Canada-based Westbridge Energy, a renewable energy company focused on developing utility-scale solar PV projects, has acquired a 75% controlling interest in Sunnynook Solar Energy.
Sunnynook is developing a 236 MW solar PV project and 100 MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project in Sunnynook, Alberta, Canada, under a definitive agreement dated November 30, 2021.
The Project has secured site control in the form of a long-term solar lease covering 940 acres. It is currently in Stage 1 of the Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) interconnection process, with environmental studies ongoing under Alberta Environment and Parks guidelines.
“The acquisition of Sunnynook significantly expands Westbridge’s footprint in Alberta from 278 MW to 514 MW and further demonstrates the Company’s ability to originate and acquire utility-scale development assets in leading jurisdictions for solar project development. This acquisition confirms Westbridge’s position as one of the largest, fastest-growing solar PV developers in Canada by MW and further diversifies its renewable energy portfolio in terms of asset location and the enabling technologies utilized,” said Maggie McKenna, Chief Operating Officer, and Director. “The Sunnynook project will provide clean, renewable energy to Albertans and benefit the local economy by creating new jobs in a fast-growing industry,” she added.
Westbridge CEO, Stefano Romanin, added, “Sunnynook will employ leading-edge technologies, pairing solar PV generation with an advanced battery energy storage system, mitigating the intermittency of solar power. The importance of BESS is underlined by the recent Energy Storage Roadmap (ES Roadmap) that sets out the AESO’s plan to facilitate the reliable integration of energy storage technologies across the Alberta Interconnected Electric System.”
According to Mercom’s 9M and Q3 2021 Solar Funding and M&A Report, Westbridge Energy announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Westbridge Energy (U.S.), acquired the 221 MW Accalia Point solar project located in Cameron County Texas, from Aelius Solar, a solar project developer. Accalia Point Solar owns the Project assets. Westbridge expects completing the development of the Accalia Point Solar project to be completed by Q1 2023.
