On Monday, April 14, East Hawkesbury council received a presentation for a proposed Agrivoltaics solar power project in Chute-à-Blondeau. Renewable energy developer Compass Greenfield Development (CGD) would undertake the 9.5 megawatt (MW) project at the intersection of Highway 417 and Gourley Road.
CGD President Jonathan Cheszes explained that the company will be hosting a public consultation meeting at the Chute-à-Blondeau Community Centre at 2005 Principale Street on Wednesday, April 23, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. GRD representatives will be present to answer community concerns or questions about the project.
CGD’s project website states that electricity demand for Ontario is forecast to increase 75 per cent between 2025 and 2050. It explains the project will also bring investment opportunities and benefits including employment, lease payments, and capital investment in the local economy.
Solar panels would be installed using steel pile foundations, allowing for easier land restoration. The design includes row spacing of approximately 25 feet, fixed-tilt or tracking mounts, and sheep grazing between panels to manage vegetation.
The total area for the project will be less than 59 acres of land and contain the inverter, combiner boxes, transformers, and other interconnection equipment. CGD states that this project will be visually screened by maintaining existing perimeter vegetation and adding additional screening where required.
Additionally, the project would be connected to Hydro-One’s distribution grid and have 24/7 remote monitoring by CGD, with quarterly on-site visits.
The CGD Agrivoltaics project proposal will be submitted to the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) as part of the Long-Term 2 Procurement process (LT2) by the beginning of Q4, 2025. This process was put in place to secure approximately 2,000 MW of energy-producing capacity in Ontario, with operations starting on or before 2030.
All permits are expected to be completed by GRD during 2025 and 2026. Construction would then be scheduled for 2027/2028, followed by commercial operation until the year 2050 or later. The company will also manage stakeholder engagement, guarantee decommissioning, oversee maintenance, and cover other third-party costs.
CGD has been active in Ontario since 2011 and has more than 100 renewable projects in the province supporting 2000+ MW for clients. GRD aims to meet the rising energy demands by providing energy solutions for industry growth, the creation of data centres, electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing, commercial growth, and meeting the growing population’s energy demand as electrification continues.
Residents seeking more project information can visit chute-a-blondeauagrivoltaics.ca, where a project overview and FAQ page are available, or email [email protected].
