Medicine Hat's Paterson earns two ASTech nominations for solar-well conversion project

Wes Paterson, who runs Paterson Consulting Inc. in Medicine Hat, has received two nominations at the 37th annual ASTech Awards, in the energy innovation and regional innovation categories, for a project turning orphaned oil and gas wells into community solar facilities. The project has been piloted in the Taber and Foremost areas, including a recently completed one-megawatt project in the MD of Taber.

Paterson said the nominations reflect growing interest in repurposing aging oil and gas infrastructure, a pressing issue given the number of inactive and orphaned wells across Alberta. He noted landowners have launched a civil suit against the Alberta Energy Regulator over a backlog of unaddressed wells.

He said interest in these projects is coming from international investors, including groups from Singapore, who view Canada and Europe as more stable energy investment destinations compared with countries such as China and the United States. Paterson said repurposed well sites could eventually support mixed-use energy developments serving manufacturing, agriculture and growing electricity demand from data centres.

Paterson identified several potential sites in southeastern Alberta and estimated 20 to 30 more could be considered for future conversion projects, pending regulatory approval. He said the biggest barrier to moving projects forward remains regulatory red tape involving multiple government departments, grid operators and utilities.