Brownfields to Brightfields: Award-winning approach to oil and gas site revitalization

The Brownie Awards 2023, hosted by the Canadian Brownfields Network (CBN) and Actual Media Inc. on November 24, 2023, honoured outstanding achievements in environmental remediation and redevelopment.

The RenuWell Project was awarded the REFOCUS Award in the Vision of Alternative Benefits to Brownfields Remediation category for its innovative approach to repurposing abandoned industrial sites into renewable energy assets.

This accolade highlighted the project’s success in transforming derelict oil and gas sites into valuable community solar energy resources and demonstrates how a portion of Alberta’s thousands of brownfield oil and gas sites could be repurposed as “brightfields.”

Addressing Alberta’s environmental challenges

In the latter half of the 20th century, Alberta’s oil and gas industry was a cornerstone of economic development, generating substantial revenue and employment opportunities. However, the decline in production and falling commodity prices in recent years have left behind a legacy of disused and abandoned infrastructure.

These abandoned sites, including oil and gas wells, have posed significant environmental and financial challenges for the region.

The Municipal District (MD) of Taber, located in southern Alberta, has been particularly affected by these issues. With a high concentration of oil and gas wells—3,427 active wells, 2,119 suspended wells, and 3,421 abandoned wells—the MD of Taber has faced increasing pressure to address the environmental and economic repercussions of these sites.

Landowners and the municipality have encountered challenges related to well reclamation, including unpaid lease rentals, environmental contamination, and the need for effective land management.

Credit: Canada Energy Centre

Turning abandoned sites into solar assets 

In 2016, Keith Hirsche, president of Elemental Energy Inc./RenuWell Energy Solutions Inc. (EEI), started investigating this project opportunity and presenting the potential benefits to interested stakeholders. In 2018, EEI, in partnership with the Municipal District (M.D.) of Taber, formed the RenuWell Project to develop a framework for municipalities to assess oil & gas brownfield
site repurposing opportunities.

The RenuWell Project team received funding from the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre’s (MCCAC) in March 2019 to conduct extensive stakeholder engagement regarding
the repurposing concept and development of policy recommendations. In August 2020, the RenuWell Project received $2.3 million in funding from the MCCAC’s Municipal Community Generation Challenge supporting pilot project deployment.

With $1.5 million in additional funding from the IRRICAN (owner of the sites), the RenuWell Project team successfully repurposed two orphan brownfield oil & gas in the M.D. of Taber, installing 1.45 megawatts (MW) of distribution-connected community solar PV generation.

Energized in March 2023, the projects are exceeding performance expectations. Additionally, repurposing the orphan oil & gas sites for small-scale solar installations conserved right acres of high value agricultural land and saved over 80 per cent in reclamation costs.

The core idea behind RenuWell was to repurpose abandoned oil and gas sites for small-scale solar energy generation. This strategy leveraged existing infrastructure, such as powerlines, roads, and land leases, to minimize the need for new construction and reduce costs.

By utilizing these already-established features, RenuWell addressed both environmental concerns and financial challenges associated with site reclamation, effectively mitigating the environmental impact of abandoned sites by repurposing them for clean energy production.

It also alleviated the financial burden on landowners and local governments, who would otherwise face significant costs for site reclamation.

Additionally, it reduced the pressure on valuable agricultural land by placing solar installations in less productive areas, such as those already disturbed by previous industrial activity.

Collaborative planning and community engagement

The success of the RenuWell Project is also attributed to its collaborative planning process. In partnership with RenuWell Energy Solutions, the M.D. of Taber embarked on a detailed planning and consultation phase which included extensive community engagement through public open houses, surveys, and stakeholder meetings while actively seeking input from residents, landowners, and other stakeholders to ensure the initiative met the needs and concerns of the community.

By utilizing these already-established features, RenuWell addressed both environmental concerns and financial challenges associated with site reclamation, made possible through the efforts of multiple stakeholders.

Key partners included the Municipal District of Taber, IRRICAN (Irrigation Canal Power Co-operative Ltd.), Elemental Energy, SkyFire Energy, and Iron & Earth. This collaborative team worked together to develop and implement the project, addressing regulatory, financial, and logistical challenges.

Financial support from the Government of Alberta through the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre (MCCAC) also played a crucial role in advancing the project. The MCCAC’s funding, along with policy support such as the Municipal Community Generation Challenge, enabled the team to overcome barriers and move forward with the project’s goals.

This support was essential in developing a roadmap for small-scale solar installations and creating a “Best Practices Guidebook” to assist other municipalities.

The RenuWell Project has had a significant impact on the local community. By converting abandoned oil and gas sites into solar energy facilities, the project not only addresses environmental remediation but also provides economic benefits while supporting grid decarbonization, conserving valuable land, and generating cost savings through the reuse of existing infrastructure.

Community engagement has been a key component of the project’s success with survey results indicating a high level of interest in solar energy projects and a willingness to participate in ownership models that involve local stakeholders.

The project’s focus on cooperative partnerships and community involvement has strengthened its impact and demonstrated the potential for innovative solutions to environmental and energy challenges.

Looking forward, the RenuWell Project aims to expand its efforts by continuing to develop small-scale solar facilities and sharing its findings with other municipalities.

The project’s success serves as a model for integrating renewable energy solutions into brownfield remediation and highlights the potential for transformative approaches to address environmental and economic issues.