Westbridge Renewable Energy has signed a definitive agreement to sell its Red Willow solar-plus-storage project in Alberta, moving an advanced Canadian renewable development toward a new ownership phase after securing key regulatory approvals.
The transaction covers all outstanding shares of Red Willow Solar Inc., the Westbridge subsidiary that owns the project in Stettler County No. 6. Red Willow is designed for up to 225MWac of solar generation alongside a proposed 100MW battery energy storage system, giving the buyer a project that combines daytime renewable production with flexible storage capacity.
Definitive Sale Agreement Advances an Approved Alberta Project
Westbridge entered the share purchase agreement on August 27, 2026. The company describes Red Willow as an advanced-stage utility-scale project with approvals already received from the Alberta Utilities Commission for the power plant and substation.
The development also holds an interconnection position in the Alberta Electric System Operator process. Grid access is one of the most important development milestones for large renewable projects because even fully permitted generation cannot operate commercially without a viable connection to the transmission system.
By selling the project through its wholly owned subsidiary, Westbridge is following a development-and-monetisation model in which it originates sites, progresses permitting and grid work, and then transfers mature projects to buyers positioned to finance construction and long-term ownership.
“Red Willow is an advanced-stage, utility scale solar-plus-storage project comprising a solar power plant of up to 225 MWac and a proposed 100 MW battery energy storage system.” — Westbridge Renewable Energy, transaction announcement
Battery Storage Adds Flexibility to the 225MW Solar Design
The inclusion of a 100MW battery changes the operating profile of Red Willow compared with a standalone solar farm. Solar generation is concentrated during daylight hours, while Alberta’s electricity demand and wholesale prices can move independently of that production pattern.
Storage can absorb electricity when solar output is high and return energy to the system later, subject to the final battery configuration and operating strategy. It can also provide grid services that respond more rapidly than conventional generation, giving hybrid projects additional ways to participate in power markets.
For developers, pairing solar with storage can make a project more adaptable as electricity systems absorb larger amounts of variable generation. The combination is particularly relevant in markets where new industrial loads and data centres may increase demand while grid operators continue integrating renewable capacity.
Alberta Approvals Reduce Development Risk for the Buyer
Red Willow’s existing Alberta Utilities Commission approvals materially distinguish it from an early-stage project. Permitting, substation design and grid interconnection can take years, and uncertainty around those processes can prevent otherwise viable renewable projects from reaching financing.
Westbridge has already progressed the project through major regulatory steps, leaving the incoming owner with a more defined route toward final engineering, procurement, financing and construction. The remaining work will still depend on transaction closing conditions, the interconnection process and the buyer’s investment decisions.
The project is located in central Alberta, a province undergoing significant change in its electricity system. Renewable development has expanded alongside conventional generation, while large new loads are increasing attention on transmission capacity, reliability and the role of dispatchable resources.
Project Monetisation Supports Westbridge’s Development Pipeline
The Red Willow agreement illustrates how renewable developers can recycle capital by selling advanced projects rather than retaining every asset through decades of operation. Proceeds from project sales can be redeployed into earlier-stage developments, allowing a developer to expand its pipeline without funding the full construction cost of every project itself.
Westbridge is developing utility-scale solar and battery projects across North America and has previously pursued transactions built around progressing projects to an investable stage. Red Willow’s combination of regulatory approvals, grid positioning and storage gives the project characteristics increasingly sought by infrastructure investors looking for assets that are closer to construction.
The next milestone is completion of the transaction under the definitive agreement. After closing, attention will shift to the new owner’s construction strategy, final battery design, interconnection milestones and financing. If built at its proposed scale, Red Willow would add a substantial solar resource and 100MW of flexible battery capacity to Alberta’s power system.
