Solar energy firm Pace relocates Canadian HQ from Vancouver to Calgary

Solar energy farm (Shutterstock)

The Canadian division of Pathfinder Clean Energy, also known as PACE Canada, announced late last month it will be relocating its headquarters from Vancouver to Calgary.

The company is known for designing and building solar arrays, including a growing number of large-scale solar energy farms.

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The relocation of its headquarters from Vancouver, which first opened in 2017 to tap into the Canadian market, was highly strategic, given that the company has several major solar projects in Alberta that were recently approved by provincial regulators.

This includes the 61 MWp Joffre solar project near the Joffre Petrochemical Complex in Lacombe County, and the 10 MWp Youngstown solar project.

Both projects are expected to begin construction later in 2022, and upon completion they will be linked to Alberta’s electrical grid and create zero-emission power for 22,000 homes. The plants will have an initial lifespan of 25 years, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 16,000 tonnes annually.

“We are thrilled to be relocating our corporate headquarters to Alberta as the region will provide the foundation for our new initiatives going forward,” said Rob Denman, the managing director of PACE Group and president of PACE Canada LP, in a statement.

“Alberta is one of the top business growth areas for clean tech making it an ideal location for PACE Canada’s future as we scale up our involvement in the clean energy sector through solar and increasingly moving into energy storage and green hydrogen.”

PACE Canada also states it was attracted to Calgary by Invest Alberta’s efforts in working closely with the company to provide it with information and analysis on federal and provincial policies and potential incentives, and connected the firm with local partners to assist with its relocation.

The province is attempting to diversify its economy by expanding into the clean tech sector, which has the potential to generate $61 billion in gross domestic product and 170,000 jobs in Alberta by 2050.

There is also generally more potential for large-scale solar energy projects in Alberta, compared to British Columbia, due to factors such as topography and climate. Alberta is home to a growing high number of solar array projects, including future large-scale projects such as a 120 MWp solar farm near Edmonton International Airport (YEG), and an 80 MWp solar farm supported by Amazon near Calgary. Earlier this year, Amazon completed a solar array on the rooftop of one of its distribution facilities near YEG.

“Alberta’s clean energy sector has experienced exceptional growth over the past decade, fueled by high levels of capital investment,” said Rick Christiaanse, CEO of Invest Alberta.

“Alberta’s high-quality talent, competitive regulatory environment and low corporate taxes ensure companies like PACE can set up fast and succeed without limits in Alberta.”

PACE Canada is jointly owned by British parent entity Pathfinder Clean Energy, and German clean energy firm Goldbeck Solar.

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