hills Wind Farm is equivalent to taking more than 175,000 cars off the road.
Wind turbines also produce electricity without using or polluting water, protecting a valuable resource for farmers, families, and businesses across the province.
Approximately 50 supportive landowners/families representing 47,000 acres participate in the project under long-term lease and easement agreements that cover turbines, access roads, and other project infrastructure. The income landowners receive from lease payments helps sustain their way of life and is often spent within the local economy.
Modern turbines consist of three main parts: the tower, the blade, and the nacelle. Most of the action takes place in the nacelle, where the power of the wind is turned into electricity. The blades are attached to a gearbox in the nacelle, which turns a generator and produces electricity. The electricity then enters the electrical grid through a substation after being converted to the proper voltage.
Sharp Hills Wind Farm will consist of 71 Enercon E138 4.2MW wind turbines and will have two phases; Sharp Hills I (59 turbines) and Sharp Hills II (12 turbines).