On Monday, August 18, East Hawkesbury council adopted a motion in support of the planned Agrivoltaics solar project in Chute-à-Blondeau. Council was also informed that Compass Greenfield Development (CGD) had acquired additional land to generate up to 22 megawatts of power for Ontario residents.
The project has more than doubled in size, expanding to 126 acres from about 59.
Agrivoltaics solar projects combine solar energy production with agriculture, generating power, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and using livestock such as sheep to manage vegetation.
Previously, the Chute-à-Blondeau Agrivoltaics project would have had 125 sheep grazing the fields. It would have generated 9.5 megawatts on the land at the intersection of Highway 17 and Gourley Road.
The updated project will still include vegetative screening around the site’s fence line, a pollinator garden, and integrated power-generating equipment alongside solar panels. About 350 sheep are now expected to be grazing on the property.
CGD President Jonathan Cheszes said the company acquired an additional 72.2 acres west of the original project and will grow the initiative and use the available capacity at the Longueuil Transformer Station. The updated plans will interconnect at two separate Hydro One distribution feeders, shown in the layout below.
The Agrivoltaics project will be submitted to the Long-Term 2 (LT2) procurement request from the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) by October 16, 2025, with contracts to be awarded in the first quarter of 2026.
Commercial operation of the Chute-à-Blondeau Agrivoltaics project is expected in 2029 or 2030, with decommissioning or renewal planned for 2050 or later.
As part of the initiative’s Annual Community Benefits Agreement, $1,000 per megawatt generated will be paid directly to the municipality, providing between $18,000 and $22,000 annually.
East Hawkesbury council voted unanimously to draft a support resolution for the Agrivoltaics project. Mayor Robert Kirby declared a conflict of interest and did not participate in the vote.
Interested individuals are encouraged to visit the project’s website for more information, including FAQs: https://chute-a-blondeauagrivoltaics.ca.
Very good. Solar is the right way to go. But could we leave agricultural land to the sheep and cover all the parking lots along the 1 km of Highway 17 in front of all the stores first?