'The horizon looks fantastic': Green energy company moving headquarters from B.C. to Alberta

Calgary is about to be home to another international green energy company.

PACE Canada, a U.K based company, recently announced it is moving its Canadian headquarters from British Columbia to Calgary, which points to an encouraging trend being seen throughout the province.

"We've seen a number of companies build-out in the solar and the wind space here in Alberta. And fortunately, a number of them are located here in Calgary," said Patrick Mattern, vice-president of business development for Calgary Economic Development.

"We have roughly 460 or 470 companies here in the clean-tech space. So the addition of another international player like PACE is a welcome sight. This is really is good news for Calgary."

Mattern added the green energy space is a critical sector that has been a priority for the city, and the momentum being felt in Calgary is showing no signs of slowing down.

“The horizon looks fantastic. We have the skill base. From an energy perspective, a lot of the clean tech is coming from our traditional oil and gas industry," he said.

The announcement of this latest relocation comes after PACE was recently approved for two solar projects in Alberta.

One is a 47-megawatt project in Lacombe County and the other is a smaller project near Oyen.

Construction on those projects is expected to begin later this year, and the company says it is excited to call Alberta its new Canadian home.

"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," said Rob Denman, managing editor of the PACE group and president of PACE Canada LP.

"Being in Alberta gives us the opportunity to further expand our ability to service current and future market needs."

It's unclear exactly where the company's Calgary office will be located, but officials say the company is also eyeing up potential expansion projects across Alberta.

Alberta Minister of Jobs, Economy and Innovation, Doug Schweitzer, said the current trend and emphasis that has been put on clean-tech is a positive sign for the province.

"This is going to help provide capital to fast-growing companies that are disrupting the whole energy market. Alberta is all things energy, and it's amazing to see the confidence, innovation, and opportunities in Alberta," said Schweitzer.

"Alberta's reputation for innovation is growing and, paired with our energy leadership. Our province is the ideal place for PACE Canada to have its headquarters."

Meanwhile, the federal government is moving forward with plans to set up an Energy Transition Centre, a place where the province's top energy companies can meet to develop green energy initiatives.