Renewable Energy Project Cancellations in Alberta Hit Alarming Milestone

Renewable energy projects in Alberta have faced significant challenges since the introduction of the renewables moratorium in October 2023. Despite the province's promise to support clean energy, project cancellations have reached an alarming milestone. According to the Pembina Institute's analysis, almost 11 gigawatts (GW) of wind, solar, and energy storage projects have been withdrawn from the Alberta Electric System Operator project development queue. This represents 109% of Alberta's average total power demand, or 89% of peak power demand.

Key Takeaways:

• Since October 2023, 44% of proposed renewable energy projects have been cancelled, whereas only 11% of gas capacity proposed in the same timeframe has been cancelled.
• The cancellations of renewables projects are now outpacing new proposals, with developers choosing not to join the project development queue.
• The Alberta Electric System Operator's project connection queue has shrunk significantly since the onset of the renewables moratorium.
• The volume of gas projects in the queue has increased by 32% since the start of the renewable energy moratorium.
• Renewables in Alberta are facing challenges including outright bans and ambiguous restrictions on land use, new requirements for equipment recycling and land reclamation, and changes to transmission legislation.
• The Pembina Institute recommends the Alberta government to create rules and regulations to support a clean, resilient, and affordable electricity system, to fast-track development for areas well-suited for utility-scale renewable projects, and to support energy independence and resilience through interties, energy storage, distributed energy resources, and demand-side management.
• Clean energy investment is still happening elsewhere, with Nova Scotia selecting regions for up to 5 GW of offshore wind developments and the B.C. and Quebec governments issuing calls for new wind and solar projects.

Statistics:

• 44% of proposed renewable energy projects have been cancelled since October 2023.
• 109% of Alberta's average total power demand is represented by the 11 GW of cancelled wind, solar, and energy storage projects.
• 89% of peak power demand is represented by the 11 GW of cancelled wind, solar, and energy storage projects.
• The volume of gas projects in the queue has increased by 32% since the start of the renewable energy moratorium.
• Global investment in wind, solar, and battery storage is set to be more than five times that of investment in gas, oil, and coal power in 2025, according to the International Energy Agency.

Sources:

• Pembina Institute. (2025). Down But Not Out.
• International Energy Agency. (2025). Global Investment in Renewable Energy.