All that glitters is not gold — or in the case of wind power, an ‘ill wind’ is defined as something bad that brings good fortune to someone else.That’s essentially the message of a new documentary by Calgary filmmaker Heidi McKillop who will be premiering her latest effort to expose the pitfalls of wind power development in Southern Alberta, dubbed Generation Green, at the Calgary Plaza Theatre on Tuesday evening..The film documents the struggles of Watertown residents battling against Calgary-based TransAlta’s proposed Riplinger wind project near Cardston.The company had planned to build a 300-megawatt wind farm near a UNESCO designated World Heritage site in the Rocky Mountains.The multi-billion project would have seen the construction of more than 50 wind turbines the size of the Calgary Tower installed less than seven kilometres from Waterton National Park on what is known as the “Crown of the Continent” straddling the Great Divide. More than what lies above the ground, are the subsurface concrete bases needed to support the massive weight of the turbines..It was ultimately the efforts of local community groups that prompted the UCP government to introduce restrictions on wind development, after it imposed buffer zones earlier this spring to ensure the unimpeded mountain vistas Alberta is known for.The film chronicles the struggle and eventual triumph of residents in fighting TransAlta and ensuring policies against rampant development in the Foothills.In May, TransAlta cancelled Riplinger and three other similar projects due to the restrictions.In that sense, the film has a happy ending, McKillop said in an interview. But it also serves as a cautionary tale for those who think renewable energy is a panacea for emissions reduction as it chronicles the supply chain of wind components extending from child slave labour camps in Africa to the prairies of Alberta — and the incremental costs along the way..Not to mention, exorbitant reclamation costs of the turbines themselves that can’t be recycled or completely removed from the ground, unlike oil and gas wells.The takeaway? That people need to be educated about the pros and cons of their energy choices and the impact it has on the world around them, both at home and abroad.“I think the takeaway really is to look at any type of energy form and realize that there is a social and environmental impact. That's the whole point of having these conversations is to have an even playing field for energy, literacy and energy conversation,” she said.“It was incredible to actually see the work that they did on the ground, so you'll be able to see a lot of their their eye expressions around the around the project and why it was so important to change those regulations.”After the Tuesday premiere the documentary will be available as a widely distributed download on YouTube. The show starts with a reception at 5 p.m. followed by the screening starting at 6:15 p.m. and a panel discussion on ‘Navigating the Complexities of Green Energy.’
All that glitters is not gold — or in the case of wind power, an ‘ill wind’ is defined as something bad that brings good fortune to someone else.That’s essentially the message of a new documentary by Calgary filmmaker Heidi McKillop who will be premiering her latest effort to expose the pitfalls of wind power development in Southern Alberta, dubbed Generation Green, at the Calgary Plaza Theatre on Tuesday evening..The film documents the struggles of Watertown residents battling against Calgary-based TransAlta’s proposed Riplinger wind project near Cardston.The company had planned to build a 300-megawatt wind farm near a UNESCO designated World Heritage site in the Rocky Mountains.The multi-billion project would have seen the construction of more than 50 wind turbines the size of the Calgary Tower installed less than seven kilometres from Waterton National Park on what is known as the “Crown of the Continent” straddling the Great Divide. More than what lies above the ground, are the subsurface concrete bases needed to support the massive weight of the turbines..It was ultimately the efforts of local community groups that prompted the UCP government to introduce restrictions on wind development, after it imposed buffer zones earlier this spring to ensure the unimpeded mountain vistas Alberta is known for.The film chronicles the struggle and eventual triumph of residents in fighting TransAlta and ensuring policies against rampant development in the Foothills.In May, TransAlta cancelled Riplinger and three other similar projects due to the restrictions.In that sense, the film has a happy ending, McKillop said in an interview. But it also serves as a cautionary tale for those who think renewable energy is a panacea for emissions reduction as it chronicles the supply chain of wind components extending from child slave labour camps in Africa to the prairies of Alberta — and the incremental costs along the way..Not to mention, exorbitant reclamation costs of the turbines themselves that can’t be recycled or completely removed from the ground, unlike oil and gas wells.The takeaway? That people need to be educated about the pros and cons of their energy choices and the impact it has on the world around them, both at home and abroad.“I think the takeaway really is to look at any type of energy form and realize that there is a social and environmental impact. That's the whole point of having these conversations is to have an even playing field for energy, literacy and energy conversation,” she said.“It was incredible to actually see the work that they did on the ground, so you'll be able to see a lot of their their eye expressions around the around the project and why it was so important to change those regulations.”After the Tuesday premiere the documentary will be available as a widely distributed download on YouTube. The show starts with a reception at 5 p.m. followed by the screening starting at 6:15 p.m. and a panel discussion on ‘Navigating the Complexities of Green Energy.’
